
SUMMER HOURS
April 12 through Nov. 17, 2023
WED. -THURS - FRI.
10am - 4pm
All other days & evenings by appointment.
Call 814.227.6443
SUMMER HOURS
April 12 through Nov. 17, 2023
WED. -THURS - FRI.
10am - 4pm
All other days & evenings by appointment.
Call 814.227.6443
Unlocking the past ...
We all think of history as something that happened someplace else.
Unlock the past to find the fascinating story of why
Clarion County is unique.
Discover the history right in your own back yard!
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IC Catholic Daughters present $1,000. donation
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Belle Boyd, Confederate Spy. Portrayed by Susan Thomas
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The Smith Family, Rimersburg.
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GSWPA-Doll Tea at The Sutton-Ditz Museum 11-02-13
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SSgt Laura Earline Besley, the only in-service Clarion County woman to lose her life in WWII
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GSWPA Doll Tea at The Sutton-Ditz Museum 11-23-13
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Strattan House in 1877 & 2013
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Holiday Magic in Clarion, circa 1960's.
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West Freedom School House, built 1843.
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PA 150 Civil War Road Show hosted by CCHS.
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Little guests learning about Civil War history at the Civil War Road Show.
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CCHS Exeutive Director Mary Lea Lucas & Senator Mary Jo White at the CCHS VIP Reception, PA Civil War 150 VIP
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The "Little Soldier"...a guest at the Civil War Road Show hosted by CCHS.
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Re-enactors drill, PA 150 Civil War Road Show hosted by CCHS.
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The Sutton-Ditz Museum at sunset.
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Helen Furnace Ruins, 1930.
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Students on tour with Berlie Etzel.
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Joe Cherico & his fruit wagon, New Bethlehem.
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Victorian Wake at the Sutton-Ditz Museum
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Spanish American War Collection
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Brady's Bend Marker
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LEF&C RR
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Catholic Daughter's Tea
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Chief Joe Volpe in Clarion's first police car, a 1946 Olds 66.
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Cub Scouts on Tour>
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Hotel Sligo, early 1900's.
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Helen Furnace
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McNutt Transfer.
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Christmas Open House at The Sutton-Ditz Museum.
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Earliest known image of The Loomis, circa 1890s
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Teddy Bear Birthday Party at The Sutton-Ditz Museum.
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Tom Zeller's Brass Band performing at the CCHS Christmas Open House in the Sutton-Ditz Museum.
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The newly opened DAR Women's History Room. March 2013
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On Redbank Creek, New Bethlehem. Circa 1920. When Redbank Creek was frozen over cars were driven on it from Mayport to New Bethlehem. It was easier to drive the creek because the roads were so bad.
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B & O #3116, west bound on the Foxburg Bridge. April, 1948
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Clarion Collegiate Institute, Rimersburg.

Quality of life...
sense of place, pride of place are all connected to history.
Quality of life...
sense of place, pride of place are all connected to history.
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Clarion County Courthouse: On The National Register
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Lady of Justice atop the Courthouse
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Sutton-Ditz Museum: On The National Register
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Buchanan Furnace, Callensburg: On The National Register
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Indian Cabins, Cook Forest: On The National Register
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Foxburg Country Club: On The National Register
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Foxburg Golf Course: On The National Register
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Old Clarion County Jail: On The National Register

Explore . . .
Explore . . .
The Sutton-Ditz Museum
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Marquis Markle's Pilot License signed by Orville Wright.
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Velocipede circa 1880s
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Col. Richmand's Spanish American War Uniform donated by Dr. David Humphrey
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General Store Exhibit
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Museum in Mourning: Victorian Wake
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Viet Nam Collection Donated by Scott Bell
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Harry Nulph playing funeral hymns.
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Mary Lea & Austin Lucas, Victorian Wake
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Victorian Wake: The Widow Sutton and sisters
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Jim Anderson, Mary Lea Lucas & Harry Nulph
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Civil War Road Show
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Tea Time!

The Sutton-Ditz Museum
&
The Ralph J. and Virginia A. Fulton Library
18 Grant Street
Clarion PA
Listed on The National Register in 2004
Built 1850 - Renovated 1908
Military Room ~ Industry Exhibits ~ General Store
DAR Women's History Room
On "The Park Square" ~ 18 Grant Street ~ Clarion PA 16214
Research...
Research...
The CCHS
has moved
The Ralph J. & Virginia A. Fulton Library
to
The Sutton-Ditz Museum
at
18 Grant Street
Clarion PA 16214
814.226.4450
CCHS gratefully thanks Lynne Fulton Deal & Frederick Deal for funding the new library sign.
NOTE:
Our volunteers are available and happy
to assist you when you visit our
library and museum.
At this time we do not offer research services
via phone, email or postal mail.
library & archives to do genealogy research.
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Mr. & Mrs. Peter Morant from Perth, Australia
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Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Schroeder from El Cajon CA
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Experience...
Experience...
The Clarion County Historical Society
Both buildings face "The Park Square" in the heart of Clarion, PA

For the first time in history, grueling trench warfare became a
defining characteristic of war. A US artilleryman uses some downtime in a
trench in France to write home to his family on March 7, 1918
November 11, 2018
100th Anniversary
The Ending of WWI
November 11, 2018
100th Anniversary
The Ending of WWI
November 11, 2018, marks 100th Anniversary of end of World War I—
the “war to end all wars.”
In 1918, on “the 11th hour of the 11th day of
the 11th month,” in a forest near the French city of Compiègne, French,
British, and German leaders met and signed an armistice that officially ended a
horrific conflict that claimed the lives of more than 16 million people over
four years.

~Remembering WWI Veterans of Clarion County~
from The Davis History of Clarion County Supplement






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Pennsylvania's Historic Courthouses
on PCNTV
Pennsylvania's Historic Courthouses
on PCNTV
Featuring
The Clarion County Courthouse

Click through slideshow to see preservation progress!
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AFTER
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BEFORE
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After
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Back Double Colonnade Porch
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Deteriorated Capital-Back Porch
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Back Porch
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Back Porch
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Centennial World War I Project:
The Clarion Weekly Report- September 6
Centennial World War I Project:
The Clarion Weekly Report- September 6
The Clarion County Weekly Report is a project of the Clarion County Historical Society and the Clarion Free Library to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of World War I and its impact on Clarion County, Pennsylvania. This issue published September 20, 2015 Design by Kristina Kiritchenko , layout and text by James T. Maccaferri.
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~ Click below to see videos by CCHS member Hank Hufnagel! ~
Changing Clarion by Hank Hufnagel



~ Click below to for a museum tour by CCHS member Hank Hufnagel! ~
~ The Historic Licking Church ~
News Flash! Heartfelt thanks to life member Barbara Songer for funding the mowing & trimming at the Historic Licking Cemetery, to board member Terry Courson for all of his hard work in continuing to restore the Historic Licking Church, to Clarion Sherwin-Williams for donating the paint that made the NEW paint job possible, and to Clarion American Legion Post 66 for funding the flagpole.
To see more photos hover over "Sutton-Ditz Museum" on navigation bar above, then click on "Historic Licking Church".
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Historic Licking Church...Before
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In progress.
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New paint. Thanks to Terry Courson & Clarion Sherwin-Williams!
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Terry Courson restored the windows, and scraped & painted the church.
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Window before
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Window after.
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historic Licking Cemetery Mausoleum
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Flag pole installed by volunteers.
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Clarion American Legion
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Guest Todd Curll shows 1928 church photo.
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CCHS thanks Tim Rudolph from Tim's Shrubs & Hedges for donating
his time to trim the hedges at The Sutton-Ditz Museum!
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Tim Rudolph
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Overgrown hedges at The Sutton-Ditz Museum.
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Tim trimming the hedges.
CCHS thanks Clarion Rotary for trimming shrubs & weeding at
The Sutton-Ditz Museum in time for 2013 Autumn Leaf!
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Clarion Rotarians at The Sutton-Ditz Museum: Casey O'Toole & daughter Anna, Mary Lea Lucas, Scott Burns, Dan Parker, Jamie Lefever, Theresa Edder, Truman Mills, Mary Louise Logue, Gary Frank, Rick Tote
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Gary Frank
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Jamie Lefever, Casey O'Toole & Dan Parker
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Rotary President Jamie Lefever & Secretary Dan Parker
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Truman Mills
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Anna O'Toole
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Theresa Edder & Truman Mills
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Scott Burns
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Casey O'Toole
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Rick Tote, Project Chair
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Mary Louise Logue & Casey O'Toole
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Anna & Casey O'Toole


CCHS is in partnership with
The Clarion Chapter DAR
to collaborate on important projects that celebrate the history and culture of Clarion County, PA.
By capitalizing on the resources of each, the partnership will allow The CCHS &
The CCDAR to reach new and expanding audiences.
Tour the Sutton-Ditz Museum, research genealogy and Clarion County history at the Fulton Library & Archives, book a Victorian Tea at the Sutton-Ditz Museum or take a craft class. There's always something to do at The Clarion County Historical Society!
Discover Clarion County PA History!
Callensburg PA History, Clarion PA History, East Brady PA History, Emlenton PA History, Foxburg PA History, Fryburg PA History, Hawthorn PA History, Knox PA History,
Leeper PA History, Lucinda PA History, Marble PA History, New Bethlehem PA History, Rimersburg PA History, Scotch Hill PA History, Shippenville PA History, Sligo PA History,
St. Petersburg PA History, Strattanville PA History
~ CCHS MISSION STATEMENT ~
Our goal is to ensure that our heritage will be preserved for future generations, and that everyone who comes through our doors feels welcomed, challenged, delighted, inspired and moved.
The purpose of The Clarion County Historical Society is the discovery, collection and preservation of materials pertaining to the history and culture of Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and to encourage the study and appreciation of that history by conducting events, exhibitions, and observances which will share the story of the individual character and distinction that makes Clarion County unique.
The Sutton-Ditz House Museum was established for the exhibit of items relating to and significant in the history of Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and its residents.
The Ralph J. & Virginia A. Fulton Library was established to assist researchers interested in family history and the history and culture of Clarion County, Pennsylvania.
may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free,
within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999.
Registration does not imply endorsement.
Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Duplication without permission is expressly prohibited.
Designed and administered by Mary Lea Lucas using WEBS
The
Sutton-Ditz Museum
and
The
The Ralph J. & Virginia A. Fulton Library
18 Grant Street
Clarion PA
Our volunteers
are available and happy to assist you
when you visit our library and museum.
Sorry, at this time we do not offer research services via phone, email or postal mail.
Watch
Our Town Clarion on wpsu/pbs
Our Town Clarion on wpsu/pbs
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The History of Veterans Day
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, World War I ended. This day became known as "Armistice Day." In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Similarly, unknown soldiers had been buried in England at Westminster Abbey and at France at the Arc de Triomphe. All of these memorials took place on November 11th to commemorate the end of the "war to end all wars." In 1926, Congress resolved to officially call November 11th Armistice Day.
Then in 1938, the day was named a national holiday. Soon afterwards war broke out in Europe and World War II began.
Armistice Day
Becomes Veterans Day
Soon after the end of World War II, a veteran of that war named Raymond Weeks organized "National Veterans Day" with a parade and festivities to honor all veterans. He chose to hold this on Armistice Day. Thus began annual observances of a day to honor all veterans not just the end of World War I. In 1954, Congress officially passed and President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veteran's Day.
In 1968, Congress changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. However, the significance of November 11 was such that the changed date never really got established. In 1978, Congress returned the observance of Veterans Day to its traditional date. Due to his part in the creation of this national holiday, Raymond Weeks received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Ronald Reagan in November 1982.
CCHS Opens "Thriftique Booth"
at
Dan Smith's
Main Street Emporium
622 Main St, Clarion, PA

CCHS thanks Mary Hahn for donating the HP laptop computer, software & 2 yr. warranty package!
CCHS Director & Staff

Mary Lea Lucas
Executive Director & Curator
Shelly Ion
Administrative Assistant
Membership Registrar
Adam Stephens
Museum & Library
Assistant
Harry Nulph
Board Chairman
Library & Research Assistant
Rudy Jannazzo
Board Vice Chairman
Library Assistant
Madelon Callen
Volunteer Coordinator
Carol Kiser
Museum Assistant
Darlene Flick
Library Assistant
Melanie Parker
Accessions & Archives Assistant
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