Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
Society receives $25K grant to maintain local history
Renovations now under way at old Travelers Hotel
By Felicia A. Petro
Allied News Staff Writer
Local history just keeps moving ahead.
The Grove City Area Historical Society received a $25,000 grant two weeks ago through the Pennsylvania Museum Commission that will help finish renovations in the College Avenue building, allowing it to expand displays of local history.
“This is an old, old building that needs constant maintenance,” said Mary “Skip” Sample, president. “We’re thrilled.”
Much of the work on the old Travelers Hotel has been completed on the first floor within the past couple of years.
Now it’s time to finish the second floor. The $25,000 will be used to complete the old rooms of the hotel that will be used for displays and storage.
After the borough purchased the building for the society in January 2000, the roof “sprung a leak,” Sample said. The roof couldn’t be fixed until the spring, and the plaster in all the rooms upstairs received extensive water damage.
After nearly 10 years of working on other projects, the upstairs work has received its due attention. As soon as the recent grant money was in hand, the society brought in a contractor to repair the upstairs ceilings and walls.
Having submitted bids for the project was part of the grant-application process. “We were ready to go with the construction,” Sample said. “We were a shovel-ready project.”
The contractor finished his work last week. The society members will now be painting, tearing up carpet and decorating the rooms.
This past winter, the society already funded work to repair three rooms that will commemorate Grove City College; business and industry; and area churches.
Sherwin Williams in Pine Township donated employees and materials to paint the three rooms during the Grove City Day of Caring in April.
There are 13 rooms upstairs that will be decorated in various themes or used for storage, she noted. The society took out plumbing, but installed a heating and cooling system to keep the temperature upstairs consistent, she added.
Among other themes upstairs will be agriculture, sports, and men’s and women’s vintage clothing. The Harshaw room will remember a prominent family in town who began the Penn Grove Hotel and donated land for Grove City Memorial Park, Sample said.
The only completed room is a replica of a 1930s-era room at Travelers. A bedroom set from that era was donated to the society.
Other throwbacks from the Travelers era will be two small baths redone to look like ones from the old hotel, Sample noted.
The society has come a long way in nearly 10 years, taking the old hotel and making it into a viable location for people to come and learn of the area’s history.
Although it’s spent thousands on renovations, maintenance of the building costs $10,000 annually, with only half of that received from its 300 members, Sample said.
The extra $5,000 has to be found in other ways, like a $2,000 annual donation from Pine Township, she stated.
Otherwise, “We’ve existed on grants, selling books and projects,” Sample said.
Its roof’s 10-year warranty is nearly up, and the society knows it’ll have to look into an upgrade in the near future.
“It’s a constant struggle to keep ahead of expenses,” Sample said.
But they keep ticking on, recently getting a $1,500 grant from the Grove City Foundation, which will repair a wall in a basement damaged from water leakage.
The society is also applying for a $20,000 grant through state Rep. Dick Stevenson’s office.
The $25,000 grant application was done through state Sen. Bob Robbins office. Long-time member and former president, Dr. Tom Armour, wrote the grant in the fall.
Purchase a copy of this story, with additional photos, at Allied News, 201A Erie St., Grove City. Publish date June 27, 2009.
- Local News
-
-
Blanketing others in love
People from all around the nation and the world are getting cozy, thanks to a local ministry.
Based out of Sandy Lake Wesleyan Church, Heartstrings Ministry provides prayer blankets to people in need, including new mothers, cancer patients, orphans and many others.
Each handmade blanket is created by a member of the church, and is prayed over before being delivered. -
Former Cooper-Bessemer employees reunite
Former workers came from near and far to share their memories at the Cooper-Bessemer reunion Sunday.
The first attempt at getting former employees of the once major Grove City employer Cooper-Bessemer or Cooper-Cameron, was a great success. Nearly 250 people attended the event at Legacy Banquet and Conference Center, Grove City. -
Mercer looking golden after clean-up effort
Mercer is a cleaner place, following a special project by two Senior Ambassador Girl Scouts.
As their final project on the road to earn their Gold Award, Girl Scouting’s top honor, Makayla Neely and Jody Roberts organized and executed the “Healthy Earth--Healthy You” Clean Up Day on July 10 in Mercer. -
A dream of a duo
The “Matt and Anthony” duet has been going to stages across the U.S., including a stint last year on “America’s Got Talent” and in Grove City on Friday.
The song and dance act includes Matt Lucas, 24, a native of Grove City, and Anthony Morigerato, 25, a native of Albany, N.Y., who met at Marymount Manhattan (N.Y.) College in 2004 as roommates. -
WAF may make move to Springfield permanent
Wendell August Forge may be relocating to Springfield Township.
The forge’s Grove City location on Madison Avenue burned down in March. Although it was up and running again in a month, Wendell August wanted to rebuild again at its historic location.
But that vision changed.
“The deal-breaker with us was truly the fact that we don’t have the acreage we need to build what we need,” said Will Knecht, president and CEO. -
Stoneboro teen killed in crash
A 17-year-old Stoneboro girl died on Thursday.
Katie Lynn Gilmore, of 12 Beech St., died at 12:55 p.m. after her car crashed around noon Thursday on Route 845 in Stoneboro. -
Second Grimm brother to add to woodland park
Disabled veterans from around the area may soon be able to enjoy even more amenities at the Stanley Snyder Wildlife Park in Springfield Township.
Work on the park began in 2008 with the building of a fishing pond on post property adjacent to Brent Road.
A handicap accessible fishing pier and nature trail have since been added, and plans to build a pavilion on the property are in the works.
“I’m really amazed at the progress we’ve made in a short amount of time,” said project coordinator Ron Donlan. -
A little helping hand (and foot)
It’s summertime, and most people aren’t thinking about the cold months to come.
But at Little Feet Charities, the focus is always on the winter.
Based out of Mercer, Little Feet helps local children and families by providing them with food and clothing throughout the winter and gifts at Christmastime. -
Crowning glory
Jocelyn Gruber usually spends her summers like most high school students.
She has a job as a baby sitter, and, when she’s not working, she enjoys the warm weather and spending time with family and friends.
But this summer is different for Jocelyn.
She is busy doing paperwork, traveling around the state and preparing for one of the biggest days of her life.
On June 18, Jocelyn was crowned Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen America 2010, which has qualified her to represent the state for the national title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen 2011 at the end of summer. -
State police: Vice unit set up sting
A high-speed chase ended with the arrest of a Cochranton man in Worth Township on Friday.
Gary Consla, 63, was set up by vice units out of the Pennsylvania State Police Troop E in Erie on state Route 173 south of Interstate 80 in Wolf Creek Township, said trooper Troy Owen of the state police in Jackson Township. - More Local News Headlines
-
