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COALPORT -- Attendees at the Oct. 24th meeting of the Coalport Area Museum Commission were given details from coal museum curator, Richard W. Snyder II, about a wide variety of donated items and purchases.
n Topping the list was an original burgess ledger of the Coalport (1896-1909) that was given by member Trina Troxell Corson. In addition, Corson gave the museum three "belt buckles" she purchased with these inscriptions: two regarding safety awards from coal mining companies, and a third one that celebrated the centennial anniversary of Coalport (1883-1983),
n J. Duane Test of Curwensville recently purchased three very large original payroll ledgers from the old "Clearfield Sportswear Co."--one each from their former Clearfield, Curwensville and Coalport sewing factories. Test donated the Coalport factory ledger to the museum that date from December 1947 to December 1953.
Volunteer Anne Wylie has been extracting all the names of employees who worked there at that time before the factory eventually was sold to McGregor Sportswear.
n The estate of former resident Imajean Davidson Biel gave the museum original photos of the flood of 1936 in Coalport and Irvona, along with photos of former classes of the Coalport grade school.
In other news, the board learned that James A. Tiesi of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., became the latest
life member.
During a recent visit to the Portage Station Museum with three of commission members, curator Snyder purchased the 1976 commemorative book "History of the Portage Area."
Four commission members attended the Dec. 8 open house at the Moshannon Valley Heritage Center in Philipsburg where they greeted visitors, discussed the CACM artifacts display at the MVHC and let everyone know what the Coalport Area Coal Museum has to offer for area patrons.
The board received a $100 donation from Dennis Davidson of Coalport in memory of Glenn Baughman, Sr.
It also agreed to purchase the two-volume set of Thomas Taber's noted book "Lumbering in Pennsylvania" that has been newly reprinted by the Lumber Heritage Region. These books offer an insight into the evolution and importance of both the railroad and lumber industries in our state.
The Coalport Area Coal Museum closed for winter break on Nov. 19 and will reopen on Sunday, March 3. Anyone desiring a special visit to do research during the winter months can leave a text or voice mention on the museum phone (814-790-0984 or email the curator at
snyder.richard333@gmail.com. Genealogy queries via email of surnames from the local collection of family genealogies can also be sent via email while the museum is closed.