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The Westmoreland County
Commissioners – Tom Balya,
Tom Ceraso and Phil Light –
were among the honorees at
the Westmoreland County
Historical Society’s Arthur
St. Clair Historic
Preservation Awards
ceremony. The Society hosted
its annual event to
celebrate historic
preservation.
The Arthur St. Clair
Historic Preservation Award
is presented annually to
those individuals, public or
private organizations,
businesses or educational
institutions that have made
a significant and
sustainable contribution to
the preservation of historic
places, documents, records
or stories, and by doing so,
are keeping alive
Westmoreland County’s rich
history and heritage for
future generations.
Commissioners Balya, Ceraso
and Light were recognized
for their leadership to
enhance Historic Hanna’s
Town.
In announcing the award,
Historical Society Executive
director Lisa Hays stated,
“The commissioners’
commitment to the History
Education Center at Hanna’s
Town is key to making this
project a reality.
When the Westmoreland County
Historical Society embarked
on plans to construct the
Center, the county
commissioners were the first
to embrace the concept,
acknowledging both the value
of preserving our heritage
and the benefit of
transforming Historic
Hanna’s Town into a viable
tourist destination.
The commissioners provided
seed money to begin a
capital account and were the
first to commit a
significant amount to the
capital campaign.
“They have provided
leadership and vital
assistance in seeking
funding from government and
private funding streams
including foundations and
the business community.
From the beginning, the
commissioners wisely
recognized that raising
capital funds is only one
part of the process; once
built, the History Education
Center must be sustainable.
To facilitate its
sustainability, the
commissioners have committed
that the county will provide
for regular maintenance,
cleaning services, utility
costs and insurance once the
facility is built.
Also important, the county
commissioners have
championed the project at
every opportunity, helping
to increase public
awareness.”
Also honored at the event:
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The Lincoln Highway Heritage
Corridor, which developed an
innovative solution to the
unique challenge of
interpreting a six-county
portion of the historic
Lincoln Highway, the first
road across America,
creating the informative and
fanciful 200-Mile
Roadside Museum.
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Glenn Smeltzer, a retired
physics teacher in the
Hempfield School District
who has spent his retirement
years educating others about
the important history of
Westmoreland County.
Smeltzer is best known for
his expertise on the 11th PA
Civil War Regiment, and he
has presented many programs
on this topic for various
community organizations and
Continuing Education classes
at Westmoreland County
Community College.
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Dr. Robert C. Wilburn for
professional achievement in
the field of historical
preservation and education.
A native of Westmoreland
County and graduate of Derry
Area High School, Dr.
Wilburn is spearheading the
effort to raise more than
$120 million to build a new
visitors center for the
Gettysburg Battlefield and
to properly care for its
unique treasures so this
unparalleled chapter in
American history may be more
thoroughly understood.
For more information,
contact the Westmoreland
County History Society at
724-836-1800 or visit www.starofthewest.org.
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