It’s a little remarkable to me that, being a connoisseur of all things dark and spooky, I’d never read about Frank Monaghan until I began working here. Yes, I’d heard the man’s name mentioned in passing — typically in connection with courthouse tours. But my real introduction to his case only came after I began exploring our Rare…
For all the inquiries about family history I get from visitors to the PA Room, I also field plenty of unusual questions about local history. One patron wondered where his uncle might have bought a Studebaker in Uniontown in the 1950s. (The Detweiler dealership, perhaps?) Another was trying to track down the name of the last…
Ah, the most mundane of library tasks: “reading the shelves,” or going book by book and putting everything in order. A few weeks ago, after reading the general history and genealogy shelves in the room — yes, all of them — I decided that it was time to sort through our yearbooks. The collection was reorganized…
The cover of a brochure for the Summit Hotel (also known as the Summit Inn) on Route 40, circa 1948.
J.C. Doolittle’s Blacksmith Shop. A note on the back indicates that it was in the Smithfield area. Credit: Uniontown Public Library.
Advertisement from the Brownsville Clipper. Feb. 28, 1894.
This segment features a news item from Fayette County’s past. This week we examine a story from the March 23, 1914 edition of the Daily News Standard. This weekend marked one hundred years since the burning of McClelland House, a hotel that once stood on West Main Street in Uniontown. If you’re local, you may have noticed coverage…
This month I’ve chosen to feature Heroes All, a yearbook-style publication that contains photos and profiles of local men and women who served in World War II. While the book only encompasses North Union Township, South Union Township, and Uniontown, it’s still a valuable resource for genealogists and WWII buffs alike. The typical profile in Heroes…
A three-ton piece of coal exhibited by the W.J. Rainey Co., most likely during Uniontown’s centennial celebration. Credit: Uniontown Public Library.