User:Ironcitydwarf

History
In 1923, Waynesburg College professor Andrew Jackson Waychoff petitioned the people of Greene County to develop a Historical Society. The John Corbly Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution officially passed a resolution to support the formation of a society. The formation was delayed however due to a fundraiser by the college in 1924 and the idea was put on hold...

On September 19th 1925, J. W. Ray, the President Judge of Greene County decreed a certificate of incorporation for the Greene County Historical Society and at last, Professor Waychoff’s dream became a reality. The original mission of the Greene County Historical Society was "collecting and preserving books, papers, records, writings and relics, legal, civil, military and otherwise, relating to the history of Greene County, Pennsylvania and adjacent counties." On October 5th 1925, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania accepted the name of "Greene County Historical Society" and was awarded an official Certificate of Incorporation on November 15th 1925.

At first, the Greene County Historical Society was housed in one room in the basement of the then recently built Long Building. As the collections grew, the Historical Society purchased an adjoining room in 1956 to use as a library and board room and even stored some artifacts and archives at board member homes. It soon became apparent that the Greene County Historical Society needed a permanent home.

Levi Funk, a member of the first board, donated a lot for the building of a proper home for the Historical Society. But due to complications and funding, the site was sold and the money saved for the purchase of a future site. In 1969, the Greene County Home was condemned and deemed unfit as a home for the indigent. The members of the Board of the Greene County Historical Society saw this as the long awaited opportunity to secure a location for the historical society.

Greene County commissioners, Herman Guglietta, Harold Russell, and Stanley Smith supported the idea of finding a site for the Historical Society and offer an annual lease for $1.00 for fifty years and renewable at the same rate after the first fifty years. The Greene County Historical Society had finally found a residence but it was in great need of repair and restoration... In November of 1970, the Society opened the library which was the former boiler house and in June of 1971, the museum was opened to the public.

Since its incorporation in 1925, The Greene County Historical Society has strived to fulfill its mission to collect, preserve and interpret the history of Greene County. GCHS has achieved its mission when, in 1971, it found a permanent home at the former Greene Hills Poor Farm... Now, GCHS maintains a 52 room museum with over a thousand artifacts that represent all aspects of Greene County and surrounding areas history and culture.