Surprises in store for Monessen Historical Society visitors
Jim McNutt/O-R An umbrella cart dating to the 1940s used by Angelo Pallini, “the umbrella man,” is among the items on display at the Monessen Heritage Museum.
Jim McNutt/O-R The Monessen Heritage Museum showcases Monessen and the Mon Valley’s industrial past as well as its ethnic neighborhoods.
Gary Strelick, vice president of the Monessen Heritage Museum, holds a 1,500-watt street lamp used in downtown Monessen between the 1930s and 1950s. Jim McNutt/ O-R
A trip to the Monessen Heritage Museum is almost certain to unearth some interesting information, a few friendly smiles and maybe even a surprise or two.
“I was visiting one of the exhibits, going through some other information and material, and I looked at some pictures of one of the (Monessen High School) sports teams and saw my dad in it,” said T. Dean Wilkins, a Monessen native and Fayette City resident. “I was surprised. I looked at it a couple times. That was really something. It was like, ‘Wow.’ It really hit me.
“If you don’t visit the museum, the exhibit room, you have no idea what they have down there. They have an incredible amount of information and interesting things.”
The museum at 505 Donner Ave. was established in 2004 and is home to the Greater Monessen Historical Society. The historical society was founded in 1995 and incorporated in 2000. The volunteers there rely on citizens to provide old photographs, documents, newspaper articles, maps – anything that can enhance the information, entertainment and value of the organization and its exhibits.
It also relies on membership dues, an occasional dinner or program, grants and private donations to sustain itself, and possibly to expand its facilities in the future.
“Our main focus has been to showcase the industrial past of Monessen and the Mon Valley and the many ethnic neighborhoods, clubs and churches that were important in Valley towns,” said Daniel T. Zyglowicz, president of the historical society.
“We mostly get middle-aged and older people visiting us. Many times, young people just don’t have that interest in history or family genealogies. That interest is something acquired over time. But the older folks are more interested in finding out or reliving things that feature the glory days of Monessen, when the steel mills were booming and the storefronts were filled. They want to see things like they used to be.”
Toward that end, the historical society’s spring exhibit is titled, “Old Monessen.” Zyglowicz said the exhibit will cover the 1898 to 1960 period.
To engage some younger residents, the society will include an old dial telephone, typewriter and other items some of the children and young adults may never have seen, said Gary Strelick, vice president of the historical society.
“Some of these things just are not used anymore,” he added. “Maybe some of these things might spark some interest in them. We always are hoping to see more people come through the door, especially attracting more young people.”
Zyglowicz said some of the most popular exhibits have been of ethnic origins, including Polish, Greek, Italian, Slovak, French and German.
“We’ve been trying to do one (ethnic exhibit) a year,” he said. “People like them, are very interested in them. But we are starting to run out. There’s not too many left.”
The newsletter is published and distributed four times a year to help promote the organization. The historical society presents a Founders Day program each year at City Park, where Civil War re-enactors can be found, along with food booths, Boy Scout displays and other activities. It also works with veterans on other projects.
Expanding the museum is a goal of the society’s board, Zyglowicz said. The building next door has been gutted and serves as storage space. Creating a permanent exhibit there, to go along with the two exhibits constructed and showcased each year in the current building, would only make the information and visit more attractive and interesting, Strelick said.
“We’d like to do more genealogies and also to bring in more photographs,” Zyglowicz added. “It all depends on money.”
Vito Beneccio, the society’s treasurer, said expansion would assist in the group being able to show off the majority of interesting, historical and educational artifacts and materials it has on hand.
“We have a very extensive collection,” he said. “We have a tremendous amount of things people have brought in and donated. It’s built up over the years.”
Beneccio said a person recently brought in an old wood pipe, which is more than 100 years old.
“You’d be amazed what you can find here,” Beneccio added. “Right now, we are relying on dues, donations and grant money, and we do OK.”
Wilkins is a faithful visitor and contributor, always keeping his eyes open for items that would be of interest to the historical society.
He found a map of Monessen from 1953 and, using his draftsmen’s skills, redrew it, and presented it for the collection.
“There is some fantastic, amazing stuff there,” Wilkins said. “People don’t realize the variety of the information, the pictures and the exhibits.
“It’s a great community asset. They’ve come a long way since they started. I enjoy being there. It’s a good place to do research. There’s just so much interesting stuff there.”