By Marilyn Forbes

Published: Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Mt. Pleasant Historical Society will launch its yearly speaker series with a special presentation that will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Mt. Pleasant Senior Center.

The topic will be Braddock's Road, a subject that has intrigued historians and researchers for centuries, discussing where they think Braddock and his troops traveled and camped.

"Different people have different ideas," Mt. Pleasant Historical Society President Richard Snyder said of the locations.

Saturday's seminar will feature at least three speakers who have researched and studied Braddock and his movements.

Speakers include former director of the Westmoreland County Historical Society James Steeley, war historian and researcher Norman Baker of Virginia and local historian and artifact collector Bill Hare.

The public is invited to not only attend the seminar but to take part in the discussion.

"We want people to ask questions that can then be discussed," Snyder said.

Anyone who has any artifacts or relics from that era should bring them along for display and discussion.

"There will be a table displaying a number of artifacts related to the road and the audience is encouraged to bring the items and their stories to display and discuss," said historical society member and speaker series coordinator Cassandra Vivian.

The society is in its second year of hosting the monthly speaker series. Snyder is pleased with the topics that have been covered in the past and looks forward to this year's set.

"We try to offer a broad range of topics that are of interest to the community," Snyder said. "There are so many topics that can be covered from this area from how the area developed to how the people in the area lived."

Topics scheduled during the next few months include the history of the western Pennsylvania railroad, history of miners, and the founding and development of Laurelville.

"We are having various speakers who will talk about the history of our area and the culture of the area.," Snyder said. "The series is going to bring back history and establish some interest in what made our area what it is today."

The regular historical society speaker series will take place at 7 p.m. the last Thursday of every month starting in April.

All of the talks, including the Braddock's Road seminar are free.

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