From staff reports
A blighted property in Brookville will soon become a community resource center through a cooperative agreement between Brookville Borough and the Jefferson County Historical Society.
For decades, the property at the corner of North Pickering and Church streets had been used as a church. And under the terms of an agreement with Jefferson County, the property would revert back to the county when it was no longer used as a church.
Jefferson County found the church and dormitory (known as Blews Hall) and the adjoining cemetery to be a maintenance problem the county didn’t want, so the county turned the property over to Brookville Borough.
The Historical Society operates the Jefferson County History Center on Main Street in Brookville and two archive buildings, the Brady-Craig House and the Margaret Johnson Archives on Jefferson Street.
The existing archives are not visitor-friendly access-wise and have no space for a visitor research room.
The more than 60,000 items are jammed into 2,503 square feet, and the Historical Society intends to change that.
The Historical Society is launching a capital campaign to help fund the resource center project.
“This is a phenomenal opportunity as this building will accommodate all of our archives, collections and county courthouse records into one all-inclusive facility,” said Ken Burkett, the executive director of the Historical Society. “The timing couldn’t be better as our current storage areas are now at capacity,” he added.
Donations are being sought from area businesses via a direct mailing to help with necessary repairs and renovations that are projected at a minimum $186,000, said Burkett.
Businesses and individuals making significant financial donations will be permanently recognized by the Historical Society.
The Historical Society is located at 172-176 Main St. in Brookville, and more information is available by calling (814) 849-0077. The mailing address is P.O. Box 51, Brookville, 15825.
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