Last updated: 11/16/2011
Star Route
Emporium, PA 15834
P.O. Box 433
Emporium, PA 15834
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John Kautz
phone: 814-486-2621
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Mike Wennin
phone: 814-486-6355
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The collection has been dubbed the most comprehensive collection in the area. There are over 15,000 items on display and about that many more in storage.
The Lumber industry, which dominated the County for about 50 years, is well represented with rare tools and photos. The dynamite, iron smelting, tanning and other industries are similarly represented. There are also many farm implements and farm related photos on display.
There is a large military collection, with extensive photos and militaria from the Civil War (include rare photos of the PA Bucktail Regiment), WWI, WWII, the Korean War and Viet Nam Conflict. There is also a section about the local C.C.C. Camps.
Throughout the Museum are hundreds of every day items from ages ago; toys; dolls; tools; a general store and post office; cameras, a working 1896 Regina Music Box; mounted trophy bucks and other animals and birds; medical and mortician tools; one-of-a-kind wood carvings, paintings, human hair quilling; women's period clothing and accessories, school items and so much more!
Our Famous Sons...Tom Mix was born in Cameron County, in Mix Run, a few miles from the Little Museum. Our museum has on display artifacts used by Tom and his family and
has an extensive collection of 8x10 Hollywood glossies from his moving pictures studio. General Joseph T. McNarney, USAAF, was a native of Emporium who became a four-star general in the United States Army Air Force, holding a top post during World War II. The museum addition was to house memorabilia of this famous local and appropriately named The McNarney Room. This collection contains rare medals, side arms, uniforms, decorations, citations and more. Jack Dorval was a prize fighter, contemporary of Jack Dempsey, when Jack Sharkey was heavyweight boxing champion. He started a training camp up Gardeau. His life ended at the peak of his career by an airplane crash in Elk County. The museum has various memorabilia of this fighter.
On the site is a restored Coke Oven that was rebuilt in 1976 by local students and teachers. It represents an extensive Coal and Coke operation that was started in 1886. The operation supplied Coke for the Iron Works that was located in Emporium.
The Little Museum was once Lumber Township's country school. In 1931 the Lumber Township School Board, ever watchful of its taxpayers' funds, bought this prefabricated two-room school building from Sears Roebuck & Company at a cost of $3,600. It served as the Sterling Run School House until 1962 when the county schools were consolidated and all students were bused to Emporium. The School may be one of the last standing Sear Simplex Sectional Two-Room School Houses. In March of 1969, the Lumber Township Supervisors offered the use of the school building and grounds to the Cameron County Historical Society as a site for their museum. After two years of cleaning and repairing the building and restoring artifacts, and in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Cameron County Historical Society, the Little Museum was opened to the public on September16, 1971. In 1976 a third room was added to house the collection of General Joseph McNarney's military and personal effects. The Museum is staffed by volunteers through out the season.
At this time, the museum collection is not catalogued in a manner that would facilitate research. Limited local and family research is possible.
The 3rd grade of the local School District visits the Museum at no cost.
The Society issues a quartly newletter called The Voice to Society members and interested organizations.
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