By NATASHA BRENNEMAN
Staff writer
The Clarion County register and recorder’s office has unveiled a piece of local history.
A map of Clarion County from 1856 was restored and reframed to prevent further damage to the artifact.
The map was refurbished by Kofile Technologies of Vermont. The company specializes in the preservation and restoration of old records and maps.
The company has previously restored some of the earliest Clarion County deed books for the recorder’s office.
The map is 44 inches by 52 inches and hangs on the wall in the register and recorder’s office. The map had previously hung in the same location, but the office decided to have the map restored after it had deteriorated.
The restoration project took nearly nine months to complete at a cost of $12,000. The project was paid for through funds from the Recorder’s Records Improvement Fund which consists of a $3 state mandated fee charged on all filings recorded in the office.
The fund can only be utilized for improving records in the office.
“The map was in brittle condition and had deteriorated to the point where the colors and writing had faded as the one-time varnished surface of the map had turned brown,” said Greg Mortimer, the county’s register and recorder. “There were also numerous tears and water stains visible on the map’s surface.”
Mortimer added the map shows the whole county as it was in 1856, with layouts of original towns as well as original settlers, prominent businesses and warrant numbers on land sales.
The map has been utilized by title abstractors, genealogists and the general public, said Mortimer.
He added the map contains information about the county’s early development.
This includes the original warrant numbers for large portions of the county sold off by early land companies, the names of early property owners in each of the townships and boroughs, and early railroads, roads, iron furnaces and business owners of the era.
The borders of the map have the original layout of major towns in the county, including Clarion, New Bethlehem, Rimersburg, Callensburg, Shippenville and Strattanville. There is also a list of prominent business owners next to the towns.
Other smaller towns at the time that are displayed on the periphery of the map include Reidsburg, Curllsville, Tylersburg, Salem, Shannondale, Fryburg, West Freedom, Scotch Hill, Limestone and Hawthorn.
The map was restored and placed in a new frame with protective glass that will filter out ultraviolet rays and help keep the map in good condition, said Mortimer.
“People still use the map today for genealogy and title searches,” said Mortimer. “Because of the restoration the map should still look about the same in another 150 years.”