Time Travel

By Laura Kingsbury Eagle News Intern

May 29, 2007 Last Updated: May 29, 2007 03:43 PM Special Sections

The Butler County Heritage Center on West New Castle Street in Butler offers a unique look at the city and county's past, including a collection of rare artifacts and memorabilia.

County's historical sights offer unique views of the past

Sometimes entertainment is not about what is going on now, but about what has already happened.

Learning about the past can be part of an afternoon or day trip in Butler County this summer.

Various historical societies in the county offer a wide-array of options for a glimpse into the families, religious groups and settlers who have shaped the county.

Three of these locations are Butler County Historical Society owned, said the society's executive director Rebecca Crum-Reinsel.

One is the Butler County Heritage Center, a museum with "mostly industrial exhibits" at 119 W. New Castle St. in Butler.

"Those exhibits include the Bantam Jeep," she said.

This car, which is an ancestor of the current Jeep and one of Butler's claims-to-fame, was created by the American Bantam Car Co. as a prototype convertible sports car.

The museum is opened May through August from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sundays and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays with $3 admission for adults and $1 for those 5 to 17 of age.Another site is the Lowrie/Shaw house on West Diamond Street behind the Butler County Courthouse. It has the same admission prices and its summer hours are 1 to 3 p.m. on Sundays."Built in 1828, it was the home of Sen. Walter Lowrie," said Crum-Reinsel, "who was the only U.S. senator to come from Butler."The house, set up as an 1870 Victorian home, includes furniture from the Sullivan family, one of the many owners.The third BCHS-owned summer exhibit is the pioneer homestead Cooper Cabin, on Cooper Road, just off Route 356 near Cabot."It was built in 1810 by the Cooper family," Crum-Reinsel said, "and descendants of the Cooper family lived in the cabin until the 1960s."The cabin, furnished with family heirlooms, is opened 1 to 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Sundays.

Cooper Cabin will also host a Civil War re-enactment on June 2 and 3.Other exhibits narrate 19th century stories of the religious organizations that settled in the county.Artifacts from the Harmony Society, a German-Christian society that settled in Harmony in the early 1800s, can be seen at properties owned by the Harmony Museum, whose main building is at 218 Mercer St."We also cover Harmony's history from Washington's visit through the Victorian era," said Kathy Luek, the museum's administrator.Tours are available Tuesdays through Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. at $5 for adults and $2 for children.The Zelienople Historic Society, 243 S. Main Street, also owns house exhibits: the Passavant House, built between 1808 and 1810, which includes a genealogical library; and the oldest building in the town, the Buhl House, built in 1805.Other area-settlers, including inventor John Roebling, who organized an immigration society in Saxonburg in 1832, are featured at the Saxonburg Museum in Roebling Park on North Rebecca Street.Exhibits featuring Roebling, who developed designs for the Brooklyn Bridge, include memorabilia and many themed rooms, including communications, blacksmith, general store and school rooms.

Some other historical attractions in the county are:• The Old Stone House on Route 8, north of Butler is operated by the Slippery Rock University history department, and hosts many seasonal events. For tour information call K.E. Schwab at 724-738-2199.• The 125-year-old one-room school house in front of the Cranberry Township Municipal Center on Rochester Road is available for tours from 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.• The Evans City Museum, above the town's municipal building at 229 Wahl Ave, can also be viewed. Call 724-538-9846 for more information.

Members of the Evans City Historical Society explain the signifigance of artifacts to members of the public during the opening of their new museum on the upper floor of the Evans City Municipal Building. The museum is one of the many historical sites to visit this summer.

Walter Rearick of Butler, who is known as Chief Sliver Fox to the group The Gatering Inter Tribal Unity, participated in Native American weekend festivities in June 2002 at Cooper's Cabin in Cabot. The cabin hosts different events throughout the summer.

The Lowrie-Shaw House, located on the Diamond in Butler, is one of the many historical sites located throughout the county. These sites can create a unique view on the county's diverse history and give insights into the people and events that helped shape the region.