PRINTER'S NO. 3282
No. 615 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY MUNDY, EACHUS, PASHINSKI, BOBACK, YUDICHAK,
BELFANTI, BEYER, BISHOP, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN,
CONKLIN, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DONATUCCI, D. EVANS, FAIRCHILD,
FLECK, FRANKEL, GALLOWAY, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH,
GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, HELM, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS,
HICKERNELL, JAMES, KENNEY, KORTZ, KULA, MAHONEY, MAJOR,
MANDERINO, MANN, MANTZ, McCALL, McILHATTAN, MILLARD, MUSTIO,
NAILOR, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PARKER, RAMALEY, READSHAW, ROEBUCK,
ROSS, SAINATO, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SEIP, SHIMKUS, SIPTROTH,
STABACK, SURRA, SWANGER, TRUE, VULAKOVICH, WALKO, J. WHITE,
WOJNAROSKI AND D. O'BRIEN, FEBRUARY 28, 2008
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
FEBRUARY 28, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Congratulating the Luzerne County Historical Society on the
2 150th anniversary of its incorporation.
3 WHEREAS, On February 11, 1808, Judge Jesse Fell successfully
4 burned anthracite coal in his tavern in Wilkes-Barre without a
5 forced draft, which would lead to northeastern Pennsylvania's
6 relative dominance of the anthracite coal industry for more than
7 100 years; and
8 WHEREAS, On February 11, 1858, a group met at the Old Fell
9 Tavern in Wilkes-Barre to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this
10 important event of the Wyoming Valley and this nation's history;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, During the ceremony, General E. L. Dana suggested
13 the founding of a historical society; and
1 WHEREAS, A resolution was passed unanimously, and the Wyoming
2 Historical and Geological Society was incorporated in May 1858
3 with the goal of promoting and preserving the history of the
4 Wyoming Valley; and
5 WHEREAS, By 1877, the society had acquired rooms in the Odd
6 Fellows Hall and was able to open its collection to the public
7 on Friday evenings; and
8 WHEREAS, The society later added a meeting room and library
9 and memberships and donations increased; and
10 WHEREAS, In 1882, Isaac Osterhout directed that space for the
11 society be included in the free library that was to be
12 established under his will; and
13 WHEREAS, The Osterhout Free Library trustees voted to erect a
14 separate building behind the library to house the collections of
15 the society, and after money being appropriated, the building
16 opened in 1893; and
17 WHEREAS, With the acquisition of the Swetland Homestead in
18 1958 and the Bishop Library in 1971, the Wyoming Historical and
19 Geological Society reached its present stature; and
20 WHEREAS, In 2000, the society adopted a new name to better
21 reflect its mission: the Luzerne County Historical Society, with
22 the mission to promote and preserve Luzerne County's collective
23 history; and
24 WHEREAS, The Luzerne County Historical Society is the oldest
25 county historical society in this Commonwealth; and
26 WHEREAS, The society maintains the storehouse for the
27 collective memory of Luzerne County and its environs; and
28 WHEREAS, The society records and interprets the history,
29 traditions, events, people and cultures that have directed and
30 molded life within the region; therefore be it
20080H0615R3282 - 2 -
1 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives congratulate the
2 Luzerne County Historical Society on the 150th anniversary of
3 its incorporation.
B20L82BIL/20080H0615R3282 - 3 -