State Funding, Private Donations Jump Start Restoration of Schuylkill County Historical Society

POTTSVILLE - The Schuylkill County Historical Society installed 25 new windows at their downtown Pottsville location thanks to $150,000 in state funding secured by Sen. Dave Argall (R-29) and Rep. Tim Twardzik (R-123) and generous private donations. The new windows replace the 161-year-old original windows that have been in place since the building served as the Female Grammar School in the late 19^th century. Argall and Twardzik joined staff from the historical society for a tour of the new windows today.

"The window project has been a long time coming," said Diana Prosymchak, Executive Director, Schuylkill County Historical Society. "Thanks to Sen. Argall, Rep. Twardzik, and our members, we have finally made a great difference in the society's building. We have installed 25 new windows, which improved the exterior look and climate control of the building. The new windows are energy-efficient and control UV light. This is important to the history stored in these walls. The building has 55 windows in total. We replaced the south and west sides which needed the most work and will be continuing with Phase II soon."

"Schuylkill County has a very rich history, rooted in coal, farming, railroads, and textiles - preserving that history for future generations is extremely important," said Argall. "This highly competitive state funding coupled with support from private citizens and employers is a firm foundation upon which to begin the full restoration of this historic Pottsville building."

"This valuable Keystone Communities Grant will help preserve the rich history of Schuylkill County," said Twardzik. "Installing these new windows marks meaningful progress in restoring this historic building, ensuring the Schuylkill County Historical Society in Pottsville can continue to inspire and educate future generations about our shared heritage."

The Schuylkill County Historical Society provides artifact collections, genealogical resources, interactive tours, seminars, special exhibits, events, and educational programs. They are located at 305 North Centre Street in downtown Pottsville and are open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday.

State funding for this project was awarded through the Keystone Communities Program, which is designed to encourage the creation of public-private partnerships to breathe new life into older communities. This program is overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

CONTACT: Jim Brugger (Argall)
Will Jones (Twardzik)