February 2026
Upcoming Meetings
No Program Until April 2026
Our regular monthly meetings are on hold until April 2026.
Our monthly meetings are held on the 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. (note time change) at the Sportsman's Club in Conneaut Lake. It is open to the public free of charge. Hall is handicapped-accessible and smoke-free. Refreshments will follow the program.
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No Meetings Until
April 2026
We always take the winter months off, so there won't be any meetings in December, January, or February
Museum Closed
The museum is closed through April for the winter season.
Crews will be renovating the garage as we update, electric, painting, new walls and plumbing.
It is all part of an extensive to update the room housing the Liberty the Second.
Improvements will include an updated security system with multiple cameras as well as other items.
It is being paid with funds from the Dietrich Foundation.
Be sure to check us out next spring!
Renovations Under Way
Although the temperature has been near zero, a crew of volunteers have been busy renovating the garage at the museum.
Work started the first of January and men have been at the museum several days a week.
The Liberty the Second boat and the Blue Streak and other items have been temporarily moved to allow the work to be done in a more efficient manner.
Men are building new walls,adding electricity to accommodate cameras throughout the exterior of the museum a well as replacing water lines and plumbing.
The walls will be painted and flooring upgrade.In addition,the renovations will allow hot water heaters to added to three bathrooms,which will allow the water to be hot!
Although most of the work is being done by our in-house volunteers,some of it is being contracted.
Funds to pay for the renovations are from a 2025 grant from the Dietrich Foundation.
As you may remember,the late Bill Dietrich left a bequest of millions of dollars for use for projects in the borough of Conneaut Lake.
Many of our upgrades in recent years have been funded from the interest of that bequest.
We are excited to see the renovations complete.
Stop in this summer and see the renovations as well as new exhibits.
We are blessed with talented volunteers and funds to help!
What's Happening in the Museum This Winter?
Our dedicated volunteers are working on several projects:
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Enhancing the Boat Room by upgrading the electrical system, installing insulation and building new walls
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Throughout the museum, building new cubicles for exhibits and upgrading the water system
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On the stage area, we are creating a cozy reading
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area to enjoy perusing scrapbooks, year books, etc.
The Exhibit Committee is working on:
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Display of Carousel lead horse, carved, painted and donated by George Nowack
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Century Home and Building Display
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Quilt Display
Other committees are busy with:
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Archive Committee – cataloging, scanning and setting up systems for retrieval and research
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Long Range Planning – creating a Speaker’s Bureau for outreach to the community, fulfilling our mission of sharing our area’s rich history
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Program Committee – arranging for 2026 Programs and speakers
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Research – planning for 2026 Century Program, working on upcoming tours, interviewing those interested in sharing their stories and memories
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Summer events are being planned: Golf Outing, Car Cruise and Paddlefest
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In addition to the above, the Barber Cemetery,
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Candy Sales, Liberty II, Projects and Promotions and Public Relations are working on plans to enhance our mission to:
Collect, Preserve and Share our Rich Local History
We know we have valuable resources of time and talents in our membership and our community. We encourage you to consider volunteering with us 😊
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Please call Julia @ 814-724-9841 if you may be interested and would like more information.
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Meet new people and be involved with a vibrant community organization
We lost a board member
We said good bye to Brian Delmar,who passed away recently.
Brian had been a long-time board member,who did a lot of work behind the scenes.
For example,he would shovel the snow in the courtyard and turn up the heat ahead of board meetings.
He would drain the water lines in the restrooms.
He would make sure mouse traps were set in the winter.
He would answer the call when a motion detector set off an alarm and somebody had to go and check out the museum.
It could have happened at 4 p.m.or 4 a.m.No matter what time,Brian answered.
He would sit in the corner set at the board meetings and didn't say much.
But he always did what he was asked without complaints.
In addition to the historical society, he volunteered at The Samaritans.
He is missed,but will be remembered.
Dave Lynch returns home
Dave Lynch, who was vice president and a long-time board member,for many years,is back home.
Dave and his wife,Kathy, had moved to Erie and then to Florida several years ago.
After Kathy died last June,Dave sold his Florida home and returned to Conneaut Lake.
He immediately got back involved with the historical society.
He has been named to fill the vacancy created with the death of Brian and now is head of the building and maintenance committee.(He previously held that position as well.)
He has already been very active -- learning the new system in the gift shop,setting up and tearing down for Pumpkin Fest and more.
He also has joined the crew who do many of the renovations.
He is enjoying the snow,but wishes the temperature wouldn't stay as low for such long periods of time.
Welcome back Dave!
Ice House Festival
The museum will be open on Saturday, Dec. 7, starting at 10 a.m. in conjunction with the downtown Ice House Festival.
Stop by and warm up with hot chocolate and a cookie -- free of charge.
You can see the great display of Christmas trees and lights, see the other exhibits and buy something in our gift shop!
Spread the word.
The museum is open free of charge as well.
Save the date
Save the date of Dec. 16 for our annual Christmas dinner at the Iroquois Club.
It is open to all members and guests.
The menu will be announced shortly and reservations can be made.
Exhibits
The exhibit committee has made a few changes in the displays this year.
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The military display has been changed to add a sculpture, "The Perpetual Soldier,"which is absolutely beautiful.
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It was sculpted by Donald Valentine Jr. and is a life-size statue of a soldier in khaki uniform.
The exhibit area was expanded as we moved the clothing rack to make more room.
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Pictures of the Century Buildings honored lat year are displayed so everyone can see what they look like -- and consider nominating other 100-year (or older) buildings for consideration in 2025.
Did you know a man who used to live in Conneaut Lake was a National Rifle Shooting Champion in the early 1900s?
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Some of the loving cups by J. P. Ittel are displayed along with other memorabilia showcasing his accomplishments.
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Mr. Ittel also made a model of a famous church in Normandy where paratroopers landed on D-Day.It also has been donated to use and isdislayed near the church section -- reminding us how important churches area.
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Please take a few minutes to stop by the museum and see all the exhibits.
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And, check out the new cubby holes which has all our clothing arranged neatly for easy shopping.
Crawford Gives is Coming
The annual Crawford Gives program of the Crawford County Heritage Community Foundation is set for August 12 through Aug. 15.
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The program is simple. People may send donations designated for the historical society o the Foundation on those days via check or call with credit card or go to office with cash.
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Once the program is over, the foundation tabulates all the donations and then adds a percentage to the total (based on funds donated for this program by sponsors) and then sends us a check for the new total. It usually is about 3 percent and we get it within a few months.
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It is an easy way for the society to raise funds and all donations are tax deductible
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Please mark your calendars and consider making a one-time donation.
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Thank you in advance,
Upcoming Events
Below is a list of upcoming events for this summer.
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Please post it where you can see it and join us for lots of fun and sharing our history!
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EVENTS 2025​​
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July 12, 2025 Car Show 10 am – 2 pm @ Museum
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Aug. 2, 2025 Paddlefest 7 am – noon @ Fireman’s Beach
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Aug. 9, 2025 Liberty Program (40 years) 10 am -2 pm @ Museum
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Aug. 13, 2025 Tiki Bar 4 pm – 9 pm @ Conneaut Lake Park
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Sept. 2025 Century Program 9am @ Museum
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Sept. 2025 Picnic 6pm – 8 pm @ Msgr Toland Park
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Oct. 10, 11, & 12, 2025 Pumpkinfest @ Conneaut Lake Park
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Oct. 11, 2025 Pumpkinfest Parade 9 am @ In the Boro
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Nov. 2025 Christmas Trees @ Museum
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Nov. 29, 2025 Christmas Sale 10 am – 2 pm @ Museum
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Dec. 2025 Ice House Fest. @ Boro and Museum
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Dec. 15, 2025 Christmas Party @ Iroquois Club
Membership Dues
Dues for 2025 are now due and can be sent to CLAHS, P.O. Box 425,Conneaut Lake, Pa., 16316.
Annual dues are $12.
Lifetime dues are $150.
All members receive a 10 percent discount on any merchandise purchased.