We’ve come upon a very interesting collection of items tucked away here at the Greene County Historical Society, a few of which have been hidden in a drawer for many years. It may just be the former corrections officer in me, but these are among some of the most unique artifacts I’ve found here to date.
The photo here shows a series of five locks/locking mechanisms, and a board of keys. Starting from the far left, and going clockwise, we have a very old wooden lock. Upon the surface of this aged and worn lock we find a brittle and browned label pasted, that states “Smokehouse Door Lock Made and Used by James Barnes, Cumberland Twp, Greene Co, PA 1812… Got by Isaac Patterson, Sept. 19th 1911.” (1911 is our best guess, the writing is very worn and faded.) Upon first glance, and a member of our staff here initially thought, it looks like a puzzle box of some sort, and in a way it is. A simple mechanism of sliding wooden keys, with slots cut in them, are made to align with matching slots in the actual wooden lock itself by way of the wooden key. When the key is inserted and lifted, it lifts the pins and then releases a wooden latch which can then be removed, allowing the door to be opened. It’s a fascinating piece of local history, something that would have likely once been common, but a rare survivor today when many of our outbuildings are now gone or decaying. You can’t go many places to see items like these, and we are lucky to have such a collection showing the evolution of hardware, especially when it can be so nicely related to specific people and places in our history.
Above this first lock, sitting atop the suitcase, is a very special lock. It’s difficult to see in the photo (so please feel free to come visit us, for a closer look…), but it is a lock from the first jail in Greene County, dated to about the year 1800. It still works and has its original key! Next, we have another wooden locking mechanism, nearly identical to the first. Continuing clockwise, we have a lock from the jail annex of the Greene County Courthouse that was taken down several years ago when the courthouse was renovated. And last, we have one simpler wooden lock.
As the backdrop, we have a display of keys graciously donated by Tom Headlee. Two of the keys on that board operate the large lock that was part of the courthouse annex.
