BCHS Presents New Website

New features, more information, and a variety of photos are only some of the improvements that have been made to the Bradford County Historical Society website. Found at www.bradfordhistory.com, the site also features a brand new design.

The BCHS Board of Trustees decided earlier this year to pursue the creation of a new website in order to increase the amount of information and the number of resources available online.

Several months ago, Matthew Carl, BCHS Managing Curator, began working with InCommand Technologies of Corning, NY, who created a new design that would be appealing for all ages. Once the design process was complete, Carl began adding new content to the site. This phase took over a month to complete.

The new website includes many new features, such as an interactive event calendar that lists all special events, group tours, programs, and holiday closings for the year. A photo album features photos of events at the Society.

Clear and concise information is now available about every facet of the Bradford County Historical Society. Downloadable forms accompany several of the pages in order to make interaction with the Society easy.

An expanded list of research material is updated on a regular basis and a searchable index of The Settler magazine from 1952 to 2009 is available.

There are directions for teachers wishing to schedule student tours, or for others who wish to schedule group tours. Additionally, information is available for those who are interested in renting the Society’s Great Room for special events.

An extensive history of the Society’s facility, the former Bradford County Jail, is featured and includes stories about jail escapes and other fascinating events. A Student Resource section is continually growing and offers material for school students and teachers.

The Society Journal, a quarterly newsletter that is sent to members, can be downloaded from the site one month after members receive their issue.

Other sections include information on how to request a local history program for your community group, how to include BCHS in your estate plans, and how to apply for Century Farm, Home or Building status can also be found.

It is now easy to become a member, renew your membership, or find out how to become a volunteer.

Planning a visit to BCHS? The site now features driving directions, parking information, an index of all county historical markers organized by town, and links to all of the museums in Bradford County.

Direct links to the Society’s eBay Store and Curator’s Blog makes it easy to find all of our online resources.

Another section includes tips on how to preserve your family documents.

Many more additions to the site are planned for the future. Visit the Society’s new website at www.bradfordhistory.com to explore all of these opportunities and several more.

The Bradford County Historical Society is responsible for preserving the history of all areas of the county and is a recipient agency of the Bradford County United Way and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Website Ready to Go Online

Our new website will be going online very soon. I spent a month adding content to the site and additional content is being prepared on a daily basis by our new summer tour guide, Heather Godshall. You will find a tremendous amount of information when you first see the site, but we plan to have much more available by the end of the summer. One interesting feature that is currently being developed is a section that will give newspaper accounts of life at the jail (now our museum and research library) over the years. If you are planning a visit to our facility, you will want to read that section first, especially the collection of stories about jail escapes. We are waiting for a few technical details to be worked out with the site and then it will go live. A notice will be sent out at that time.

We recently hosted the last school tour for the 2008-09 school year. Over 400 students of all ages from various schools have toured the museum in the last few months.

Remember our Friday Night at the Museum program next Friday, June 19th, entitled "Spinning and Weaving in Bradford County and the Endless Mountains." The Home Textile Tool Museum of Rome will be here to present an interesting program and we will have historic coverlets on display. Register by calling 570-265-2240 (leave a message if there is no answer) or by email at bchsociety@epix.net.

BCHS to Host Spinning and Weaving Program, June 19

The Bradford County Historical Society will host a free program entitled "Spinning and Weaving in Bradford County and the Endless Mountains: A Historical Presentation by the Home Textile Tool Museum" scheduled for June 19, 2009 at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Although the event is free, participants are asked to register by calling 570-265-2240 or by email at bchsociety@epix.net.

The program will be presented by Victor Hilts, an HTTM volunteer. Other volunteers will demonstrate equipment used by our ancestors, including the spinning wheel.

The Bradford County Historical Society will also display examples of coverlets produced in the county. This display will supplement the coverlets and other textiles in the museum's permanent exhibits.

The Home Textile Tool Museum of Orwell is celebrating it's 10th anniversary this year. More information about HTTM can be viewed at their website, www.hometextiletoolmuseum.org.

This program is part of the 2009 "Friday Night at the Museum" programming series that is held the third Friday of each month from May until October. Each event is held in the Great Room at the Bradford County Historical Society, located at 109 Pine Street, Towanda, PA. Free refreshments are provided at each program.

The Bradford County Historical Society is a recipient agency of the Bradford County United Way. For more information about the society visit www.bradfordhistory.com or the Curator's Blog at
www.bradfordcurator.blogspot.com.