When Bill Bardonner of Richland passed away in August 2016 at age 80, he left behind more than just a passion for preserving the township’s history.

The long-time member and officer of the Richland Historical Society was part of a group that began accumulating thousands of documents, books, photos, maps and other records chronicling the township’s history.

An effort is now underway by a new group of historical society members who want to ensure that the items stored in the basement of the home where Bardonner’s wife Barbara still lives are preserved for future generations.

The group also hopes to work on acquiring one of the township’s earliest historical sites — the first burial ground established in Richland.

“I put the word out on the township website and the local newspaper about reviving the historical society and we got 20 people who said they were interested, which is fantastic,” said Cono Passione, who is leading the effort to preserve the township’s historical records.

“I’m thrilled that people are coming together to pick up where my husband left off,” said Barbara Bardonner, 80. “My home is filled with items Bill helped collect, so it would be wonderful to know that these things will be cared for in the future.”

Passione got involved with reviving the historical society last year after he and his brother spent much of the summer clearing debris from the abandoned Baker Estate Cemetery in the township’s Bakerstown section.

He hopes that by reviving the historical society, the organization might be able to acquire the cemetery, where a number of the township’s pioneer residents are buried.

Pitt researches began studying the property last year to try to pinpoint the original grave sites until questions about the land’s ownership put a halt to the project.

“Acquiring the cemetery property is a long-term goal,” Passione said. “But in the meantime, there’s plenty of work to do going through all the old records in Mrs. Bardonner’s possession.”

Passione said a meeting to gather the new members together is being planned before work to curate the historical collection begins.

“I think it’s important to get input from the people involved with the group to see how they want to approach this project,” he said. “Once we have an idea what’s in the collection, we’ll have to decide where to store it in the future since the society doesn’t have a building or office of its own at this time.”

Passione said the historical society’s status as a non-profit organization, which was established by Mr. Bardonner, can play a critical role in acquiring the cemetery property because it might be able to apply for historical preservation grants and technical assistance from local and state agencies.

“We’ve already got a commitment from our local Boy Scout troop to do some maintenance at the cemetery property in the spring so we can keep up with what was started last year,” Passione said.

Rachel Hathorn, who serves as the communications director for the Pine-Richland School District, said she is excited to get involved with the historical society.

“I grew up in Richland Township and attended Richland High School, as did my father and brothers, so I have a strong interest in the community,” she said. “I am happy to help and am looking forward to seeing what historical information and artifacts we can preserve.”

Hathorn thinks there is great value in preserving and studying the community’s history.

“It is extremely important to preserve the history of the township to mark specific milestones and events,” she said. “By preserving the history we are able to share the stories from the past with future generations when we are long gone.

“By connecting with the past, future generations can understand their community better and have a common connection,” she said.

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