Taking a Look at Old Edinboro

On six Thursday evenings Dr.John Marsh,author of Edinboro;
a dirt street to^,will host a continuing education experience in

local history.Those interested in participating should meet with
Dr.Marsh in the Historical Society room in the basement of the
Boro Building from 7-9 p.m.,September 20th through October 25th.

(Be advised there is a $15 charge for the sessions.)
The community’s beginnings and early life will be evoked
by means of a unique collection of visual materials showing the

way life was in rural America.Photographs will be reinforced by

walking tours of the borough and the farm community with a
chance to see and handle artifacts once vital to the countryman's

way of life.At issue is the story of a particular place and of
■•an era in our national life.
During Edinboro*s formative years its business community
served not only townspeople but farmers and their families.

Millers,wood butchers,tinsmiths,and harness makers advertised

their services,

Like their eustomers these skilled artisans

were pragmatic and self sufficient;they valued physical achieve­
ments over intellectual accomplishments,and if they knew little
of the wider world or of the fine arts,it was not necessarily

to their discredit.
The Edinboro story as it survives in faded photographs,in
the brittle pages of did Independents ^and in the memories of those
born at the turn of the century is thoroughly representative of

an older America.The roots seeker finds himself caught up in the

passion for a picturesque and eclectic architecture;in the
devotion to fine horse flesh and matched teams;in the sanctity
of private property as well as in the probity of the Republican party.

picture captions:Rural Experience

1.conference organizers,John Marsh(rt) and Karl Nordberg(lf).In the
background is the horse bam on the Todd Goodell farm,portions of
which may date as early as the 1840*s.

2.cornerstone with the date 1885 indicates when the horse bam was
moved to its present location.
t c i tr I,
• '-j/c
; 7. ■
3.interior evoking memories of when hay was stored loose in the mow.

4.one ,of the horse stalls.The harness In the background is just as
Todd Goodell hung it for the final time in the early 1950's.