Clarion County Historical Society

     ~ The Clarion County Historical Society was established in 1955 and chartered by the   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1956 as a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational institution.

     ~ In the early years the Society collections were located on the third floor of the Clarion County Court House. As space at the Court House became filled, the Society began searching for a new home, and in 1976, twenty years after the founding of the Society, the John A. Ditz property on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Grant Street was purchased.

     ~ The stately Sutton-Ditz House became the home of donated artifacts and collections illustrative of the history of Clarion County; its people, places, and industries.

     ~ The Society library, archives and offices were also located at the Sutton-Ditz, but again, due to continued donations to the collections and an increase in library services, space became limited.

     ~ In 1999 a search began for yet another property . The Society desperately needed more space to maintain its administrative offices, library, archives and museum store. That space was found at 17 South Fifth Avenue, directly across the street from the Sutton-Ditz House Museum!

     ~ The new building is known as the Milo Markle Annex and is the home of the Ralph J. and Virginia A. Fulton Library & Archives, the Thomas Sutton Store, and the Society's administrative offices.

     ~ With new found space at the Sutton-Ditz House Museum, many artifacts have been brought out of storage and are now being exhibited . In 2004 the Sutton-Ditz House Museum was listed on The National Register of Historic Places. 

   ~ The  home is maintained and operated by the Clarion County Historical Society as a museum with period rooms, and permanent and changing exhibits in the  Military Room,  the Dar Women’s History Room, a the "General Store"  Room and the  Business & Industry Room.