Out of all the historical artifacts on display at the Conestoga Area Historical Society, curator Ken Hoak's favorite is a dark-brown chest sitting in the corner.
Conestoga Area
Historical
Society museum
curator Ken Hoak
shows off an old eel
trap used in the
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An assortment of arrowheads from Manor Township
on display in the Conestoga Area Historical
Society'
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From a distance, it looks like nothing special. But up close, Hoak said, you can see the detail put into the dental trim around the edges and the forged iron keyhole that resembles a fleur-de-lis.
"You can tell the furniture maker and blacksmith went the extra mile on this one," Hoak said. "It's a real country piece with an understated elegance about it."
Rural pieces like the softwood chest are on display at the historical society's "Life in the Manor" exhibit, which details the history of Manor Township. The exhibit will be shown at the historical society, located at 51 Kendig Road, Conestoga, until December. It is open 1-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Signs of the township's agricultural past rest throughout the display, varying from photos and maps of landmarks long gone to large wooden log rollers, which were used to ready the soil for planting crops.
"Through the exhibit, you can see how the past is forming the present," Hoak said. "You can see how deeply Manor Township is rooted in agricultural history, how it's rooted to the land."
While most of the items on display come from the 16th or 17th centuries, some artifacts date back even farther. Hoak pointed out arrowheads from the Native American tribes of the region, petroglyphic rocks at least 1,000 years old and even an old jasper knife that dates to the Paleo period 15,000 years ago.
With the change the region has seen over the years, from the Frey Farm Landfill to the burning of some of the township's historic mills, Hoak said it's vital that residents remember how their homeland got its start.
"Although we still have rural zoning, a majority of people here are no longer dependent on agriculture," Hoak said. "Everyone should have an appreciation of their heritage, because their culture is responsible for what they are today."
The township's history offers something for everyone, Hoak said. Older residents may see themselves in some of the class photographs displayed in the center of the exhibit, while those who just moved in can learn about their new home.
"We've actually had a lot of newer residents come in," Hoak said. "They're very curious to know the history and realized the wealth of history connected to the area, that they're not living in a sterile environment."
Staff writer Dan Rorabaugh can be reached at drorabaugh@LNPnews.com or 481-6028.
