The west wing of the Greene County Historical Society Museum is a virtual Main Street of county history. It gives a glimpse into various types of businesses, activities, and functions from within and without the county throughout its two and a half centuries of history.
Of the many rooms located in the west wing, the chapel is one worthy of special note. From the very beginning, churches and religious institutions were an integral part of the lifestyle and seasonal cycles here in Greene County. They played host to regular worship, weddings, funerals, and revivals, and they were a key ingredient in the unity of community.
Central to the GCHS Chapel is a wooden altar, dating to approximately 1906, that was purchased by the Meighen family to be installed in St. John’s Roman Catholic Church in Jollytown. The furnishings on the altar also belonged to St. John’s Church.
Across from the alter are a set of faux grained wooden pews dating to the first half of the 19th century that once graced the aisles of the Paw Paw Church, a log building dating to approximately 1805 near Davistown that stood in a grove of Paw Paw trees.
Perhaps the most notable feature though is a stained-glass window, made from beautiful vinyl graphics provided by Direct Results in Waynesburg. The window is a recreation of a stained-glass window in Bethlehem Baptist Church in Ruff Creek.
Among the other rooms in the GCHS west wing are a recreated W&W Railroad Train Station, a military bunker, an oil and gas room, a recreated school house and many others. And, prior to our Harvest Festival on October 7 and 8, a new room will be opened! The room is undergoing renovations currently and we’ll be keeping it a bit of a surprise what the finished product will be, so do make sure to come out and join us Harvest Festival weekend!
