Pat Collins Director of the Butler County Historical Society looks through old Main Street business bags that she had on display at the Senator Walter Lowrie House in Butler.

As a high school student, Roy Wagner hated history.

While working a job pumping gas in Franklin Park, he would often hear the “old-timers” talk about the past, including the Harmony Line, a streetcar more formally known as the Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway. His interest was piqued.

“That helped me realize the tangible things about history can be really interesting,” he said.

He held a reserved appreciation for history until the mid-90s, when his daughter brought a book home from school. The book was put together by the Cranberry Township Historical Society, and much like he did after hearing those gas station conversations, Wagner felt inspired.

“I ended up reading it cover to cover,” he said, adding that he joined the society soon after.

A few decades later, Wagner is the president of the society and doing his part to not only keep the area’s history alive, but also inspire a younger generation to find a fascination with the past. That part, at times, can be easier said than done.

“It’s a problem everybody is having,” he said. “We’ve been doing whatever we can.”

The age factor is something Wagner has seen coming for at least a decade. During a countywide meeting of historical groups, members under the age of 50 were asked to stand.

“There was a handful of us at that time that stood up,” he said. “That’s when it really hit home.”