West Overton Village and Museums is home to the original Old Overholt whiskey distillery and is the birthplace of Pittsburgh industrialist Henry Clay Frick. West Overton Village aims to educate about the homestead, Overholt and Frick families, the history of American whiskey, and the coke and coal industry in Pennsylvania. With eighteen of its original structures remaining, the site is considered one of the best-preserved examples of a pre-Civil War rural industrial village. West Overton Village was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and is a stop on the American Whiskey Trail.
Polymath Park is a 130-acre woodland resort and collection of four historic houses that exemplify the architectural style of Frank Lloyd Wright. Two of the homes were designed by Wright himself and later relocated to the property. Two others were designed by Peter Berndtson, a Wright apprentice, and are original to the property. All four homes offer tours and overnight stays. A restaurant, TreeTops, is also on site. The park is overseen by the nonprofit Usonian Preservation, Inc. Located within 30 miles of Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, Polymath Park is actively engaged with preserving the history and architectural visions of Frank Lloyd Wright and his students.
Powdermill Nature Reserve is the environmental research station of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Since 1956, Powdermill has served as a "living museum" for scientists, students, and families seeking discoveries about the natural world. Located in the beautiful Ligonier Valley, Powdermill conserves 2,200 acres of forest, field, and wetland habitats for local flora and fauna. The nature center is a LEED-certified green building home to exhibits, classrooms, a GIS laboratory, a greenhouse, and outdoor gardens. Three hiking trails provide an up-close look at the forest and stream, Powdermill Run. Also on site is Powdermill Avian Research Center, the longest continually running bird banding program in the nation.
Compass Inn Museum and Historic Site is a restored 19th century stagecoach stop along the original Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Turnpike. Originally built in 1799, Compass Inn captures the history of fast-paced stagecoach culture and the family history of seven generations of the Armor family who lived there. The site features a fully functioning cookhouse and Blacksmith shop along with a reconstructed barn containing a restored Conestoga Wagon and stagecoach. Compass Inn Museum was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and sits along the Lincoln Highway.
Fort Ligonier is a reconstructed eighteenth century fort in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The fort was established as an outpost for British forces planning an attack on Fort Duquesne in modern-day Pittsburgh. On October 12, 1758, the British successfully defended Fort Ligonier from an attack by French and Indian forces. Less than two months later, General John Forbes, along with Colonels George Washington, Henry Bouquet, and Archibald Montgomerie, departed Fort Ligonier and successfully captured Fort Duquesne on November 25. The capture of Fort Duquesne, replaced by Fort Pitt, solidified British occupation of the Forks of the Ohio and led to the establishment of Pittsburgh. Fort Ligonier was reconstructed in the mid-twentieth century and is the setting of historical reenactments, tours, and a state-of-the-art museum that interprets the history of the Pennsylvania frontier and French and Indian War.
The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA) is a community art museum with locations in the southwestern Pennsylvania cities of Altoona, Bedford, Johnstown, Ligonier, and Loretto, where the museum was founded in 1976. The Ligonier location opened in 1997 and has since collected and exhibited the works of numerous local, regional, and national artists working in various mediums. The museum at Ligonier offers changing exhibits, educational programs, juried shows, artists-in-residence programs, workshops, and a sculpture garden, connecting people of the Ligonier Valley and surrounding area with the arts. SAMA successfully operates the nation’s longest-running museum satellite system.
The Antiochian Heritage Museum celebrates the artistic, cultural, and spiritual heritage of the ancient city of Antioch and the Antiochian Orthodox Church, part of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Permanent and changing exhibits explore the rich history of the Antiochian Church from ancient times to today in the United States. Opened in 2004, the Museum is located at Antiochian Village, a conference and retreat center owned and operated by the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. The Museum is free and open to the public, and offers educational programs throughout the year.
The Ligonier Valley Rail Road Museum preserves and interprets the history of the Ligonier Valley Rail Road, a 10.3-mile railway that connected the communities of Latrobe and Ligonier from 1877 to 1952. The railroad hauled freight and offered passenger service between Latrobe and Ligonier, including destinations like Idlewild Park, which was founded by the railroad's owner, Judge Thomas Mellon. The Museum was opened in 2010 by the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association in the former Darlington station, built in 1896. Today, the Museum is home to a collection of artifacts and documents, exhibits, and a 1905 Bobber Caboose.
The Lincoln Highway, our nation’s first coast-to-coast highway, marked the birth of popular American tourism – vacationing by automobile. Visitors who begin their journey at the Lincoln Highway Experience, nestled in the Laurel Highlands, will have a more enriching tour because they will see an inspiring orientation film, view a number of interpretive exhibits on quirky roadside architecture (including the Ship Hotel and Coffee Pot), trace the Lincoln Highway across Pennsylvania in beautiful Black and white photographs, enjoy pie and coffee at the restored 1938 diner, and shop for Lincoln Highway memorabilia and fine artisan crafts. Since 1996, the not-for-profit Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor has worked with a number of local, state and federal partners on heritage preservation, sustainable community development, and responsible land conservation in south-central Pennsylvania. Enjoy your journey on the Lincoln Highway, and remember to "Keep Thinkin' Lincoln!"
The Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery is a nonprofit cultural organization that collects, preserves, interprets and disseminates the history of weaving and folk traditions in the Northeastern region of the United States. Located on the bottom floor of the Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College, the McCarl Gallery connects visitors with regional textile traditions through exhibits, programs, and research. The Gallery was established as part of a generous donation to Saint Vincent College by Foster and Muriel McCarl to preserve and exhibit their collection of antique American coverlets. It is considered one of the nation's premier institutions dedicated to this unique form of decorative art.
Latrobe Area Historical Society is an all volunteer non profit organization chartered in 1974 striving to preserve the legacy of the southwestern Pennsylvania area in and around Latrobe through the collection, study and documentation of the community's heritage and the preservation of the local history and ethnic roots. The focus area of the City of Latrobe, Unity Township and parts of Derry Township has a rich history, from colonial days in Unity Township to the beginnings of the industrial age, the birth of professional football, and modern innovations in business and industry. Latrobe also is the birthplace of golf great Arnold Palmer and beloved television personality Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.
Founded in 1995, the Derry Area Historical Society is a nonprofit organization that encourages the research, writing, and discussion of local Derry Area history, which includes Derry Township, Derry and New Alexandria Boroughs, and the surrounding areas. The Derry Area Historical Society is based at the Fulton House, a log home and inn built in 1817 where the Society leads a number of public programs throughout the year. They also maintain a collection of genealogical and local history research material at the New Alexandria Public Library. DAHS coordinates a number of programs that preserve Derry area history, including events at the Fulton House, the Historic Sites Plaque Program, and Adopt a Revolutionary War Hero initiative at the Old Salem Community Church Cemetery.
Hanna's Town served as the site of the first English courts west of the Allegheny Mountains and first seat of government for Westmoreland County, established in 1773. Hanna's Town was an outpost for settlers, travelers, and those seeking law or court interventions. In May 1775, citizens of Westmoreland County drafted the Hanna’s Town Resolves condemning British actions at the Battles of Lexington and Concord and calling for a county militia. Throughout the Revolutionary War, Hanna’s Town served as a recruitment center for the county militia as well as the Continental Army. On July 13, 1782, Hanna’s Town was burned by British and Seneca forces in one of the last conflicts of the Revolutionary War. Today, Historic Hanna's Town offers guided tours of the reconstructed historic site, educational programs, and special events. Historic Hanna's Town is a Westmoreland County park managed by the Westmoreland Historical Society, which bases its operations at the Westmoreland History Education Center on site.
The Bushy Run Battlefield commemorates and preserves the site of the British victory over the Native American forces during Pontiac’s War. The victory prevented the capture of Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh) and restored lines of communication between the frontier and eastern settlements. The 213-acre battlefield contains self-guided trails and a visitor's center that houses interpretive displays, a small theater, a café, and a gift shop. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
Located on Main Street of Irwin Borough, the Norwin Historical Society was formed in 1994 in order to preserve the history of Irwin, North Irwin, and North Huntingdon Township. With resources for researchers and a variety of community events, the historical society aims to preserve and promote the history of the area.
Building is the Old Harrold Zion Lutheran N, built 1883. Now houses the Paul Miller Ruff Library, genealogy and local History, collection of local artifacts, books, records, and maps. Also publishes over 100 books on local Church records.and local history.
Baltzer Meyer Historical Society acquired the historic schoolhouse in 1996, and began renovating the building that same year. It has long been their goal to restore the building so that it could function as a museum, as well as a place for contemporary students to peek into the past.
The Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum collects and preserves artifacts of the GVFD including antique firetrucks, uniforms, equipment, and pictures of historic Greensburg Fires. In addition, the museum cares for a large collection of toy and model fire trucks. Today, the museum houses three fully restored fire engines. Both the 1805 Pat Lyon engine and 1825 Goodwill engine were used in the Great Fire of Pittsburgh on April 5, 1845 before being sold to the GVFD. The third, a 1949 Seagrave Pumper was purchased new for Hose Company No. 3.
First opened in 1959, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art focuses on American and Southwestern Pennsylvanian art and has shared such work with the public for over 50 years. The museum features over 3,400 pieces of art from the mid 18th-mid 20th centuries, including paintings, sculptures, portraits, works on paper, objects with images, and decorative arts. In addition to its exhibitions, the museum also hosts many different educational programs, including programs in the classroom, art classes, and summer camps.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This tour takes you through the many museums and historical societies in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Discover the county's history, ranging from the French and Indian War to the 20th century, along with world-class art museums, galleries, and nature centers. More entries are forthcoming!
