Treasure Trove
SAXONBURG — Ernie Lang was a meticulous craftsman. He spent countless hours creating intricate woodwork.
Although the Cabot man died in 2008, a display of his art can be seen at the Saxonburg Museum.
Ornate clocks and a windmill line the corner of one wall. A carousel and Ferris wheel sit in the display case.
Lang's daughters in 2009 donated the pieces to the museum in his memory.
Linda Mathias said her father always tinkered with wood, but started using a pedal-operated scroll saw in the 1990s.
She said Lang needed a hobby after retiring from U.S. Steel in 1992. He developed his delicate craft using his engineering skills and artistic bent.
"It's really an amazing legacy he left," Mathias said.
She said her family was honored to be able to donate a fourth of her father's collection to the museum.
"It's something people should see," she said.
Borough councilman Rich Foust, who is a former chairman of the Saxonburg Historical & Restoration Commission, said Lang's talent is evident.
"Can you imagine the patience it took?" Foust asked.
The new exhibit is one of several the museum has acquired in the last couple years.
Foust said the commission is always searching for new items to put on display.
The Lang family also donated a treadle-powered circular table saw that was built in the late 1800s.
Borough Councilman Dennis Chambers, chairman of the historic commission, said the treadle saw is an example of how well things were built in that era.
"This is made in America," Chambers said proudly.
Another 2009 addition to the museum is the work of the late Joe Seidel, who created metal and glass art that includes a tabletop merry-go-round.
"His expertise was stained glass," Chambers said, pointing to the glass horses.
A few weeks ago, the museum received one of the tubes KDKA used at its Saxonburg transmitting station in the 1930s.
The son of Howard Giles, one of KDKA's original engineers, donated the broadcasting relic.While looking through the museum, Giles also spotted a quilt with the names of various families from the Saxonburg area.The Giles family comprised one section on the white-and-blue fabric.Giles, who had only seen a photograph of the quilt, mistakenly believed only his family's name was on it."They (the Giles) thought the square was the quilt," Chambers said.While the museum has had the white-and-blue quilt for some time, it recently acquired an off-white-and-red one with another set of stitched family names.The museum also recently acquired two phonographs, an Edison and a Victrola.Along with new exhibits, the museum is restoring old ones.The heavy load wagon, which dates back to the 1830s, has been refurbished and is now stored inside the building.Foust said the museum is an undiscovered treasure for many people: "This is one of the finest things Saxonburg has to offer."
<B>WHAT: </B>Saxonburg Museum<B>WHERE: </B>199 N. Rebecca St.<B>HOURS: </B>2 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Memorial Day to Labor Day. For other times, call the borough office at 724-352-1400.
