Spent a wonderful afternoon on a tour of the old G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) Hall in Downtown Johnstown - courtesy of our guides - Randy and Christine Beisel.
I walk to town a lot and have always admired the variety of historical items in the basement windows of the hall - Christine does a wonderful job.
Original light fixtures
-----------------------------
--------------------------
The railing is also original
-------------------------
------------------------------------
Heading inside to the secretary area for the offices of the lawyers. There are a couple of relic display cases set up on the first floor.
--------------------
--------------------------
----------------------------------------------
--------------------
-------------------------
Items Christine saved from an old downtown hotel
---------------------
---------------------------
---------------------
Heading up to the second floor - RJ getting to touch his first actual Civil War rifle
Checking out the sword rack
---------------------
----------------------
Medical canteen
------------------------
-----------------------
--------------------
------------------
------------------------
-----------------------
The gem of their collection - an actual Confederate flag bought at auction - to add to the collection on the second floor
------------------------------------
---------------------
-------------------------
------------------------------
-----------------
Sword Rack
Photo album
Randy Beisel showing RJ an actual Civil War sword
-----------------------
The Snavely family donated this panorama built by their dad
-----------------------
All hand painted....
Members of the post - taken at a meeting in Philadelphia
Heading upstairs now - to the actual meeting hall area
Original gas light fixture
Original woodwork
Peep hole door
This piano was built around 1865
and as you can hear - still plays
Back hallway
-------------------------------------
Looking back towards the way we came into the room. Again - I can't thank Christine and Randy Beisel enough for the wonderful tour. I've always wanted to see inside the building and it's even better than I imagined and they deserve all the praise I can give them for saving the history of our area - one piece at a time.
4 comments:
Thanks for an interesting posting of Johnstown's history.
This is very interesting. I never knew the place existed. How is one to get a tour? My son would just love this.
This is amazing! I never knew that the G.A.R. had any collection of memorabilia at all, let alone such an extensive one. Are any descendants of Charles Zimmerman, Jr. (1837--1899) members of the G.A.R.?
I am racking my mind trying to figure out where this is. I am thinking Park Place downtown. The building looks so familiar. What a great place though. I want to check this place out when I get back in town. Great job Lisa.
Post a Comment