Northumberland County Historical Society, Hunter House Museum and Fort Augusta Events

2023 NCHS Tours, Programs, Special Events, and Activities

Sunday Afternoon Hours will resume at the Fort Augusta Museum and Fort Replica beginning Sunday, June 4th. Tour guides will staff the museum and outdoor fort replica from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Group tours can be arranged for other days and times by calling 570-286-4083 or emailing: [email protected]

Historical Society Lecture
"Civil War Hero Henry "Snapper" Reese
Sunday, March 19
2:00 p.m. at Hunter House
Henry “Snapper” Reese, Civil War Hero is David Williams’ topic. Reese served in the Civil War and then later became the police chief and burgess of Shamokin. We’ll learn even more about this extraordinary man.

Extended Library Hours
Wednesday, April 5
Our research library will be open from 1:00 until 7:00 p.m. Come early and stay late! We’ll also be open from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1 and December 6.

Historical Society Lecture
Lime Kilns in Lower Northumberland County
Sunday, April 16
2:00 p.m. at Hunter House
Fred Meckley will be with us to present a program on the history of the use of limestone and lime kilns in lower Northumberland County. It will be an interesting program on a little known aspect of our local agricultural history.

Book Talk: The Bootleg Coal Rebellion
Sunday, May 21
2:00 p.m. at Hunter House
Mitch Troutman will enlighten us on his newly published book, The Bootleg Coal Rebellion. The book focuses on the struggle for survival of Pennsylvania miners who battled against large anthracite companies from
1925-1942. Learn more about the hardships of these hard working men who risked their lives every day to provide for their families.

Tours
Sunday, June 4 through Sunday, October 29, 2023
2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Tours of the fort replica, the grounds, and the museum are available each Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00. Bring your family and friends.

History Day
Saturday, July 22
History Day returns! Plan on stopping by to visit all the displays and exhibitors outside, presentations inside. Food and lots more. If you know any craftspersons who might be good additions, please let us know.

Annual Dinner
Sunday, December 3
The Midtown Bistro will be the location for our Annual Dinner. Additional details will be announced in the fall newsletter.

Holiday Open House
Wednesday, December 6th
1:00 to 7:00 p.m.
At the Hunter House
 Our research library and museum will be open. We’ll have lots of books of local interest and other merchandise specially priced for your holiday shopping pleasure.

Winter Closing
Wednesday, December 20th
Last day the library and museum are open before the annual winter closing.
We’ll reopen on Friday, March 1st, 2024.

Historical Society Lecture "Civil War Hero Henry "Snapper" Reese

David Williams to present first Spring program on Shamokin Civil War hero Sunday, March 19 at 2 pm
Henry "Snapper" Reese, a hero of the Civil War who served as police chief and later burgess of Shamokin, will be the subject of the first spring program of the Northumberland County Historical Society at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 19, at the Hunter House, 1150 N. Front St., Sunbury.

The program will be presented by David Williams, Valley View, a mining engineer who has been spearheading efforts to get a posthumous Medal of Honor for Reese. Williams is on the board of the Schuylkill County Historical Society and has presented other programs on Reese and aspects of mining history throughout the region.
The program is open to the public and there is no charge.
Reese, a native of Wales, was working as a miner in Schuylkill County when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted in Company F, 48th Pennsylvania Infantry. At the battle of Petersburg, Va., he and other men with mining experience laid explosives under the Confederate lines. When the charge failed to detonate as expected Reese and Lt. Jacob Douty volunteered to reenter the tunnel and relight the fuse.
Reese was recommended for the Medal of Honor in 1865 but it was never enacted. He moved to Shamokin after the war and became its first police chief. He served two terms as burgess and also operated a tavern which was a favored stopping place for William "Buffalo Bill" Cody when he passed through the area. Reese is buried in Shamokin Cemetery and still has descendants in the area.

The speaker is a graduate of Penn State and has been an anthracite mining engineer for 46 years. He is
also licensed as a professional land surveyor. He said he first became interested in Reese when he was given a book about the Battle of the Crater and felt an affinity for the 48th on learning Lt. Col. Henry Pleasants, who devised the plan to undermine the Confederate lines, had been a mining engineer for a company Williams once worked for.

Genealogical Research Services Available

If you are unable to visit our research library or the Northumberland County Courthouse, please consider letting us assist you in your quest for Northumberland County genealogical information.

BY MAIL OR EMAIL:
Submit your research request in writing via U.S. mail to our library staff at Northumberland County Historical Society, 1150 N. Front Street, Sunbury, PA 17801 or to the email address: [email protected]. To enable more efficient research, please be sure to be specific about the family information you need. Payment of $40.00 per surname must be received before volunteers can begin to work on your research request.

VIA OUR WEBSITE: Go to the library section of the website (www.northumberlandcountyhistoricalsociety.org) to submit your request where secure payment can be made through PayPal.

Research questions may be directed to the library staff by calling 570-286-4083 during open hours any Monday, Wednesday, or Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. For your convenience, the library also has extended hours until 7:00 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month. We have researchers who are willing to go to the Northumberland County Courthouse and research for you. Please call us to learn more about this service.

Research Library email address:
[email protected]