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| (L to R): Alice Dunbar, RWHS Secretary; Tricia Grover, RWHS Trustee; Melanie Johnston, RWHSPresident; and Denis Dahlgren, ACAF Executive Director. |
The Allegany County Area Foundation, recently presented a
check for $4,381.96 to the Richburg-Wirt Historical Society (RWHS). This money
comes from the earnings of the Richburg-Wirt Historical Society Endowment Fund
which is held and managed by the Allegany County Area Foundation. This fund was
created by the estate of Beatrice S. Bartoo. It was the vision, tireless
efforts and financial support of Frances and Beatrice S. Bartoo that made the
Richburg-Wirt Historical Society and Museum a reality back in 2001.
President Melanie Johnston said, "We are grateful for the foresight that
Frances and Betty Bartoo had when they created the Frances and Betty Bartoo
Endowment for the Richburg-Wirt Historical Society. We rely on it every year to help us with our general
expenses, maintenance and repairs, and for our community outreach and
educational projects. One of the larger maintenance projects we completed this
year was the repair and replacement of our bell tower roof.
We have a busy fall planned and invite the public to attend
any or all of the following events, which are free and open to the public.
On Monday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m., former Bolivar
resident George Bradley will bring his program, “The Civil War Experience South
of the Border” to our monthly meeting at the museum, 243 Main St., Richburg,
NY. A large number of men from southern Allegany County went to war with the
85th New York Infantry, known as the Plymouth Pilgrims, which was captured en
masse at Plymouth, NC early in 1864. As
a result, many of these men (12 from Bolivar) died in Andersonville prison. A
few local boys travelled across the state line and ended up with the 46th
Pennsylvania Volunteers who fought against rebel general Stonewall Jackson and
for General William Tecumseh Sherman. George will discuss the battles these men
fought in, and will emphasize the experience of some of the men who had close
ties to the Bolivar-Richburg area.
We are partnering with the Richburg Colonial Library and
bringing author Marlies Adams DiFante to the Bolivar United Methodist Church on
Sunday, September 16 at 2:00 p.m. She will tell the poignant story of her being
trapped as a child in Germany during World War II. She traveled with her family
in 1939 back to Germany to say their last goodbyes to her mother's terminally
ill father, found themselves in the clutches of Hitler's power, and were forced
to remain for seven years. Autographed copies of her book, Queen of the Bremen
(The True Story of an American Child Trapped in Germany During World War II),
will be on sale.
The week of September 24-30, we will be participating in the
Third Annual Allegany County History Awareness Week at the David A. Howe
Library in Wellsville, NY. This year's theme is the end of World War I, World
War II, and the homefront. We will have many items related to this theme on
display all week.
On Monday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m. at the museum, we welcome
Janet Wahlberg who will give a special presentation on the Navajo Code Talkers.
Wahlberg, a retired registered nurse and a volunteer at the Fenton History
Center, will share her knowledge of how the Navajo code talkers came to be a
part of the U.S. Military during World Wars I and II.
We look forward to our annual visit from the BRCS fourth
graders in October and our “Night at the Museum” (held in conjunction with the
Richburg Colonial Library.) We meet the first Monday of the month March through
November at 7:00 p.m. at the museum, located at 243 Main St., Richburg, NY.
Unless otherwise stated, all of our meetings are free and open to the
public.For more information about the museum please call 585-928-9478.”
The Allegany County Area Foundation holds assets of over 9.4
million dollars. The endowed funds continue to grow in perpetuity to enrich and
improve the lives of Allegany County people. If you would like more information
on how you can provided a legacy of hope and good will here in our county,
please contact the Allegany County Area Foundation at 585-808-8444 or visit
their web site at: www.alleganycountyareafoundation.org.
