Sometimes, the places just beyond your backyard can provide new experiences or information and an opportunity to get a better appreciation of your community.

This past weekend saw two such events in the county — the Pennsylvania Firefly Festival’s first stop ever in Butler County and the Butler Historical Society’s open house.

The former is aimed at introducing people to the region’s environmental features — especially the synchronous firefly, which was long thought to live only in the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee, but was discovered in the Allegheny National Forest in 2012.

Activities during the festival on Saturday included a presentation about glacial movements that created geological formations in the county, a hike to an ancient rock shelter at Camp Lutherlyn where Native American artifacts dating to 10,000 B.C. have been found and a drive to the West Liberty Esker and the prairie at McConnells Mill State Park.

The historical society’s event — which was held at the Senator Walter Lowrie House on Diamond Street — included an open house, but was also aimed at collecting memorabilia from the Butler Hot Dog Sandwich Shop, which closed in 2004. Hot dogs covered in the shop’s special chili sauce were sold during the event.

The open house included tours of the refurbished Lowrie House, a raffle and items on display that were already collected from the former hot dog shop.

Although the activities during the events may have little in common, they were both great opportunities to get out following a year of social distancing due to COVID-19, see neighbors and friends and learn something about the community.

Better yet, all money raised through the sales of raffle tickets, hot dogs, books or other gift items during the open house will go to the historical society. It’s important that great organizations in the county like this one are able to obtain the resources necessary to continue operating.

Events focusing on appreciating the county’s natural environment or providing information about its past are great resources.

We’d love to see more events of this type, and hope that others are on the way this summer and fall.

— NCD