The Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society has an extensive museum complex. There are many rooms full of historical artifacts from the area which include displays of:
As of June 1, 2009 through August 31, 2009, hours of operation are as follows: Bennis House: Thursday through Sunday 1-4 pm. Lattimer House: Thursday and Saturday 10-4, Friday and Sunday 1-4.
There is an extensive collection of photographs of the area from the 1890's to the present. Some are on old 8"x10" glass negatives and are of remarkable quality. Pictures are available of surrounding towns including Punxsy, Big Run, Adrian, Anita, Rochester Mills and Timblin. The collection includes many wedding photographs and high school yearbook portraits. Reprints can be ordered by contacting Delbert Paul Highlands, Curator for Photography.
MARK YOUR CALENDER: Watch here for upcoming events and meetings. Website last updated 6-4-09.The Society recently lost a good friend on December 21 with the passing of Joe Crissman. Joe was a charter member of the Society and was a member of our Board of Trustees. He will sorely be missed.
In the Lattimer House at 400 West Mahoning Street visit the Winslow Genealogy Suite and Tibby Genealogical Library. The following resources are available:
Anyone seeking information on the genealogy of persons or families from the Punxsutawney area and Jefferson County, PA is invited to call or visit! Knowledgeable personnel are on hand to help with research. E-mail can be forwarded to the genealogy department using the following email address(punxsyhistory@groundhog.net) or write to the following address via "snail mail:"
The Snyder Hlll School was typical of the one- or two-room country schools used years ago. From 1886 to 1959 (73 years) the school provided education for hundreds of children, many of them living today. It was the sole means of education for most of our rural population.
A one-room school consisted of eight grades and one teacher willing to accept hard and trying work. Usually overworked, the teacher undertook to teach as many as thirty pupils in the eight grades. Younger children learned from older children, as in a large family.
The Snyder Hill School has been restored with old desks, books and other materials that were used during the time this type of school existed. Snyder Hill School is surrounded by woods and rolling farm land. Your first steps inside are on hardwood floors. The only source of heat is a large pot-bellied stove that was once covered in the winter with little mittens being dried by the fire. The boys and girls each had their own separate cloakroom on either side of the main entrance. Chalk boards with the day's lessons lined the front wall behind the teacher's desk; all of this can be experienced duringyour visit. The school is open by appointment for individuals or tours.