The room can seat up to 80 people and was the perfect solution to the genealogical society’s “growing problem,” said Jim Snyder Jr., the society’s president.

Snyder said there’s more than 6,000 feet of bookshelves in the library, which is where meetings used to take place until officials ran out of room. The society added about 350 items to its shelves last year, and the library continues to grow every year, he said.

Now that the society has its own dedicated space for meetings, they can add additional bookcases to the library, Snyder said.

Inside the new addition is a projector screen hanging from the ceiling about 12 feet from the ground. Hanging on the walls are signs and photos related to the history of Hollidaysburg that can be rotated throughout the year, Snyder said, adding they plan to work with the Blair County Historical Society to get additional displays.

A crowd of attendees watch a presentation detailing the Blair County Genealogical Society’s new addition, which was formally opened Friday with a ribbon-cutting event. Mirror photo by Matt Churella

Last year, the society kicked off a fundraiser to help build the addition, which cost about $300,000 in total, according to Victor Curfman, the society’s fundraising chairman.

The society had about two-thirds of the money left over from when it moved into the library in 1999, Snyder said, noting the library only had 700 feet of bookshelves back then.

Although the fundraiser “didn’t do real good,” the public investment went a long way, officials said.

“This has been a long time coming,” Curfman said. “This is a great day.”

Blair County Commissioner Amy Webster and state Rep. Scott Barger, R-Blair/Huntingdon, were among those who attended the open house and ribbon cutting Friday.

Barger thanked the genealogical society for their work, noting it makes him proud to be from Blair County.

“This is a great community,” Barger said.

Webster said she was impressed with the addition.

“We have so much history in this community and in this county,” Webster said. “It’s wonderful that you’ve added this.”

Blair County Controller A.C. Stickel said the addition is “an amazing facility.”

“It’s absolutely a beautiful room, and it’s perfect for speaking engagements of this type,” he said.

The first speaker to present in the new addition will be Jim Lowe of the Blair County Historical Society, Curfman said. During an April 16 event, Lowe will discuss the first year of the American Revolution, he said.

Stickel, who also chairs the county’s America250PA committee, noted there are many other events being planned in celebration of America’s semiquincentennial.

They include a June 20 freedom motorcycle run from the Hollidaysburg Veterans’ Home to Fort Roberdeau and Peoples Natural Gas Field, where the Altoona Symphony Orchestra will perform a free concert.

There’s also the July 4 star-spangled fourth at Fort Roberdeau, which will feature hands-on activities, reenactors, a reading of the Declaration of Independence and birthday cake, Stickel said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.