History Center Program to Explore Collections Housed in Detre Library & Archives

- Archivists will discuss their work preserving Western Pennsylvania history -

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 4, 2019 – The Detre Library & Archives at the Senator John Heinz History Center will present the sixth annual Treasures in the Archives program on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 2-4 p.m.

Founded in 1879, the Thomas & Katherine Detre Library & Archives is home to one of the largest collections of historic materials about Western Pennsylvania.

During the Detre Library & Archives’ signature event, archivists will share the rarely heard stories behind the one-of-a-kind collections under their care.

This year, archivists will explore the following topics:

• Getting to know the Kennywood collection;

• How the bond between sisters can generate remarkable records;

• The lost history of a renowned home for ex-offenders;

• Tracing archival records’ journey from creation to digitization;

• Ordinary account books that reveal extraordinary stories; and

• The role a community archive plays in the aftermath of a tragedy.

Admission to Treasures in the Archives is free but does not include access to History Center exhibitions. Registration is encouraged at heinzhistorycenter.org/events.

The Senator John Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania, presents American history with a Western Pennsylvania connection. The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum is a museum within a museum, comprehensively presenting the region’s remarkable sports story through hundreds of artifacts and interactive experiences for visitors of all ages. The History Center and Sports Museum are located at 1212 Smallman Street in the city’s Strip District, and are open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The History Center’s museum system includes the Sports Museum; the Fort Pitt Museum in historic Point State Park; and Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, a National Historic Landmark located in Avella, Pa. in Washington County. More information is available at www.heinzhistorycenter.org.

On Sunday, Nov. 17, the Detre Library & Archives at the Heinz History Center will explore the stories behind key collections during its annual Treasures in the Archives program. (Photo: Kennywood Park, c.1900. Kennywood Park Records, Detre Library & Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center)