2025 Friday Night at the Museum

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Presented by Michelle Knight. Once named Ontario County, Bradford County's origins connect the land of some of Pennsylvania’s pioneering settlers to the present-day county we know and love.  But how did we get here?  This overview will explore the historical formation of Bradford County, examining the important events and people that shaped its early development.  Key themes will include Native American inhabitants, early European land settlement, and the growth of agriculture, which shaped the area's early economy.  In this “Back to the Basics” series, local historian Michelle Knight will offer a deeper insight into Bradford County's rich history and development, leading up to its establishment as a county in 1810.

Presented by Tom Schuster. Discover the beginning of the silent film era, as well as the stars and directors from Bradford County who made an impact on both the silent and "talkie" film industry. Our county has an unusually high number of connections to actors and actresses, and various films were made here. Come and enjoy this unique side of county history.

Presented by Mark Frazier Lloyd. The focus of one of Bradford County Historical Society’s new historical markers, the Patterson Screen Company of Towanda, will be discussed. Its founder, Carl V. S. Patterson, gained worldwide recognition through the development of X-Ray Intensifying Screens which led to the opening of the Patterson Screen Company with partner, Frederic W. Reuter. Patterson also developed phosphors for neon and fluorescent lighting. Two companies in Towanda today have carried on the work first started by the Patterson Screen Company.

Presented by Rich Gulyas. Come spend an evening learning about the Great Hunt of 1805. Rich Gulyas, Mt. Pisgah State Park Environmental Education Specialist and local historian, will discuss the importance of the Great Hunt to early settlers of Bradford County. The main focus of the hunt was to control large predators that fed on livestock. With a small army of local settlers, a two-day hunt was carried out to rid the county of wild beasts. The program will also address the settlers concerns and political views on panthers, wolves, and bears during that time period.

Presented by Amanda Owen. Based on her new book by the same name, this program tells the story of a band of intrepid women and their one-ton bell that became an icon of the American women’s suffrage movement. With its clapper chained and muted to represent the silencing of women’s voices, the Justice Bell rallied support for the cause in the crucial last years leading up to the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. With new research and historical photographs, Amanda’s account of this neglected chapter of American history illustrates how women’s clever use of a bell as a branding tool for voting rights created an attention-getting campaign. Amanda is the Executive Director of the Justice Bell Foundation. 

Presented by Duane Saxton. Participants in this program will learn about Native American life in Bradford County over 200 years ago. Dressed in period clothing, our speaker will share artifacts, hands-on exhibits, and information that will fascinate both young and old alike. Duane is a member of the Chemung Valley Living History Center.