The history of firsts in and around Tarentum will be presented Jan. 19 and 20 at the Tarentum branch of the Community Library of Allegheny Valley.
The “Tarentum Firsts” talk is part of the Who Knew? series hosted at the library along Lock Street.
“It's going to be what's happened here for firsts,” says Kathy Bollinger, one of the library's researchers. “Tarentum was founded in 1829, and moving forward from that in a timeline will make sense. What were the first general store, first house, first family, first industry, first train, first borough building, first church and first school?”
“I don't want to give away everything we're talking about,” Bollinger says. “I'm working on the timeline of firsts.”
Bollinger says she will discuss the Felix Negley family that was the first to settle in Tarentum.
“Felix Negley had a grist mill and a two-story German log house in west Tarentum,” Bollinger says.
She says the talk also will include the discovery of oil, the first train tracks opening and Flaccus Glass. She says Flaccus, which bought out the town's first glass company, is believed to be the first glass bottler to use natural gas.
“Audience participation is always welcome,” Bollinger says. “If people have things to show, we welcome that. Hopefully, we'll pique people's interest to do their own research.”
Bollinger says the talks attract new visitors to the library.
“About two-thirds of the people who come sign up for the next program,” Bollinger says. “There are still new people who come. The goal is to appeal to a variety of people.”
She says 42 people had registered early for 25 seats in each of the two sessions.
“There are four or five spots left for each night,” Bollinger says. “Sometimes we have people that can't come who signed up, so that leaves openings. I'm amazed the talks bring more people who haven't been to the library.”
Debbie Black is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
