4 minute read
The Future of History in Downtown York
Q&A with Joan Mummert, President & CEO, York County History Center
BY BRENDAN SALYARDS | MANAGER, ECONOMIC INITIATIVES
In anticipation of the opening of the new York County History Center Museum next year, we sat down with Joan Mummert, President and CEO of the York County History Center, to get a sneak peek into the plans for the new museum and her perspective on Downtown York and what it has to offer.
Q: How will the new museum impact Downtown York?
The new museum allows us to tie everything together, so visitors can park once, walk between the sites, and maybe grab a bite to eat along the way. It will be fun for people of all ages, interests, and attention spans. Before they exit, visitors will be encouraged to build an itinerary of other historical sites that they would like to visit across York County.
Q: Can you give us a sneak peek into the plans for some of the exhibits?
The first thing that visitors will see is the History Makers Tower which will wrap halfway around the smoke stack. In total, 39 different screens will be mounted and the display will rise 18 feet up the stack. To start, 75 individuals from a cross-section of history will be featured. We will be able to update them over time.
There will be three main galleries featuring York County’s past, with an approach focused on three themes: “Building,” “Growing,” and “Making.” These exhibits will tell the story of how the community was built and where people came from, highlight the progression of industrial development from human power to gasoline engines to renewables and beyond, and showcase York’s entrepreneurial spirit through the legacy of industry.
Q: What brought you to York?
I’ve lived in New England, Indiana, Maryland, Florida, and now Pennsylvania. As it turns out, my family does have a York County connection. I learned from the South Central PA Genealogical Society that my family came through York County. I relocated to the area after becoming President and CEO of the York County History Center.
Q: What do you like most about Downtown?
Downtown York is a place that is welcoming. It has a culture that is changing for the better. There’s so much to do. I love poking around, going to different shops, and checking out new exhibits at Market View Arts. I love attending First Fridays, and there are tons of great restaurants Downtown. I love traveling, and I have to say York has something for everyone. There are galleries, and if you’re an outdoor enthusiast there is the rail trail; you can attend a baseball game. I love being able to participate in the community.
Q: Could you talk about the History Center collaborating with partners to elevate some of York’s underrepresented history?
Like other communities, some stories have not been told to the same extent. We are partnering with organizations to help tell these stories. We have worked with Samantha Dorm on the work that she is doing with Lebanon Cemetery to provide some of the genealogy records. It is a special project and of tremendous value to our community. We also partnered with the York Daily Record for a three-part series on the history and legacy of the Charette meetings that were held in response to the violence in 1969.
York County History Center | yorkhistorycenter.org
MY DOWNTOWN:
Favorite historical landmark or building?
THE GATES HOUSE AND PLOUGH TAVERN Taverns are where ideas were exchanged, and deliberations took place when the Congress was in York.
Favorite mural?
THE WILLIAM C. GOODRIDGE MURAL on West Market Street
Favorite lunch spot?
PRINCE STREET CAFÉ
