This summer, the History Center will provide visitors with an in-depth look at Pennsylvania’s significant contributions during the Civil War as part of a major exhibition, Pennsylvania's Civil War.

In addition to highlighting the state's contributions to the Civil War effort and important conflicts such as the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania's Civil War will showcase Pittsburgh's role as the "Arsenal of the Union" and the impact that Western Pennsylvanians had on the war both on the battlefield and on the home front.

The exhibit is a key component in a series of History Center programs, events, and publications developed in partnership with Pennsylvania Civil War 150, the statewide initiative to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

Featuring more than 60 artifacts, rare archival images, six life-like museum figures, immersive settings, and military encampments, Pennsylvania's Civil War will help to bring to life the personal stories of those impacted during the four-year war. Many of the artifacts featured in the exhibit are culled from the History Center's collection, as well as private collectors, including noted Civil War author Kenneth Turner. A 20-inch smooth bore gun Rodman Cannon will provide an example of Pittsburgh's military production and prowess. The cannon was designed and cast in an innovative process developed by Thomas Jackson Rodman at the Fort Pitt Foundry.

Artifact Highlights

• Tintype camera and portable printing press on loan from the Smithsonian Institution
• Glassware, weapons, and military goods produced in Pittsburgh factories and across Pennsylvania
• Mourning jewelry, accessories, and costumes
• Militia drum, fife, bugles, 19th century board games, and other materials used by soldiers in camp
• Bullet-shot forage cap worn by a Pennsylvania Reserves soldier at the Battle of Antietam
• "Old Iron City" camp fiddle retrieved by the members of the 193rd Pennsylvania and inscribed with the names of each of the soldiers
• Personal mementoes and gifts given to soldiers as they headed off to war, such as a sewing kit, a needle case, and a Bible
• Original Civil War recruitment posters from communities across Pennsylvania., including Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Blairsville, Lock Haven, and Meadville

Contact

For more information on the upcoming Pennsylvania's Civil War exhibition, please contact Sandra Smith at sasmith@heinzhistorycenter.org or 412-454-6393.

Civil War at the History Center Additional Resources

To learn about additional History Center exhibits, publications, and programs related to the Pennsylvania Civil War 150 Commemoration, please click here.