Tri-County Heritage Library Features Holiday Display

Even though Dec. 25 has passed, there is still time to learn about Christmas past through a visit to the Tri-County Heritage Library, which opened at new location this past summer at 219 Mill Road, Morgantown, next to Masthof Press and Bookstore.

In addition to historical documents, artwork, photographs, newspapers and other artifacts relating to the history of Berks, Chester and Lancaster counties, the library is currently featuring Christmas items on display, including old postcards and ornaments.

The exhibit, which will remain open through Tuesday, Jan. 13, can be viewed during the library's operating hours on Tuesdays from noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment.

"During the holiday, people are very busy, so they may be looking to do some things early in January," said Mark Zerr, executive director of the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (HCVHA), which acquired the library in 2021. "Everything is laid out in our mini-museum area. We have postcards, antique and vintage ornaments in our display case and on tables as well. The Christmas ornaments on display show how they changed through the years."

Visitors will also see a vintage Santa Claus suit on display. "The Santa suit is a recent generous donation by Bev Minjock," Zerr noted. "It was used at the Odd Fellows Hall in Morgantown."

There are also many holiday postcards featured, which are part of the McCord collection. "The McCords were from Elverson; they were photographers," Zerr explained. "We have a huge collection of their photography in our library."

Visitors are encouraged to try to identify some of the faces that are featured in the photographs. "You could go to their studio in Elverson and have your family photo taken. However, it seems like they kept copies of every photo they took," said Zerr. "We would love people to look at these McCord photos of people from Elverson and Morgantown to help us identify them."

During select HCVHA events at Historic Joanna Furnace, photos from the library are displayed. "We do that periodically at our events at Joanna; we bring over a sampling of some of the photos and put them in a binder and people flip through to identify them," Zerr stated. "We have had some success with that."

The postcards, displayed behind protective glass, feature Christmas scenes, such as Santa and his sleigh, snowy landscapes and Christmas greenery. "The quality of them is amazing. Some of these old antique postcards are like artwork," Zerr said, noting that the display is especially significant since the art of writing postcards has diminished in recent years.

After the Christmas display comes down, new items will be put into place. "We have some really neat valentines that we will pull out in February," Zerr said. "One of my goals with this new location is that every quarter of the year we will have different items on display."

Other features in the library include a collection of old newspapers, an assortment of history books and one room that is dedicated to textiles and maps. Area residents are invited to visit the library to research their family history or the history of local towns.

The library offers a photocopy machine, which is available to use for a fee. "You can print right from your phone using our WiFi in black and white or color," Zerr added.

For more information about the library, visit http://www.facebook.com/TriCountyHeritageLibrary. Those with questions may contact Zerr at mzerr@haycreek.org.