This painting depicts the Tuscarora Academy in the winter and was painted by local artist Dennis Hutchings.
The Juniata County Historical Society is beginning the planning stages of setting up a fund-raiser at a local winery to help with operational costs for their recent acquisition of the Tuscarora Academy. Stay tuned in to this page for updates and keep your 2015 calendar handy so you can mark the date in August when the fund-raiser will be held. The day’s events are sure to be filled with lots of historical things to do, see and buy!
Sometimes the JCHS gets some unusual things! Recently a county resident brought in remnants from a military uniform that had been found buried in dirt along Lions Club Park Road. That then led our volunteers to research what type of uniform it was and if it was original.
The uniform’s insignia, buttons, and the braid were all used as clues. The material itself was faded and dirty, but it looked black versus dark blue. After lots of web searching about military insignia, checking with local Civil War buffs, and an email and photo exchange with the curator at the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, here’s what we learned:
According to Brett Kelly, Curator of Collections at the Civil War Museum, it appears to be a M1902 Coast Artillery Officer’s Coat. The insignia was correct for that time period, and the button is a Brooks Brothers Great Seal button made from 1902 to 1910. Kelly doubts it is a reproduction.
As early as 1882 leaders realized that heavy fixed artillery and mobile field artillery units needed different types of training, so in 1901, the Artillery Corps was divided into 30 companies of light (field) artillery and 30 companies of heavy (coast) artillery. The U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps (CAC) was officially established in 1907 and was responsible for coastal and harbor defense. After World War II, in 1950, the two artillery branches merged back together.
Just a quick reminder to let you know that the Juniata County Historical Society Archives will be closed the week of Thanksgiving (November 24th week). The Archives will re-open on December 2, 2014.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Tuscarora Academy, open every Sunday through the end of August from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m, will host a Civil War Reenactors’ encampment the weekend of August 15, 16 and 17. That weekend, the museum will be open Saturday, from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. Hope to see everyone there!
Genealogy workshop sponsored by the
General Thomas Mifflin Chapter NSDAR &
Juniata County Historical Society
Featuring professional genealogist
Deborah White Hershey
Saturday, July 26, 2014, 10 AM
Juniata County Library Community Room
Introducing “Today’s DAR,” the application process, and working individually with those who wish to explore membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Reservations or questions call Nora Houser at 527-4296 or the Juniata County Historical Society office at 436- 5152 [open Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.]
Deborah White Hershey, current Pennsylvania State Chairman for Lineage Research, National Vice Chairman’s Association 2nd Vice President; Central Pennsylvania Regents’ Club Secretary Past National Vice Chairman, Eastern Division for Historic Preservation, South Central District Director of Pennsylvania State Society DAR and proud member of the centennial Harrisburg (PA) Chapter, NSDAR.
As a 34 year member of NSDAR, I have held numerous positions within my Chapter, State and National organization. The Harrisburg Chapter Historic Preservation Committee, of which I am a member, recently published a book entitled “Revolutionary War Patriot Historic Houses of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania” and I published a family history on the Shoemaker, Packard and Avery families.
I own my own genealogy company and work diligently on NSDAR, SAR, CAR, SR, First Families of Pennsylvania, Daughters of the American Colonist, and Sons of the American Colonist papers, as well as other lineage society applications.