Blog

skates

Did you know the first ice skates were made of bones?

Amanda Rockwood

Wednesday Jan 26th, 2022

With winter upon us I felt it appropriate to talk about one of many favorite winter activities. Ice skating has been around for centuries along with a fair amount of development relating to its footwear.

The Wall that Heals v3

Honoring our Fallen Vietnam Service Men

Jeff Sherry

Monday Jan 24th, 2022

This Memorial Day, “The Wall That Heals,” a portable version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. will visit Erie. In recognition of the visit of “The Wall That Heals,” the Hagen History Center will recognize the 59 servicemen from Erie County that are among the over 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in Southeast Asia. Each week, a few veterans will be featured on our social media. The week of Memorial Day, several servicemen will be honored.

East Ward School Sign

The East Ward School Sign

Amanda Rockwood, Pam Lentz

Wednesday Jan 19th, 2022

This sign may not look like much, but it has a great story. The sign was used under the administration of D.P. Ensign, who was the County Superintendent of Public Schools in Erie for six months in 1863 before he resigned. The East Ward School was located at the corner of 7th and Holland Streets. 

The Wall that Heals v2

Honoring our Fallen Vietnam Service Men

Jeff Sherry

Monday Jan 17th, 2022

This Memorial Day, “The Wall That Heals,” a portable version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. will visit Erie. In recognition of the visit of “The Wall That Heals,” the Hagen History Center will recognize the 59 servicemen from Erie County that are among the over 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in Southeast Asia. Each week, a few veterans will be featured on our social media. The week of Memorial Day, several servicemen will be honored.

Dr. MLK JR

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and 1968

Jeff Sherry, Museum Educator

Friday Jan 14th, 2022

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929. By the 1950s, Dr. King was a Baptist minister and one of the most recognizable figures in the African American civil rights movement. In 1955, Dr. King became the spokesman for the Montgomery, Alabama, Bus Boycott which forced the integration of that city’s transportation system after near total participation of the black community who walked to work, rather than take a bus.

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The Historic Warner Theater is 90 years young!

Geri Cicchetti

Thursday Jan 13th, 2022

It was 1931. The nation was still in the Great Depression. Television hadn’t been invented yet. And Erie, PA, had a Warner Brothers movie house on State Street.  

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History of Edinboro University

Amanda Rockwood

Wednesday Jan 12th, 2022

Today’s blog holds a special place in my heart because I am an Edinboro University alumnus, along with many of my fellow coworkers. As many of you may know, the University is currently going through some major changes. One of those is a name change. No, Edinboro is not losing its name completely. It will combine with Clarion and California Universities to become Pennsylvania Western University. These will also merge with Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield Universities to become Pennsylvania Northeastern University.

The Wall that Heals

Honoring our Fallen Vietnam Service Men

Monday Jan 10th, 2022

This Memorial Day, “The Wall That Heals,” a portable version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. will visit Erie. In recognition of the visit of “The Wall That Heals,” the Hagen History Center will recognize the 59 servicemen from Erie County that are among the over 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in Southeast Asia. Each week, a few veterans will be featured on our social media and website. The week of Memorial Day, several servicemen will be honored.

Honoring the Fallen

Honoring our Fallen Vietnam Servicemen

Jeff Sherry

Friday Jan 7th, 2022

In recognition of the visit of “The Wall That Heals,” the Hagen History Center will recognize the 59 servicemen from Erie County that are among the over 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in Southeast Asia. Each week, one veteran will be featured on our website and social media. The week of Memorial Day, several servicemen will be honored.

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Science Education in Erie Schools – Objects in our Collection

Brian Graff, Volunteer

Wednesday Jan 5th, 2022

STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) is an acronym that teachers, students, and parents have used for years to group together scientifically oriented academic disciplines. The NSF (National Science Foundation) formalized the term STEM in 2001 and it has been used widely since. But long before STEM became an acronym, teachers in Erie were educating students in those topics. What was teaching STEM like 40-60 years ago in Erie schools?