Its mission may center on preserving the past, but the Maytown Historical Society is also looking toward the future. For more than a year, the organization, located at 4 W. High St., has been expanding its footprint with a new archive building designed to safeguard artifacts and ensure they can be enjoyed by future generations.

The community is invited to an open house on Sunday, Sept. 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. to tour the new space and learn more about the society.

The festivities will include a ribbon cutting for the archive building, along with an opportunity to browse a new display from Pete and Karen Terry-Steckbeck in the museum. A highlight of the exhibit will be a Samuel Quest tall case clock, made in Maytown circa 1815.

"The archive building project was started in February 2025 - taking an existing garage on the museum property and demolishing it to the bare studs and rebuilding it from the ground up," said Janie Garber, treasurer and chairman of the building finance committee. "Trees had to be removed; a new floor had to be poured; new windows and doors, heating and air conditioning added; and new furnishings (were added) to accommodate the plastic storage boxes that were in storage."

The new space will improve storage and display of Maytown artifacts, she said.

"We are computer cataloging all information before we put it out for display," Garber explained. "Our goal is for the public to be able to research the information on the buildings and businesses of early Maytown."

At the open house, entertainment will be provided in the museum garden by the duo SweetLife Music. Refreshments will also be served.

"We are going to recognize the construction companies for their part in creating the climate-controlled archive building," Garber said, noting that the event will also include an expression of gratitude for people who have financially supported the project as well as recognition of the building committee and their brainstorming and efforts guiding the project.

Joining Garber on the building finance committee are Barb Stoner, Cynthia McComsey, Keith Vogt, Rich Bach, Nan Papp, Scott Kingsboro and Skip Nell.

"We were given the task of reaching out to businesses in the area and members of the society and community to ask for financial support," Garber stated. "We worked about six months before turning out a one-time gift or three-year plan. To date we have received $39,300 toward the project." The project has a fundraising goal of $50,000.

She hopes people will come out for the open house and a visit to the museum, where they can learn more about the organization's importance in the community.

"The Maytown Historical Society has been in existence since 1985," she said, noting that the society's museum is the oldest building in town. "It was organized to preserve the history of Maytown that was founded in 1760. ... Our goal is to promote, educate and preserve the history of the town."

Maytown might be small, but it has a deep and important history. Settled by German and Scots-Irish immigrants, the town became a hub for fur trading and supplies for people traveling west in America's early days. Muskets were manufactured in Maytown for use in the Revolutionary War, and notable former residents include Simon Cameron, who served as Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War.

"We never want to lose the history of the town," Garber said. "By educating the public, we hope to keep Maytown alive."

To learn more about the Maytown Historical Society, visit https://maytownhistory.com.