Heritage fair planned at Monongahela Area Library
Monongahela boasts many homes that are historically significant. The Acheson home was home to Edward Acheson, inventor of carborundum and their homes played a vital role in the Underground Railroad.
On Saturday, the Monongahela Main Street Program and Monongahela Area Library will be hosting a joint heritage fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the library. The event will be a compilation of everything one needs to get started to investigate local and or personal history.
“We will be able to guide interested people on which place to look for their particular interest,” said Terry Necciai, preservation architect and promoter of the Monongahela Main Street Program. “This library has a wealth of information. There is a genealogy room and websites that individuals can access to look up historical information. We will have people available to help lead them in the right direction.”
The heritage fair will be have tables displaying books, some rare, that will have information on history, much of it local. Computers will be set up to access a variety of websites to direct participants for investigating the past. Websites will help search real estate titles, newspaper articles, and other areas.
Necciai said for a nominal fee, people can bring in a picture of their home, and on the basis similar to the television show “Antiques Roadshow,” Necciai will give an historical assessment of the property.
“I got the idea from MARC’s annual antique appraisal. In that, a person brings in an item to be appraised. Here all we need is a picture,” he said. The event will also feature speaker Troy Simmons as well as Necciai. Both Simmons and Necciai have local connections The men will share stories of their grandfathers working together to help build the city of Monongahela.
In the afternoon, a walk and talk featuring Bethel AME Church and St. Damien Of Molokai Roman Catholic Church will be held on the way to the luncheon. Discussion will feature the architecture and design of the two churches. Simmons, who works for a Catholic church in New Jersey and has appraised altars, will be able to lend an interesting perspective on the church historical talk.
The event is open to the public and anyone interested in the luncheon is encouraged to register in advance by calling 724-310-3299 or via email at mainstreet15063@gmail.com