The Blair County Historical Society is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by highlighting local history with several events and exhibits throughout the year.
Dustin Smith, the society's executive director, said there are a number of ways they’re celebrating America’s Semiquincentennial. There will be a Civil War-themed “Living History Day” in August at the Baker Mansion, and several lectures throughout the year at the Railroaders Memorial Museum.
“The biggest thing we have coming up here is our slate of three brand new exhibits that are in theme with the America 250 celebration," Smith said.
Smith said they’re still working on the exhibits at the Baker Mansion and that people can visit them starting on Memorial Day weekend.
Smith said one of those exhibits will feature the more than 20 presidents who have visited Blair County.
“We’re going to have some artifacts, whether that be campaign materials or things that they left here," Smith said. "Such as, in one case, the bowling shoes and bowling pin that Barack Obama signed whenever he was here campaigning in 2008.”
Smith said the two other exhibits are based on the award-winning documentary, “Blair County: A People’s History.” Those exhibits will include artifacts from influential families and businesses from the area featured in the film.
Smith said people will have another chance to see that film on April 15.
“We're having a special America 250 screening of our documentary film once again at the historic Mishler Theater here in Altoona," Smith said.
Smith says proceeds from these events will help fund renovations to the Baker Mansion later this year. The historical society is also seeking state grants to subsidize that work, but Smith said he doesn't expect to get federal support.
"At this point, the federal grant system is a little bit shaky for us in terms of reliability," Smith said. "I'm sure that once things stabilize at the federal level, we will be attempting to get some of the federal funding as well."
One-third of museums lost federal funding since Trump took office, according to findings released late last year by the American Alliance of Museums.
Smith said he also worries about the national landscape for historians who might feel pressured to sanitize history.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration removed a slavery exhibit from Philadelphia's Independence Mall, following an executive order to remove elements that "inappropriately disparage Americans past or living" at the nation's museums, parks and landmarks.
The exhibit has since returned, and Smith said local nonprofits like his likely aren't on the federal government's radar.
"Some of the ugly aspects we do explore here, certainly with the upcoming 'A Contested Country' exhibit, we're going to go into that conflict between the settlers that were living here in the pre-Blair County area and the Native Americans that lived here," Smith said.
In 2024, the Blair County Historical Society introduced an exhibit exploring African-American heritage and the Underground Railroad in Blair County, calling it the first of its kind in the area. Several of the people featured in that exhibit, like William Nesbit, also appear in the documentary that will be screened at the Mishler Theatre.
