HOLLIDAYSBURG – The Blair County Genealogical Society will meet at 7:00 pm Thursday, May 18, 2023 at the Roller Hojeth Memorial Library, 431 Scotch Valley Rd. Hollidaysburg, PA.
Our May meeting will be Historic Highland Hall presented by Margaret Skrivseth and Carol Adams, both members of the Blair Co Genealogical Society.
Highland Hall was built around 1865 by Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan. It has served as a Presbyterian Seminary, an historic school for females, a radio school during World War II, and a county office building. It currently serves as a retirement home and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
All presentations are free and open to the public. Donations are greatly appreciated.
I don’t believe Highland was ever a Presbyterian seminary. It was a Franciscan T.O.R. seminary. Here’s a 10-minute video (below) of who was housed at Highland Hall and when. Also, there is an inscription on the building that bears their name. I am a resident of Highland Hall and gave a tour of our building to one of the last Franciscan friars who lived there. St Joseph’s rectory (green building beside our property) still houses a couple of the friars whose monastery is St Bernadine’s.
Here’s the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRkTXGA9FbI&ab_channel=FranciscanFriarsTOR
I will forward to our publicity secretary & speaker
Jim Snyder
Pres. BCGS