Founded in 1995, The Mission of the Derry Area Historical Society is to encourage the appreciation and preservation of local history, genealogy and historic architecture while building strong partnerships with other organizations and groups that will strengthen our community.
The easiest way to contact us is by email but you can also join us at our next meeting! Meetings are held the 3rd Monday of every month, 6:30 pm, at the Fulton House (357 Pittsburgh St, New Derry). All meetings are open to the public.
The Derry Area Historical Society got its start on a school bus in April of 1995 when a group of community members took a historic bus tour of the sites of Derry’s former schools, forts, & early pioneer homes. The tour ended at Ed & Joanne Lamolinara’s preserved historic Barr cabin where someone was heard stating that it would be nice if Derry had its own historical society. In response, Bob Reintgen stood up & announced, “The first meeting of the Derry Area Historical Society will be this Monday” and Derry Area Historical Society was born.
The follow-up meeting took place back at the Lamolinara’s cabin where Ed put down $300 “startup money.” Bob Reintgen was elected the first president with Ed Lamolinara as vice president, Paula Richards as secretary, and Becky Weiner as treasurer. The group’s first project began- a map of Derry’s historic locations, which was completed & made available for sale the following Spring. The group hosted multiple other tours, geneology nights, presentations, and began planning for larger projects.
The following are just some of the major milestones of the society in the last thirty years: