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Our purpose is to engage people of all ages in the history of Jefferson County. We collect and care for relevant objects, images and documents, and we invite county residents and visitors to research our materials, interact with our exhibits, take part in our programs, and read our publications in order to encourage an understanding of our past and present and a vision for our future

EMAIL: JCHC@alltel.net

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Click Here for Full Calendar

Officers and Members of the Board

Executive Director:
Ken Burkett
Curator:
Carole A. Briggs
Administrative Assistant:
Theresa Costa
President:
Diana Farley
Vide President:
Ed Kaufman
Secretary:
Kathy Smith
Treasurer:
Judy Brady
Board:
William Crain
Richard Beck
Jon Noonan
Mark Mckinney
Dorrie Altman
Joni Kerr
Melanie Darrin
Paul Sorek

Links Section

JEFFERSON COUNTY MAP

JEFFERSON COUNTY GENEALOGY

PUNXSUTAWNEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

BROCKWAY AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL AND MUSEUM COMMISSION

JEFFERSON COUNTY CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS

NORTH FORK 29 - SOCIETY FOR PA ARCHAEOLO

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Bowdish Railroad
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Charles Albert Bowdish
1896 - 1988

Thousands of people in Western Pennsylvania remember visiting Brookville between 1919 and 1955 for a special Christmas Treat. They arrived by car and bus to visit the Bowdish home to see Charles’ special Christmas display (a model of his home is on the layout). Located at the southeast corner of the White Street Bridge, people waited in long lines to enter the house where his sistor or mother greeted them.

Charles Bowdish

Charles kept track of his visitors and by 1954, more than 300,000 boys and girls, men and women, had gone through his home hearing the music and story of Christmas though the Biblical dioramas, seeing his Christmas tree and watching the model trains run through his village.

In 1954 and 1955, Charles created his last exhibits in Brookville and moved his work to the Buhl Planetarium in Pittsburgh. He traveled to Pittsburgh and supervised people there who helped him build a new scene each Christmas season. In 1992 the exhibit moved to the new Carnegie Science Center. The Miniature Railroad & Village ™ is there today and includes many new miniatures representing places in western Pa.


The Layout

When the Jefferson County Historical Society began the preservation of the Edelblute Building as the home of the History Center in 2001, one room was set aside for An Old-fashioned Feller: Charles Albert Bowdish exhibit and model railroad layout built in the Bowdish-style. Many of Charles’ original building models and animations on loan from the Carnegie Museum are included on the layouit.

Today a dedicated group of volunteers operate and maintain the Bowdish Model Railroad Exhibit. They move, remove and add new models and animations each year to reconfigure the layout to show and tell the stories of Jefferson County.

The 350 square foot layout contains over 200 feet of track with 6 engines and 44 rail cars.

There are over 100 animations scattered among the 50 structures created from Jefferson Count history. Among the models are Truman's Store, Munderf Mall, Big Run Mill, Hilton Diner, Court House, Wilson Printing, Rearick Blacksmith, Pennzoil Station, Fire Station, Walston Coke ovens, Brockway Game School, White Elephant, Falls Creek Switch Tower, McCracken Hall and the Summerville Train Station.

Become a Bowdish Volunteer

If you enjoy this type of hobby, YOU too can become a volunteer with the Bowdish Miniature Railroad. The group meets monthly on the first Wednesday at 7:00 pm, provides shows and special programs that interpret the county history to school children and other special event groups. They work over the winter maintaining the layout and developing major additions to the display. Some of the volunteers also like to scratch build new buildings modeled after historic structures from across the county.

Volunteers are always welcome and the only Requirement is your interest! For more information contact the History Center (814) 849-0077

To those who have been bored and sickened by the monotony of work in offices, sales-fields and factories
… where the only evidence of a day’s work is a bunch of signed papers, a pile of boards, and a headache
... nothing to exhibit to friends, nothing to view with pride
...to those people, I say “YOU should have a hobby.”
Charles Bowdish 1946


Bill McCracken working on the New Trestle


The 2009 Layout


Summerville Station


Ken Burkett receives the Sandt Station from builder Ken Wise


Bowdish Home


Bowdish Volunteers


 
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