MISSION STATEMENT
To provide a forum to inspire, motivate and teach young people about their rich cultural and ethnic Inheritance through storytelling, handicrafts and skills demonstrations and seminars, period architecture, garments, tools and lifestyles. We want to provide a powerful and vivid experience that is both entertaining and educational, and engenders in our children and youth interest in the many and varied ethnicities which shaped our nation.
As an historical venue, the Laurel Highlands Historical Village seeks to create an ethnic-centered heritage village reflecting life in earlier times and is accessible to the public. We hope to showcase the contributions, skills and talent of many ethnic groups who shaped the progress of this region.
The Village will be created on a tract of land, and will be complete with replicas of buildings, gardens and trails as well as domestic and work-related features common to the Laurel Highlands region pre-industrial revolution. LHHV’s focus will be on areas such as glass blowing, textiles, agronomy, conservation, blacksmithing, music, farming, food, arts and crafts, with emphasis on teaching the skill in the context of various era lifestyles.
OUR VISION
The Laurel Highlands Historical Village, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 2003 to promote appreciation and understanding of the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of the South Western Pennsylvania Highlands region. This area has served as home to many peoples who, in the 19th century, emigrated from their homelands to join the Native Americans living here for generations. The settlers worked in coal mines, steel mills, on railroads, as laborers and farmers. As our nation forged itself into a nation of Liberty, freed African peoples and immigrants from every continent continued to supplement our society. The result is an ever-changing array of culture unlike any in the world.
It is Laurel Highlands Historical Village’s intent to offer our ethnic communities a more diversified, connected and stronger community for future generations