Marietta’s Union Meeting House (1818)
Elizabethtown College students enrolled in the Public Heritage Studies program displayed storyboards in Marietta’s Union Meeting House during this year’s 56th Annual Marietta Candlelight Tour of Homes on Sunday, Dec. 4. The storyboards were developed by the students to raise awareness for preserving the history of the borough through the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “This Place Matters” social media campaign.
More than 1,000 visitors toured the historic Union Meeting House where Etown students gave poster presentations and shared their ArcGIS maps illustrating historic preservation efforts in Marietta.
A celebration of historic preservation and economic development in the 50 years since Hurricane Agnes devastated the community, the “This Place Matters” campaign aims to recognize the resilience of the people of Marietta and inspire an ongoing dialogue about the importance of place, preservation, and growing the local economy.
A culmination of primary source research, historic preservation fieldwork, and interviews with local community members, required for Public Heritage Studies courses, the students developed their storyboards to explain and illustrate the historical significance of properties in Marietta and the historically important people who have built the local community.
“What distinguishes the Public Heritage Studies program at Elizabethtown College, compared to similar programs, at a variety of other schools, is how our program emphasizes community-based learning and civic engagement, “ Jean-Paul Benowitz, Professor of Special Programs and Prestigious Scholarships & Fellowships said. “Scholarship produced by our Public Heritage Studies students is used to inform public policy on the borough, county, state, and federal levels regarding historic preservation initiatives.”
Etown students have been invited back to present their scholarship at the “Fifty Years Since Hurricane Agnes” recognition event, which will celebrate historic preservation and economic development in Marietta on Sunday, April 16, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. in the Marietta Community House Studio 264.
About Etown’s Public Heritage Studies Program
The Public Heritage Studies Certificate at Etown offers an interdisciplinary approach to Public Heritage Studies courses, fieldwork, faculty-supervised research, community-based learning courses/projects, and preparation for students pursuing post-graduate work and careers in Public History/Public Heritage Studies. The program can be completed by students in any major but is primarily designed to complement a History degree. Obtaining this certification lays the groundwork for advanced study and subsequent career opportunities in museums, archives, and historic preservation. The coursework consists of 10 credits and includes an internship at a relevant historic site.