The Society

(For info on the June 28-July 1, 2024 Coach Tour to Pittsburgh, click here.)

Warehime-Myers Mansion

Hanover Area Historical Society Position on Borough Lease Offer

The HAHS has been approached by the Borough of Hanover, which owns and operates the Guthrie Memorial Library, to consider leasing a set portion of the building. This would help the Borough defray the costs of the library to the Hanover Borough taxpayers, who carry most of the cost of the library. The Borough made clear at their June 2023 meeting that they intend to reduce the expense of the Borough-owned and operated library. We were offered a lease for a designated portion of the building based on what the Borough thought was the best solution to divide the building. Our monthly fee for the space will be based on the operating costs of our proportionate share of the building. 

HAHS’s Yelland Library has outgrown their current space in the M & T Bank building, which is leased on a month-to-month basis. For example, our library recently received a large amount of materials from the John T. Reily Historical Society in McSherrystown upon their dissolution. The Yelland Library also receives regular visitors and requests to research topics. Our other buildings are not suitable to accommodate our increasing needs for library space. With backers interested in preserving the building, we pursued purchasing the iconic PNC building to give us additional space in an historic building, but our bid was not accepted. Our goal is to acquire more space in a historic setting that is conducive to protecting our archives and can be accessible to the public. We want to collaborate with other organizations in the Hanover area to forward the mission “To Preserve, Protect, and Promote the Historical Story of the Hanover area.”

In addition, as a historical society, preserving the beautiful historic footprint of the original Library and keeping it open to the public is of paramount importance to us, which is why we consulted with Terry Hormel, the sponsor of the Hormel Reading Room. This cooperation and collaboration between the two non-profits can be very beneficial to the community, save money, and improve service and convenience.   We believe that both the Library and the Historical Society are valuable to the community and we look forward to working together for the benefit of the community.

Respectfully,

HAHS Board of Directors

Mansion and Museum Closed for Annual Cleaning

The Mansion and Museum are closed for their annual deep cleaning following the successful Holiday Tree Tours. Both may be available during this time by appointment. They will reopen on April 3, 2024.

Thanks to the more than 2,100 visitors who visited the Mansion and Museum for the Holiday Tree Tours! Now it’s time to take all the decorations down, pack things away and do a deep cleaning in advance of our reopening in April.

(L) Fun group in costume after viewing the movie, A Perfect Christmas. (C) Toys used by Dr. C. Robert Martin on display in the History Museum. (R) Some of Mrs. Wolcott’s doll collection in the History Museum. (Lower) Museum Gift Shop at Christmas time. Come back in 2024 to see the other 40+ trees in the Mansion and Museum!

Museum Gift Shop at Christmas

History Museum Featured in the Evening Sun and other local papers!

Click here for the recent article in The Evening Sun, “After half a century and thousands of hours of research, Hanover’s history finally has a home.”

HAHS Board approves a new Strategic Plan for 2021-2024. Click here to access it. This is the plan as approved and does not reflect accomplishments or adjustments to the plan. HAHS will launch a new website in the not-too-distant future and we will endeavor to provide such information on our updated and easy-to-use new site.

THE SOCIETY

Mission Statement

On July 28, 2021, the Board of Directors approved a new Mission Statement, which is “To preserve, protect and promote the historical story of the Hanover area.”

About Our Society

The Society was founded in 1965 by local citizens interested in protecting and promoting the historical heritage of the greater Hanover area.  In 1974, the Society purchased and restored the Neas House.  The process included eliminating a wing.  More recently, all the windows were repaired in the original style.  All the funding for the purchase and the repairs came from the community.  In October 2007, the Society was given the Warehime-Myers Mansion at 305 Baltimore Street.  In 2014, the Society acquired rental spaces at 21 Baltimore Street, where it now has its office and the Yelland Research Library and Archives. In 2021, the Society opened the Hanover Area History Museum in the Carriage House behind the Mansion.  

The Hanover Area Historical Society is registered as a Charitable Organization with the Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations under The Solicitation of Funds for Charitable Purposes Act, 10 PS  162.1 et seq., and is authorized to solicit charitable contributions under the conditions and limitations set forth under the Act. 

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