Historical Chronology
As the oldest cultural institution in Western Pennsylvania, the Senator John Heinz History Center has become a major cultural asset in the region, an important economic generator, and an integral part of the region’s heritage tourism strategy.
|
1834 |
"Historical Society and Library of Pittsburgh" forms but does not endure |
| 1843 | Second formation of Historical Society (does not endure) |
| 1845 | Books, papers, and historic records of Historical Society destroyed in the "Great Fire" |
| 1858 | Third Historical Society forms (lasted 17 months) |
| 1879 | "Old Residents of Pittsburgh and Western Penna." founded (later called Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania) during the 125th anniversary of the French & Indian War |
| 1880 | Archives Committee forms to care for collections |
| 1881 | Annual meeting adjourns because members prefer to attend comedy act in town |
| 1882 | Rival historical society forms (Historical Society of Pittsburg and Western Pa.) |
| 1884 | Name changes from Old Residents of Pittsburgh to Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania |
| 1884 | Annual meeting canceled because of "Great Blizzard" |
| 1885 | Rival society consolidates with HSWP |
| 1885 | Annual meeting postponed due to revivalists Moody and Sankey being in town |
| 1888 | Collections moves to new County Courthouse |
| 1891 | Activities and collections moved to Carnegie Free Library in Oakland |
| 1893 | Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Carnegie become life members |
| 1896 | Membership dues rise from $1/year to $2/year |
| 1900 | Many of HSWP papers and books "absorbed" by Carnegie Library |
| 1902 | First attempt to launch magazine |
| 1908 | HSWP helps coordinate celebration of
|
| 1909 | Reorganization meeting "to do something about the perilous condition of the society" |
| 1909 | Total membership: 150 |
| 1911 | State grants $25,000 toward site acquisition and construction of headquarters at Bigelow Blvd. |
| 1912 | Cornerstone laid for Bigelow Blvd. building |
| 1914 | Bigelow building opens (regarded as but a part of considerably larger structure) |
| 1915 | Allegheny County appropriates $500 in annual support |
| 1917 | City of Pittsburgh appropriates $2,000 in annual support |
| 1918 | Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine premieres |
| 1920 | Dues increase to $2.50/year |
| 1921 | Dues increase to $3/year |
| 1929 | State grants $40,000 toward completion of Bigelow building (matched by Buhl Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, Andrew W. Mellon, and others) |
| 1931 | Enlarged Bigelow building dedicated; launch Western PA Historical Survey(1931-36) |
| 1936 | Solon J. Buck, Ph.D. becomes museum director (later, Archivist of the United States) |
| 1944 | Dues increase to $5 |
| 1949 | Women’s auxiliary forms |
| 1952 | Endowment campaign begins |
| 1952 | Annual grants from City and County cease due to budget cuts |
| 1958 | HSWP helps plan the City’s bicentennial celebration |
| 1959 | Renovation of Bigelow building, dedication of Siebeneck Memorial Room |
| 1960 | Total membership: 382; operating budget: $19,000 |
| 1962 | Bigelow building closes for five months for new furnace and renovations, elevator installed |
| 1966 | By-laws revised (divides Trustees into five classes, five elected each year) |
| 1969 | By-laws revised (re-stated mission) |
| 1973 | Senator John Heinz presents lecture at HSWP ("Great Grandfather’s Pittsburgh") |
| 1986 | Publishes The Jewish Experience in Western Pennsylvania |
| 1987 | Issues preliminary plan for Pittsburgh Regional History Center |
| 1988 | Jewish Archives established |
| 1989 | Redesign/re-title of magazine, Pittsburgh History: A Magazine of the City and Its Region |
| 1989 | "Homestead: The Story of A Steel Town" exhibit draws 12,000 visitors |
| 1989 | Local History Resource Service established in memory of C.V. and Agnes Starret |
| 1990 | Major expansion of collections; creation of Italian American history project |
| 1990 | Launch of $20 million capital campaign for History Center; 400 members |
| 1990 | Allegheny County grants $3.1 million to purchase Chautauqua Lake Ice Co. Building in the Strip District |
| 1991 | Polish American and Slovak American Collection projects launched |
| 1992 | State awards $7 million grant for History Center capital campaign |
| 1993 | Joint operating agreement with Meadowcroft Village executed |
| 1994 | Renovation of History Center building begins; campaign goal raised to $36.7 million |
| 1994 | Publication of Beyond Adversity and creation of African American history programs |
| 1996 | Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center opens its doors |
|
1996 |
Dues rise to $40/year; 5,000 members |
| 1996 | Publishes Points in Time: Building A Life in Western Pennsylvania to accompany exhibition of the same name |
| 1997 | Capital Campaign reaches $36.7 million goal |
| 1997 | Anonymous donor makes $3 million endowment challenge grant |
| 1998 | Published Glass: Shattering Notions to accompany exhibition of the same name |
| 1998 | Society reorganizes and first President/CEO hired |
| 1999 | Long Range Plan adopted |
| 2000 | The Meadowcroft Foundation merges with Heinz History Center |
| 2000 | Smithsonian Affiliation |
| 2003 | Emmy Award for Donora Smog “On Q” program collaboration with WQED |
| 2004 | Smithsonian Wing with Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, Mueller Education Center, Special Collections Gallery, and McGuinn Gallery for traveling exhibitions – History Center becomes the largest museum dedicated to history in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ($30 million raised) |
| 2004 | Young Washington musical collaboration with CLO reaches over 200,000 school students |
| 2004 | Center for the French & Indian War established at History Center |
| 2004 | Mayor Murphy and County Executive Onorato authorize History Center to take leadership role in organizing Pittsburgh’s 250th anniversary events (2008) |
| 2005 | Meadowcroft named National Historic Landmark |
|
2005 |
Steelers Sundays at the History Center in a live studio broadcast |
| 2005 | 250th anniversary of the French & Indian War commemorated with international traveling exhibition, Clash of Empires: The British, French and Indian War 1754 – 1763 and educational films, programs and publications |
| 2006 | Hosts national launch of Ben Franklin Web Portal in honor of Franklin's 300th birthday |
| 2006 | History Center’s installation of life-size figures of George Washington and Franco Harris at Pittsburgh International Airport, viewed by 15 million annually |
| 2006 | National Geographic writes article "What genes and fossils tell us" highlighting the Meadowcroft Rockshelter in its March 2006 issue |
| 2006 | History Center’s Clash of Empires: The British, French and Indian War 1754 – 1763 exhibition opens at Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Canada |
| 2006 | National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown comes to the History Center to celebrate All-Star Week |
| 2006 | Grand Opening, Clash of Empires: The British, French and Indian War 1754 – 1763 exhibition at Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. |
| 2006 | Establishes off-site storage facility on Railroad Street in the Strip District |
| 2006 | Worlds in Motion online curriculum funded by NEH Exemplary Ed. Grant and establishment of www.worldsinmotion.org the educational Companion to the Clash exhibition |
| 2007 | History Center receives highest (4-star) Charity Navigator rating |
| 2007 | Westinghouse Museum Foundation merges with the History Center |
| 2007 | History Center Web site records a record 61,000 hits in one day as Steelers 75th Anniversary and Dan Rooney autobiography launch |
| 2008 | Pittsburgh 250 – History Center takes leadership role in celebrating the region’s 250th anniversary and re-branding efforts |
|
2008 |
Federated Investors Parade of Champions attracts more than 50 athletes and 5,000 fans for a three-day sports fan festival at the History Center |
|
2008 |
"Pittsburgh's Hidden Treasures: An Antiques Appraisal Show" attracts 2,000 visitors to the History Center and spawns new KDKA television series |
|
2008 |
History Center launches Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation exhibition |
|
2008 |
History Center launches new Web site at www.heinzhistorycenter.org |
|
2009 |
The History Center celebrates its 130th anniversary (1879-2009). |
| 2009 | All six Steelers Super Bowl trophies are displayed at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum. |
| 2009 | The History Center unveils the new exhibition created in collaboration with the National Constitution Center, Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War and Lincoln Slept Here. |
| 2009 | A record total of 454 facility rentals are hosted at the History Center. |
| 2009 | National History Day, sponsored by Columbia Gas of Pa., attracts 1,532 school students. |
| 2009 | Season two of “Pittsburgh’s Hidden Treasures” attracts record Nielsen ratings on KDKA-TV. |
| 2009 | The American Association of Museums (AAM) announces that the History Center is named an Accredited Museum. |
