Lebanon County Historical Society

Welcome

The Lebanon County Historical Society

was organized in 1898 by a group of interested local citizens and amateur historians. The Society was considered the county’s attic until 1935, when the group offered its first public exhibits. Today, the LCHS is a place where residents and visitors alike can experience our history first-hand, as well as conduct their own historical research and have access to related gifts and souvenirs. The LCHS is truly one of Lebanon County’s hidden gems. [Read more »]

Mission Statement

The mission of the Lebanon County Historical Society is to collect, exhibit, interpret, preserve, and publish the history of the Lebanon Valley. The Society shall accomplish this mission through its museums, libraries, archives, publications, programs, and historic sites. The Society shall hold its collections in trust for the community and recognizes its responsibility to educate and inform the public about the history of the Lebanon Valley and make its holdings reasonably accessible to the public.

Location and Facilities

The Society is located at 924 Cumberland Street in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, 1/2 block west of the intersection of Route 422 West (Cumberland Street) and Route 72 North (Ninth Street). The building houses the Stoy Museum and Gift Shop, the Hauck Research Archives library, the Reese Auditorium, and the Society offices. The Society also owns and maintains The Union Canal Tunnel, the oldest existing transportation tunnel in the United States, for the canal which once linked Reading and Harrisburg. The Union Canal Tunnel Park includes picnic tables and has no admission fee. The park is located at 25th and Union Canal Drive, Lebanon. [Map »]

Hours of Operation

The Historical Society building is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays. and all holidays. The building may be closed for inclement winter weather.

Announcements

New Publications

Two new additions to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America book series feature local communities. Each book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by. Both books are available now in the Gift Shop. [Read more »]

• History of Annville Township Told Through Photographs
  from local author Paul M. Fullmer and the Friends of Old Annville.
• History of Cornwall Told Through Photographs
  from local authors Charles Boyer and Robert Donley.

Special Offers

Purchase all three editions of the Union Canal Historical DVD set for a special price of $52.00. Available now in the Museum Gift Shop. [Read more »]

Barbara Strawser’s 2012 Calendar, Folk Painter, has been reduced in price from $20.00 to $14.00.

Upcoming Events

Sunday, February 19, 2012

James Coleman Drayton. Jim Polcaynski’s talk will focus on the life of James Coleman Drayton, from his parentage through his appointment to the board of the Cornwall Ore Bank. [Read more »]

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Introducing Annville’s Electronic Archives. Join local historian Paul Fullmer for a pictorial tour of historic Annville. Fullmer is the author of the new pictorial history, “Annville Township”, and the creator of an electronic archive of Annville history. [Read more »]