Village Progress
The Village Progress accepts original, scholarly written articles on relevant local history and our mission. For submission guidelines, please inquire at info@westovertonvillage.org or call 724-887-7910
On The Cover:
The cover photo, taken by Museum Manager Victoria Copenheaver, comes from a group tour by the Early Times Chapter of the Pontiac Oakland Club International. This group of vintage car enthusiasts visited West Overton in September of last year for a tour and luncheon. If you’re interested in booking a group tour, give us a call today! Reach out to us at 724-887-7910, or email us at info@westovertonvillage.org.
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK
Spring marks a time of new life and growth, and West Overton is continuously growing! As 2017 came to a close, plans for 2018 were already booming. The West Overton Team is hard at work creating new experiences for our members and visitors, and I hope that you will visit us soon to see this work in action.
West Overton has received generous grants from both the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, and the Foundation of American Institute for Conservation. These grants allow us to properly assess our buildings and collections so that we may be better stewards of our artifacts and site. This year we will be developing better standards and best practices for the care and conservation of our artifacts, so that the history of West Overton can live on as long as possible.
We are also in the midst of writing a strategic plan for the next two years. Right now, there are over ten projects in progress that are helping us grow our programming, tours, and educational outreach. To help some of these plans along, I am happy to announce that we will be hiring an Education Director. Aaron Hollis, a longtime volunteer and docent here, will be officially joining us in May, and has already begun the process of reimagining our tours and exhibits. There is a lot of growth happening right now, even if you can’t see it. There is no limit to what we can to accomplish here.
Our tour season begins again with May Mart on May 12th, and I predict this season to be one of our best! This year we will be expanding our hours, and will now be open throughout the winter! We will also be making some changes to our tour throughout the season, adding in some more interactive exhibits and hands on learning. Our goal for 2018 is to create a more family friendly atmosphere so that families of all ages will have a great experience at the Museum. We will
work closely with area schools to create better and more educational programming.
Along with a changing tour, we will be updating our gift shop too! Along with historical and academic books, we want to offer a space for local handmade items and products. There may even be some official Old Overholt merchandise available soon!
All of these exciting changes would not be possible without you! I would like to thank each and every person who continues to support West Overton through visitation, donations, attending special events, and volunteering. Your support means the world to me, and I am glad that we have such generous community support. I hope to see you soon, and with your continued help we can grow West Overton to its fullest potential.
~ Jessica Kadie-Barclay Chief Executive Officer
BECOME A MEMBER!
Want to support West Overton? Become a Member! Membership support has a farreaching impact for West Overton. From sustaining operations, funding building and collections preservation, and providing support for our educational programming, your membership dollars make a noticeable difference.
There are many benefits to being a West Overton Member. Free admission to the museum and discounts in our gift shop are only the beginning! There are several levels of membership to choose from, and everyone can find a membership that suits you best. Alongside regular options there are also special memberships for corporations and businesses, photographers, as well as teachers, which offer benefits tailored to those professions. West Overton Village greatly values its members and donors. Join the West Overton family today and help us keep our history alive!
Fourth Annual Whiskey Smash! | Saturday, November 17th
Holiday Open House | Saturday, December 1st
MEET OUR STAFF!
Carrie Palanko
Our Operations Assistant Carrie Palanko began working with us last July through the Private Industry Council Program (PIC). PIC is a non-profit organization that works in Westmoreland and Fayette counties to assist with workforce development, education, early childhood development, and community needs. They help recent high school graduates with job placement in order to develop pertinent skills that allow them to enter the workforce. West Overton is always looking to help our community as much as we can, and working with organizations such as PIC allows us to keep the economy in Westmoreland county booming. Carrie started here with an interest in administrative work, and has done such an amazing job that we kept her on as an official staff member when her placement with PIC ended. She assists our Administrative Coordinator, Aleasha Monroe, with daily office tasks and special events. Please join us in welcoming Carrie to the Village!
Say hello to Daisy and Müc! CEO Jessica Kadie-Barclay and Administrative Coordinator Aleasha Monroe both adopted these delightful doggies this past fall. West Overton fully supports pet adoption and animal shelters, and we want to get the word out that you should adopt too! There are an overwhelming number of animals stuck in shelters, just waiting to be adopted by you! If you’re in need of a friend for life, or would like to volunteer and work with animals, contact your local shelters and rescue groups. Check out three of the local Westmoreland animal rescues at their websites below.
Animal Friends of Westmoreland: animalfriendswestmoreland.org
Humane Society of Westmoreland: members.petfinder.com/~PA83/index.html
Pet Adoption League: petadoptionleague.org
VILLAGE NEWS AND EVENTS
Join us in extending a special thank you to our past guests!
Jack & Ruth Scott | Polly & Marion Mitchell | Richard Gazarik | Michael Carey, Tim Kelly, Margaret Power
2017 Blind Pig and Whiskey Smash
The Second Annual Blind Pig Party was a great success, and we’re happy you came to celebrate with us! Penn Brewery, Stoney’s, and All Saint’s Breweries offered great beer, while local Courtyard Catering gave us a feast fit for a king! All proceeds of the Blind Pig Party go towards our funding, so that we can continue to offer fun, educational, and interesting activities to our surrounding communities.
Our favorite party of the year, the 3rd Annual Whiskey Smash, was another success story this year. There were a total of eight distilleries offering samples and selling products, as well as fantastic desserts from our friends at the Barton Flower and Bake Shop. Food from local Carson’s Catering was a hit, and raffle baskets, 50/50, and live music from Mike Medved made sure the evening was fun and entertaining! We were able to meet our fundraising goal for the year, and funds will go towards our collections and preservation of our artifacts. We hope to see you at next year’s Smash!
Watch our events and Facebook page for upcoming events! www.westovertonvillage.org/events | www.facebook.com/westovertonvillage
Coming Up Next!
Upcoming Parlor Talks
There are some great speakers and workshops coming to West Overton this summer! A backyard composting class and workshop on Earth Day kicks off a full schedule of interesting and hands on events. Building bat boxes with the Jacob’s Creek Watershed Association, learning about (and maybe meeting some!) local wildlife, and even a barrel making class taught by a local cooper are all coming up soon! Make sure you stay up to date with our events by checking out our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/westovertonvillage. You can also keep an eye out at www.westovertonvillage.org/events to buy tickets and sign up for workshops online. If you would like to be notified about upcoming events, you can sign up for our E-Newsletter at www.westovertonvillage.org.
Is there a historic trade you want to learn, or a piece of local history you want to know more about or share with your community?
Let us know your ideas, and we can work with you to provide that service as a parlor talk. We are interested in what our community wants, and we want to help you learn and grow!
INTERN PROJECTS
West Overton Village has been full of interns the past few months, and there are many exciting new projects that they are working on! Hospitality interns are learning about historic interpretation, tourism, and working with event rentals for weddings and other parties, as well as helping to organize and launch new social media projects for the museum. Our Digitization project is still in full swing, and interns from The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg are hard at work going through our archives and collections. We have recently acquired a Ledger from the 1900’s originally belonging to the distillery in the Village, which was previously missing from our collection.
Interns and volunteers are diligently researching topics that will be included in our next exhibit installment in the museum. In February of 2019, West Overton will be hosting a traveling World War II exhibit from the Heinz
History Center, and we will be basing our own next exhibit around similar topics. Our focus will be on the lives on the Homefront, the efforts of local communities in supporting the US troops, as well as local industry and culture at the time.
Interns and volunteers are an important support system to the museum, and we appreciate their help and input on all of the projects we are currently supporting. There is always a project to work on, and we are lucky to have thorough and inventive minds working with us!
Interested in volunteering or interning at West Overton Village? Email us at info@westovertonvillage.org! We are always accepting applications!
Rent Overholtthe Room
For your baby shower, holiday party, reunion, corporate training seminar, fundraiser, and more!
Accommodates 125
Rustic chic setting
Handicap accessible
Distillery Museum Admission available for an additional fee
Free, convenient parking
Includes kitchen prep area
Tables, chairs, trash receptacles included Available for select weddings and bridal showers
For rates & information: 724-887-7910 | westovertonvillage.org
FEATURED COCKTAIL
The Brooklyn, made with Old Overholt Rye
The Brooklyn may be less well-known than its neighbor, the Manhattan, but it’s equally delicious. The maraschino liqueur adds a rich sweetness, which compensates for the fact that dry, rather than sweet, vermouth is used. Amer Picon, a French aperitif, is difficult to find in the United States, but an Italian amaro such as Ramazzotti will substitute quite well. Or, you can skate by with a few dashes of bitters.
For a perfect drink each time, combine all the ingredients with ice, and stir until cold. Strain in to a chilled glass, and let the party begin!
Need something to pair with your cocktail?
Try a charcuterie board!
When whiskey and meat are paired, it’s a no brainer! Make a full plate of cuts of salami, prosciutto, pancetta, or sopressata. Add some of your favorite cheeses, and try to keep a mild, medium, and sharp option. Goat chevre is a mild favorite at parties, and a Gruyere or Gouda is a popular medium choice. Bleu cheese, but a mild type, is perfect to pair with your meat options.
Adding seasonal fruits to your charcuterie board will elevate it to the next level. This will add a sweetness to contrast all the salty flavors of the meat and cheese. Alternatively, offer a fruit or preserve spread. Fig preserves go well with many meat and cheese combinations, and is always good to include. Apricot, grape, or raspberry jams are also options.
C 2 ounces rye or other whiskey
1 ounce dry vermouth 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur
C 1/4 ounce Amer Picon, or a few dashes Angostura or orange bitters
Are sweet spreads not your taste? Include some of your favorite spreads such as mustard, tapenade, or hummus to spread on your bread and crackers.
Provide something briny to pair with what you have so far. Pickled vegetables, such as pickles, olives, or even pickled jalapenos are great on charcuterie boards. They can be paired easily with bold meats, such as salami or sopressata.
Add some crackers or sliced baguette to complete your board! These items can be great for pairing a variety of ingredients and provide stability to your bite. Choose crackers that do not have a huge amount of flavor, added herbs or salt so that the crackers don’t detract from the flavor of what’s being added to them.
This platter is sure to delight your guests, and keep their drinks full!
THE WEST OVERTON Beehive
In November of 2017, a beekeepers association was officially started at West Overton Village!
Spearheaded by beekeepers Jerry Dorsey and Gerry Marks, the association was started as a resource for new and seasoned beekeepers alike. While Westmoreland County has a thriving Beekeepers Association, the Beehive aims to be a resource for both Westmoreland and Fayette Counties. The association, now named the West Overton Beehive, has monthly meetings that cover a range of topics. In March there was a demonstration of mite control options, specifically to exterminate the Varroa Mite without harming the hives. In April, we featured
discussion and demonstrations on proper installation of bees into their hives, as well as types of feeding for your bees. April and May are generally when bees arrive to their beekeepers, and this meeting gave an overview and explanation on what to do when your bees arrive. Guest speakers from the Westmoreland County Beekeepers Association and the Master Gardener Program at Penn State have also been featured, and more exciting guests are planned for future meetings.
You can find the Beehive at our annual May Mart & Makers’ Market this year!
They will be selling honey and will have some informational material on beekeeping and beehives. Make sure you stop by and grab some honey for yourself!
In the next year we hope to have plans for hives of our own on site, and a possible community garden to help our bees thrive!
The Beehive meets tentatively the first weekend of each month. Watch our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/westovertonvillage for meeting dates and information.
BeekeepingFacts!
Bees will forage for pollen up to an average of two miles away from their hives! Some bees have been recorded traveling as far as six miles from their hive to find pollen. Do you have seasonal allergies? Try adding local honey to your diet! Local honey contains pollen from nearby plants that may be causing your allergies, and ingesting it will help lessen the reaction you have!
A TASTE OF LARGE RYE WHISKEY
by Aaron Hollis
Small distilleries already dotted the Monongahela River Valley when John Large’s stills first dripped in the 1790s.
Large moved from New Jersey to Pittsburgh and operated a distillery in Jefferson Township by 1796. Just like Abraham Overholt, Large commercialized his still in the early 1800s and it grew over the course of the century. By the 1860s, John’s grandson Henry operated a commercial distillery in which he produced a celebrated style of whiskey, Monongahela Rye. By the time Prohibition ended in 1933, Large Distilling Co. had become entangled with the Overholt family’s operation, A. Overholt & Co.
Author George Coes Howell wrote of Large in 1928. If he were a modern critic, he would have described Large during the late 1800s as one of the Monongahela’s best-kept secrets. Until wholesale member Frederick C. Renziehausen bought the company in 1897, it remained a local product with only regional distribution. Renziehausen updated and expanded the operation, and within eight years it received recognition in Wine and Spirits Bulletin for its excellence. Between its first showcase at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and a San Francisco World’s Fair in1915, Large had won ten international awards for the quality of its whiskey. Large Distilling Company finally received the recognition it deserved, but with rumors of Prohibition swelling, the distillery’s days were numbered.
A Pittsburgh newspaper lamented in 1925 that five-hundred distilleries shuttered during the five years since Prohibition took effect. In order to weather the dry storm, conglomerate companies organized and combined smaller distilleries. One such company, National Distillers Products
Corporation, emerged in 1933 as one of the biggest in the business. Around the time of Repeal, National Distillers bought both A. Overholt & Company and Large Distilling Company. The companies became even more connected when subsidiary Overholt bought subsidiary Large a year later, taking the reins but keeping both companies under the umbrella of National Distillers.
Though Large was closed during Prohibition, it was the first distillery in Allegheny County to produce whiskey following Repeal. After the surge of its
revival, it survived only through the following decade. Large, like many of its contemporaries, vanished by 1950.
To learn more about Large or to share your knowledge, contact West Overton Village.
PROFILES IN HISTORY:
Lula Frick
On the front of the historic Overholt Homestead at West Overton Village is a plaque that reads, “In Loving Memory of Lula Frick Taylor.”
This unassuming dedication to Lula is only a glimpse into the life of a woman who laid the groundwork for the institution that operates in-part to her memory, even fifty years after her death.
Lula, who lived between 1875 and 1967, until her death remained one of few direct connections to a life that spanned some of the most iconic scenes of American history: the Gilded Age, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, and lastly the Summer of Love; there are still a handful of people who recall working with Lula at West Overton Village in the 1960s.
Lula Frick was born on November 13, 1875 in Wayne County, Ohio to Jacob Frick and Elizabeth Shelly Frick. Jacob, brother to John Wilson Frick (Henry Clay Frick’s father), born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania 1834 began life in humble origins on a rural farmstead, and later in life became a prominent businessman and landholder in Wooster, Ohio. Upon moving to Wooster in 1859, Jacob’s farm amassed a considerable wealth selling produce – primarily grain, seeds, and wool – to Eastern markets. By 1880 Jacob purchased the Wayne County National Bank of Wooster and served as its President. Jacob and his wife Elizabeth Shelly Frick raised five daughters and two sons. Jacob, along with his daughter Lula, pursued philanthropic works in Wooster during their lifetimes, having donated the Soldiers’ Monument to the Wooster Public Square in 1892.
Sorbonne in Paris. Throughout her early life, Lula lived in Berlin, Russia, the Italian Riviera, and Cannes, France. During World War I, she volunteered as a chaperone for a group of English girls in military service in the Cannes area, something her cousin Helen Frick also participated in. After her husband James B. Taylor passed away, Lula continued to spend her life traveling, often with Helen Clay Frick.
Helen, a prominent philanthropist throughout the twentieth century, worked tirelessly to preserve the legacy of her father Henry Clay Frick, his family’s home at West Overton,
relationship with them in their work and their private lives.
During World War II, Helen cared for seven young British girls – refugees of London bombings. Lula served as the girls’ chaperone until Helen hired a British nanny to care for them. Helen later brought the children to West Overton with Lula. Lula remained close with the girls after they returned home, and visited them in the United Kingdom later in their lives.
Early in life, Lula, or “Lulu” as many called her, benefited from her father’s rise to wealth and took advantage of opportunities that her family one generation ago did not have: she left Wooster to attend the Baltimore College for Women and later the
and his love for art. After Helen chartered the Westmoreland-Fayette Historical Society 1928, Lula stepped into a leadership role at the historic Overholt Homestead. While living in and working as curator for the historic house, Lula welcomed anyone who visited. She was said to always make time to answer any questions that came her way, making sure each guest felt welcome and important. Her coworkers spoke highly of her and would mention her pleasant
Lula continued to pursue her passion of traveling the world, often alone even at an advanced age. At 90 years old, Lula went to Rome and visited the grave of her stepmother. Sadly, Lula died in a car accident the following year, 1967. At the time, she was on her way to western Ohio to visit a nephew. Lula was laid to rest at the Wooster Cemetery with much of the Frick and Taylor families. Lula was the last member of the Frick family to live in the Overholt homestead, and her quiet legacy in historic preservation has not gone unnoticed by staff at the institution. Lula welcomed visitors to the site for nearly four decades, and West Overton Village carries on her passion for sharing its history with the public.
Authors
Alessandra Perotti, 12th grade, and Gabriella Perotti, 10th grade, both of Villa Maria Academy High School, are the granddaughters of Bill Stone, West Overton’s long time Maintenance Director.
TRAITORS OR PATRIOTS:
The Experience of Mennonite Conscientious Objectors Since WWII
by Alex Fell
Many people claimed that the United States’ entry into World War II was a necessity, and was acknowledged by many as something that needed to be done. However, despite the many justifiable reasons for the United States to enter the War, there were many who were opposed to this armed conflict for a variety of reasons.
Included in this group were pacifists, and in particular, religious pacifists. Religious pacifists not only opposed WWII, but any armed conflict in general. This refusal to engage in all armed conflict coincided with religious and communal values within these religious communities. The Mennonite religion in particular had many members define themselves
as conscientious objectors. Taking this stance was not a simple task; conscientious objectors faced opposition and backlash from several groups as a result of refusing to actively engage in military conflicts. This trend began in the United States as early as the American Revolution, but there was a decisive turning point for these religious
communities beginning with WWII. Furthermore, from WWII onward Mennonite communities regarded conscientious objectors more highly when compared to the general public, including their commanding officers in Civilian Public Service (CPS) camps, and, in some cases, even themselves. Additionally, this demonstrates that Mennonite conscientious
objectors formed opinions on their experiences, while outsiders formed their opinions of conscientious objectors on unsupported evidence. My research illustrates that WWII was a turning point in the development of these attitudes toward Mennonite conscientious objectors, and these trends continued through both the Korean and Vietnam wars, as well as in times of peace.
These conclusions have been made following the analysis of various primary sources. For example, church members wrote letters to the heads of various CPS camps who were not involved with the camp and its work, and these letters highlighted points of tension between the camp staff and its members. Additionally, these letters illuminate some fundamental issues of CPS camps that can be categorized into economic and spiritual problems. These problems effectively arose due to the structure of CPS camps, which were run by the Selective Service. The government gave Selective Service the authority to finance and manage CPS camps, and their motives were vastly different than those of the religious groups in charge of running the day-to-day operations, which was problematic.
Austin Regier, a Mennonite conscientious objector during WWII, wrote about his experiences, which is crucial evidence used to support the claims of this paper. In these papers, Regier voices his opinions on what it meant to be a conscientious objector, and how he felt about CPS camps and the work that they accomplished. Overall, his views of CPS camps are negative, and they may be in the minority compared to the views of the
entire Mennonite community, but they highlight a key issue. There was a lack of consensus about the most efficient way to conscientiously object during WWII. Many Mennonites struggled to balance supporting their country while maintaining their religious beliefs and the problems within CPS camps highlighted by the aforementioned letters only complicated the situation.
Oral interviews I conducted with members of the Mennonite Church in Scottdale, PA were invaluable resources to this project. I conducted these interviews with people who had served in CPS camps or camps of a similar nature (such as I-W camps during the Korean War) or people who were members of the Mennonite faith and shared a mindset similar to that of a conscientious objector. For example, Dan Hertzler is a current member of the Mennonite community in Scottdale, PA, and he would have applied for conscientious objection during WWII, except for the fact that he was granted permission for work release by working on his father’s farm. Despite this, his views on the war and armed conflict in general as well as his community’s influence on his decisions were critical to the support of this project.
Herbert Weaver is another member of the Mennonite community in Scottdale, and he served in an I-W camp during the Korean War. His experiences helped broaden out the scope of the project, most importantly to show that WWII was just the beginning of the trend of these attitudes toward conscientious objection. WWII was a major turning point in the development of attitudes toward conscientious objectors that is
seen even today, therefore, it is equally important to analyze the events that occurred after this turning point. Weaver’s opinions of his work within his conscientious objector’s camp was vastly different than Regier’s, and these conflicting opinions further strengthen the claim of a community without a consensus regarding not only conscientious objection, but armed conflict in general.
All in all, the opinions formed by Mennonite communities as well as the public regarding Mennonite conscientious objectors changed between WWI and WWII.
Groundbreaking changes in the options available to conscientious objectors, such as the creation and implementation of CPS camps, caused WWII to be a monumental event regarding the history of conscientious objectors. Furthermore, the opinions developed during WWII continued throughout the following decades, in times of both war and peace. Mennonite conscientious objectors themselves had varying levels of satisfaction of their work, and much of this disillusionment or discontent can be attributed to the hierarchy within CPS camps.
Alex Fell is a Junior History and Public Policy major at University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. He has interned and worked at West Overton for the last two years, focusing his studies on Mennonites and their community movements. This abstract is the basis for his capstone project.
VILLAGE MEMBERS ($300)
Jack Davis
Jay, Ann, & Maggie Frick
Marie & David Gallatin
Penn Line
Paul Stevens
DISTILLERY MEMBERS ($150)
I Townsend Burden III
Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey
John & Amelia Faith
Sam & Amy Komlenic
Gretchen Robinson
Marty Savanick
Vincent Schiavoni
HOMESTEAD MEMBERS ($75)
Chris Bartley
John & Bethany Campbell
Susan Endersbe
Elizabeth Fausold
Donald & Paula Johnson
Bill Maurer
Levi & Gloria Miller
Philip N. Overholt
Sandzimier Memorials, Inc.
George Smouse
Carol & David Tullio
WEST OVERTON VILLAGE & MUSEUMS
MUSEUM HOURS ADMISSION
April—May
Friday & Saturday
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
June—November
Thursday—Monday
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
New: Winter hours! Check the website for more details.
As alwaysprivate tours are available by appointment year round.
Important Closures
Adults
$8.00
Seniors
$7.00
Students
$5.00
Group tours available by appointment year-round.
STAFF
Jessica Kadie-Barclay: Chief Executive Officer
Aleasha Monroe: Director of Operations
Victoria Copenheaver: Development Coordinator
Devin Cole, Alex Fell, Gracen Kenney, Serena Pape: Museum Docent
Bill Stone, Maintenance Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Richard Rega: Chair
Vincent Macsia: Vice Chair
Barry Whoric: Treasurer
Pilar Herr: Secretary
John Faith
Lynn Kendrish
Sam Komlenic
Mary Jane McFadden
West Overton Village will be closed on the following recognized holidays: New Year’s Eve & Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day & Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day & Christmas Day.
We are closed the month of January to facilitate the installation of new exhibits.
Admission to West Overton Village includes a docentguided tour of the Distillery Museum located on the first floor of our 1858 historic distillery building, the main level of the 1838 Overholt Homestead, the Summer Kitchen, and the circa 1803 Springhouse, the birthplace of industrialist Henry Clay Frick.
109 West Overton Road
Scottdale, PA 15683
724-887-7910
WestOvertonVillage.org
Peggy Pederson
Marty Savanick
West Overton Garden Society
On behalf of the board, staff, wedding guests, and museum visitors, we thank our Garden Society volunteers for working diligently to make our grounds forever beautiful.
Jan Brubacher
Kristan DiBias
