Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley

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DERBY CAR ON DISPLAY

The Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley recently received into our collection a mint condition, 1969 soapbox derby car that had previously been on display in the front window of the Ephrata Review building. Now settled into its permanent home on the third floor of the Connell Mansion, the car will be enjoyed by generations to come. The HSCV would like to thank the Cabinetmaking instructor and students from the Brownstown campus of the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center for designing, building and installing a plexiglass case to cover the car and further protect it as a piece of our community’s history. Be sure to stop by and view this vintage car and the rest of the Theodore R. Sprecher museum. Always FREE to the public, the museum is located at 249 W Main St, Ephrata and is open every Saturday, from 10am-2pm.

 

 

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THE HSCV IS OPEN!!!

          The library and research center is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 9:30am-6:00pm and Saturdays 8:30am-5:00pm, and the Connell Mansion museum is open every Saturday 10am-2:00pm. 

          The HSCV is following all current CDC guidelines, including proper handwashing, sanitizing and mask wearing for those who are not fully vaccinated. Individuals who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks inside HSCV buildings at this time. However, protocols may change as federal and state guidelines evolve. The HSCV kindly asks all visitors to follow posted recommendations to help protect staff, volunteers, and other patrons.

          As always, society members may use the William and Jemima Brossman Library at no charge while non-members will pay a nominal fee. The Theodore R. Sprecher Museum in the Connell Mansion is free to the public.

          The society is located at 237-249 W. Main Street, Ephrata. For additional information, email hscv@cocalicovalleyhs.org or call (717)733-1616.

 

     

HSCV Fifth in Series of Educational Videos

The HSCV is pleased to present the fifth installment of educational videos. https://youtu.be/FJBRp267Sbc  In this video, you will learn about the history of the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley. We hope that these videos will provide a peek into our museum and the work that continues behind the scenes. As a non-profit organization, we rely mostly on the generosity of our members and donors. For those that have provided continued support through these unprecedented times, we cannot begin to thank you enough! For those interested in learning how you can become a member or make a donation, please visit the Membership page on our website here: https://www.cocalicovalleyhs.org/memberships or call (717)733-1616.  

 
 

HSCV Fourth in Series of Educational Videos

The HSCV is pleased to present the fourth installment of educational videos. https://youtu.be/-7GAwExOh2U  In this video, you will learn about the children of Moore & Rebecca Connell.  

 

 
HSCV Third in Series of Educational Videos

The HSCV is pleased to present the third installment of educational videos. In this video, you will learn about the Connell Marriage. 

 

HSCV Second in Series of Educational Videos

The HSCV is pleased to present the second installment of educational videos. In this video, you will learn about the Connell Genealogy. 

 

 

HSCV First in Series of Educational Videos

The HSCV is pleased to share the first education video focusing on the history of our museum, and the Connell Family who built it.  

 

 

Welcome to The Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley

     The Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley (HSCV) invites you to explore the following pages and, better still to visit us in person, to discover the fascinating heritage associated with this area of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

     The HSCV was formed in 1957 as a project of the Ephrata Recreation Center. In 1961 the Society purchased the beautiful Victorian Italianate Connell Mansion built in 1869. That structure now houses the three-story, 13-room Theodore Sprecher Museum. In 1989, the Society purchased the adjacent English tudor-style home and converted it into the William and Jemima Brossman Library and Research Center at the Hamaker House.

Museum Hours

Museum Hours

Saturday, 10:00 A. M. to 4:00 P.M.

The Museum will be closed Saturday, July 4th & Saturday, December 26th in observance of Independence Day & Christmas. Other times by appointment with a 24 hour notice.

Schools & organizations welcome!

Free to the public.

Research Library

Research Library

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday

9:30 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.

Saturday

8:30 A.M. - 5:00

Closed Saturday, July 4th & December 26th

Our Mission

We are dedicated to discovering, gathering and preserving materials and data relative to the community known as the Cocalico Valley. All items in the museum collection were either made in the Cocalico Valley or were used by and/or owned by people living in the area. The Cocalico Valley encompasses ten municipalities in Northern Lancaster County — the Boroughs of Adamstown, Akron, Denver, and Ephrata and the Townships of East and West Cocalico, Clay, Ephrata, West Earl, and a portion of Earl.

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