Summer Lecture Series 10-31-21

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HALLOWEEN TALES

HANCOCK COUNTY MUSEUM LECTURE SERIES

The last in our 2021 Summer Lecture Series will be at the HCM, 1008 Ridge Ave., New Cumberland, on Sunday October 31st at 2:00. Paul Zuros will speak on “Chilling Stories of the Past,” when he will touch on a few spooky stories, some from Steubenville, but most from the WV side of the river, with a ghost story of Colliers, a tale from Three Springs Cemetery, and one from the Pleasant Valley Country Club area. Fred Miller will recount the tale about the man who wanted to be buried both in PA and WV, and how he accomplished that. After these two speak, we will invite the audience to ask questions and to share their scary stories with us.

Refreshments will be available after the lecture, and the event, as always, is free and open to the public, although donations are always greatly appreciated.

Summer Lecture Series 9-26-21

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The fourth in our 2021 Summer Lecture Series will be at the HCM on Sunday Sept. 26th at 2:00. Paul Zuros, Executive Director of Historic Fort Steuben and the Steubenville and Jefferson County Convention and Visitors Bureau will present a program entitled “History of Fort Steuben – New Discoveries of Old History.” Since 1986 Historic Fort Steuben has been a center in the community for history and culture. With the addition in 2009 of the final building as part of the complex, the story of the Fort seemed to have been told. Today with a fresh perspective, Paul will discuss and reexamine the history of Historic Fort Steuben, the local context surrounding it, its abandonment, commemoration, reconstruction, and its significance in local and National History. Join us for an afternoon of reexamining the past.

Paul (PJ) Zuros was born and raised in Weirton, West Virginia. Raised by parents who were interested in history, Paul developed his love for the past early on. His interest in local history started when he volunteered with the Hancock County Museum in New Cumberland and then later with the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center.
He graduated from Weir High School and went on to WVU to pursue a degree in History and minor in Public Relations and Italian Studies. While at WVU, he worked for the National Park Service in Richmond, Virginia at the city’s Civil War sites. Paul graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with a master’s degree in Public History with a concentration in Decorative Arts and Museum Studies. Over the years Paul has worked with the John Heinz History Center in their library and archive, the Fort Pitt Museum, and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. Before returning to the Ohio Valley to take the reins as Executive Director of Historic Fort Steuben, Paul was operations manager with the West Virginia Humanities Council and served as the Executive Director of the Historic Craik Patton House, a historic house museum in Charleston WV. For nearly two years, he has been writing a bi-weekly local history column in the Weirton Daily Times and the Steubenville Herald-Star entitled, “History in the Hills.” Paul currently resides in Weirton with his wife Abigail, and four beautiful children.

Summer Lecture Series 8-22-21

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The third in the Hancock County Museum’s Summer Lecture Series will be on Sunday,
August 22, 2021 at 2:00 in the Hancock County Museum.

TIMOTHY R. BROOKES, local lawyer and historian, will expound on the saga of Pretty Boy Floyd , enshrined by legends and tales that have given a certain amount of drama that enhanced the facts concerning one of the most famous motorized bandits of the 1930’s.

The public is encouraged to add their stories on the subject at the end of the lecture, and are welcome to tour the museum

Refreshments will be available after the lecture, and it is free and open to the public, although donations are always greatly appreciated.

Summer Lecture Series 7-25-21

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The second lecture in the Hancock County Museum’s Summer Lecture Series will be at the museum at 2:00 on Sunday 7-25 21.

Tom Zielinsky, renowned local author, will discuss the two towns, north and south, of New Cumberland: Rockyside and Zalia.

Rockyside, a small mining community, was established around 1870 with the building of all the brickyards north of New Cumberland. There were nearly 300 men, women and children on that hillside, in addition to a one-room school and the first local Catholic Church, built in 1904. The hillside was abandoned around 1950.

Zalia, a small mining community, was established around 1830, some 40 years earlier than Rockyside, also with the building of all the brickyards south of New Cumberland. This is where local brick making began. There were nearly 300 men, women and children along this stretch of road, the old West Virginia Route 2. It also had a one-room school and the establishment and building of the First Methodist Protestant Church known as the Union Chapel of Freeman’s Landing.

This area was abandoned around 1970 and was home to a lot of unique businesses.

Everyone can learn a little about the history of these two towns and what they had in common and what their differences were. You will learn about some unique businesses like the Chelsea China Company, New Cumberland Glass Company, and the Cutler Steel Company. Hancock County is very rich in history that needs to be learned and shared.

Everyone is welcome to share their stories about these two small towns and to ask questions after Tom’s talk.

As always, the lecture is free and open to the public, although donations are always greatly appreciated. Refreshments will be served after the lecture.

Summer Lecture Series 6/27/21 Tomlinson Run State Park

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The Hancock County Museum Commissioners are excited to announce the first lecture in our 2021 Summer Lecture Series. It will be at the museum at 2:00 p.m. on June 27, 2021. Our first lecturer is Mr. Robert Bailey, who will speak on the history of Tomlinson Run State Park. Our visitors are encouraged to share their personal memories of the park and any stories they have heard from others. As always, the public is invited to attend with no charge, and refreshments will be provided after the lecture.

Memorial Day 2021 Open House

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The Hancock County Museum’s first open house since The Covid 19 pandemic closures and the HCM’s closure for renovations was a joyous celebration of Memorial Day 2021. The New Manchester Boy Scout Troop # 137 under the leadership of Robbie Littel and Dave Lawson presented a formal flag raising ceremony followed by Robert Bailey playing a musical rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Robert followed that with selected upbeat tunes from the war days eras. Visitors were even seen dancing on the front porch to “The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boys of Company C.” Featured exhibits were our newly acquired World War II Scrapbooks donated by Joyce Frain, uniforms, and detailed beautifully produced models of military equipment made and donated by Mr. David Buchanan. These exhibits will be on display on the main floor of the museum at least until the end of October, 2021. As always, refreshments were provided for our guests, who enjoyed touring, talking, and enjoying the perfect weather.

HCM Christmas Party 12-7-19, 2:00

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HCM Christmas tree

All are welcome to the Hancock County Museum’s 2019 Christmas Party on Saturday, December 7th at 2:00.  Entertainment will include Tom Zielinsky playing his amazing accordion concert, Peggy Lee with musical selections on her French horn, Bud Simmons playing on the dulcimer and also accompanying the Victorian Carolers, and John Brennamen reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”  Refreshments will include hors d’oeuvres, cheese,  nuts, Christmas cookies, Alice’s amazing fudge, punch, tea and coffee.  Please come to help us celebrate the season!

Nellie Bly, Saturday April 6, 2019, 7:00 p.m.

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JoAnn Peterson of Kingwood, WV comes to the Hancock County Museum from the WV Humanities Council’s History Alive! Program to present Nellie Bly, pen name of Elizabeth Jane Cochrane.  Nellie Bly was a well-known investigative reporter in the late 1800’s who got a job as a reporter with the New York World by succeeding to have herself committed for 10 days to the infamous lunatic asylum known as Blackwell’s Island in NY, with no guarantee of her release.  Her newspaper series on the conditions and treatment of the institutionalized women led to public outrage and improvements in the care of the mentally ill.  She brought public attention to the plight of women, children, workers and the poor.  In November of 1889, she started a highly publicized race around the world to better the fictional Phineas Fogg’s, of the Jules Verne book Around the World in Eighty Days, record.  Alone, she sensationally made it in a little more than 72 days.  Please call the Hancock County Museum, 304.564.4800 for more information.

Join Hancock County Museum for an Old-Fashioned Lawn Party!

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Bring Family & Friends for an Old-Fashioned Lawn Party on Saturday, July 28, 2018, from Noon to 5:00 pm at the Hancock County Museum, 1008 Ridge Avenue,  New Cumberland, WV 26062. Both young and young of heart are invited to enjoy games from the 19th century to modern times.

  • Create a cork-and-feather projectile for a game toss.
  • Make butter just by shaking a small jar of “magic ingredients.”
  • Play some games to win prizes.
  • Food, drinks and baked goods will be for sale.
  • Take a docent-led or self-guided museum tour anytime ALL DAY!

Don’t miss Amazing Nick’s magic show at 2 pm in the parlor of the historic Marshall House. And if possible, bring your lawn chair or blanket to lounge on the lawn. Come join us for a Saturday afternoon full of games, food, magic, history and old-fashioned fun!

Questions or want to volunteer?  Call (304) 564-4800.