Lawrence County Historical Society
A Respect for the Past. A Cornerstone for the Future.
The Lawrence County Historical Society was charted in 1938. Attorney Charles Young was the founder and served as president until his death in 1943. While the Society remained intact, it was inactive for a number of years. In 1976, during the Bicentennial of the United States, it was revived by Dr. Ellis Hoffman, Rosemary Hoffman and others.
With diligent nurturing, the society began to flourish. A bold step forward came in 1982 when the family of the late Joseph A. Clavelli donated the beautiful 19-room mansion built in 1904 for local tin plate magnate, George Greer, to the Society. Mr. Clavelli purchased the home in 1965 and restored it to its former elegance before his death in 1968. The mansion, now named the Joseph A. Clavelli History Center, serves as headquarters for the Society and as a museum depicting the county's rich heritage.
The Society has active outreach programs including the Lawrence County Trivia competition in the county schools. A monthly lecture series on local history is held the last Wednesday of every month (with the exception of June-August). Additionally, the Society publishes a monthly newsletter, pamphlets, and books on various aspects of Lawrence County History.
Awards and Honors
The Lawrence County Historical Society has been honored with the following prestigious awards from the Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations.
PFMHO represents the interests of the over 1,000 museums and related organizations throughout the Commonwealth.
Museum
Collections
The Society is the caretaker of Lawrence County's past and has various collections that are carefully preserved and processed. The collections are at the core of the Society's operations and ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to learn from primary documentation.
Exhibits
The story of our history is told through our ever-changing displays, which are comprised of reproduction photographs, narratives, oral histories, and authentic artifacts.
Photo Tour of Museum
The Lawrence County Historical Society is housed in a turn-of-the century mansion, which was originally the home of the tin plate magnate, George Greer.
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