Bradford County Museum facts for kids
| Location | 109 Pine Street, Towanda, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Type | History museum with genealogical and historical research library |
The Bradford County Museum is an exciting place to explore local history in Towanda, Pennsylvania. It's located in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. What makes this museum unique is that it's set up inside an old building that used to be the Bradford County Jail! The Bradford County Historical Society, which has been around since 1870, owns and runs the museum.
Contents
Discovering Bradford County History
The museum has two floors filled with amazing exhibits. These displays are set up in the former jail cells, showing what life was like in Bradford County from its earliest days right up to today.
What You Can See at the Museum
When you visit, you'll find many interesting things, including:
- Tools and items used by early settlers on their farms and in their homes.
- Exhibits about important local industries like coal mining and lumbering.
- Displays on medicine, old glassware, and different ways people traveled long ago.
- Collections of textiles, which are fabrics and clothes from the past.
- A special jail cell that looks just like it did in the 1950s.
- Objects related to military history.
Researching Your Family History
On the third floor of the museum, there's a special library. This library is a great place for people to research their family history (genealogy) and learn even more about the history of Bradford County.
Community Programs and Learning
The museum staff and volunteers work together with other groups in the area. They help the Towanda Area School District with a special program called the Summer Academy.
Helping Students Succeed
The Summer Academy helps students in grades nine through twelve. It's designed for students who need to catch up on school credits or finish their graduation requirements. In 2019, which was the ninth year of the program, five out of seven students successfully completed it. This program gets its funding from the Educational Improvement Tax Credit, supported by local businesses like Citizens and Northern Bank, First Citizens Bank, and UPMC.
