Waynesboro Historical Society

The Waynesboro Historical Society is a local historical organization founded in 1963 and based in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Its work centers on preserving the history of Waynesboro and surrounding communities through stewardship of historic properties, collection and care of archival materials, public programming, publications, and genealogical resources. The society is headquartered in the Oller House, a historic property associated with the Oller family and now used as the organization’s principal facility. The society’s preservation activity extends beyond a single museum or archive. It holds title to and maintains five properties in the Waynesboro area: the Oller House, Harbaugh Church, the historic marker at the birthplace of the Reverend Dr. Henry Harbaugh, Welty’s Bridge, and Zullinger School. These sites represent different aspects of local history, including domestic architecture, religious heritage, transportation infrastructure, education, and the commemoration of significant local figures. The Oller House became the society’s headquarters through an arrangement with Rello Oller, the eldest child of J. J. and Myrtle Funk Oller. In 1990, Oller, who never married, leased the house to the society for one dollar per year with the understanding that ownership would pass to the society upon her death. The property was subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, reinforcing its importance as both a local landmark and a recognized historic resource. The society’s collections cover a broad range of documentary and visual evidence. They include books and pamphlets, limited-edition and out-of-print works, reference materials, scholarly publications, manuscripts, photographs, maps, posters, architectural drawings, prints, watercolors, broadsides, advertisements, certificates, menus, and other forms of printed ephemera. Manuscript holdings include personal and family papers as well as records generated by local organizations and businesses, such as correspondence, diaries, account books, deeds, minutes, and scrapbooks. Genealogical research is another important part of the society’s public value. Its resources include binders documenting local family names, cemetery burial lists, undertakers’ records, and both original and published local-history materials. These holdings support family-history research as well as broader studies of community development, migration, business, religion, education, and everyday life in the Waynesboro region. The society also provides public interpretation and community engagement. It holds regular meetings that are open to the public and feature speakers discussing topics connected with local history. Its publishing activity has included a quarterly newsletter, two volumes of the community cookbook Culinary Traditions: A Taste of Waynesboro, and back issues of Antietam Ancestors, a former journal published by the society. Taken together, the organization functions as a preservation group, archive, genealogical resource, historic-property steward, publisher, and forum for public discussion of regional heritage.

The Waynesboro Historical Society was established in 1963 to support the preservation and public understanding of Waynesboro-area history in Pennsylvania. Rather than limiting its work to collecting historical objects, the society developed a broad local-history role encompassing historic buildings, archival records, genealogical documentation, publications, and public meetings. A major institutional development was the society’s connection with the Oller House. The house was associated with J. J. and Myrtle (Funk) Oller and their family. Their eldest child, Rello Oller, was born in 1895 and died in 1992. She never married, and in 1990 she leased the house to the historical society for one dollar per year under an arrangement providing that the property would pass to the society after her death. The agreement gave the organization a permanent historic headquarters and helped secure the building’s future as a community heritage resource. The Oller House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The society’s property responsibilities expanded into a portfolio of five sites in the Waynesboro area. In addition to the Oller House, these include Harbaugh Church, a historic marker identifying the birthplace of the Reverend Dr. Henry Harbaugh, Welty’s Bridge, and Zullinger School. The range of these properties reflects the society’s interpretation of local history through architecture, transportation, education, religious life, and commemorative landmarks. Its collections preserve both formal historical records and everyday evidence of community life. Books, pamphlets, reference works, and scholarly monographs are held alongside manuscripts such as letters, diaries, account books, deeds, organizational minutes, and scrapbooks. The society also holds photographs, maps, posters, broadsides, advertisements, certificates, menus, architectural drawings, prints, watercolors, and other graphic or printed materials. Personal papers and family records are complemented by documentation created by local businesses, organizations, and institutions. Genealogical materials form a particularly practical part of the collection. Researchers can consult materials on local family names, cemetery burials, undertakers’ records, and other original and published sources. These resources connect the society’s preservation mission with family historians and residents seeking information about local ancestry. Public outreach has remained central to the organization’s identity. The society holds regular meetings open to the public, generally featuring speakers on subjects of local interest. It has also communicated with members and the wider community through a quarterly newsletter and historical publications. Its publishing record includes two volumes of Culinary Traditions: A Taste of Waynesboro and back issues of Antietam Ancestors, a journal formerly issued by the society. The available record presents the Waynesboro Historical Society as an ongoing local nonprofit heritage institution whose principal assets are its historic properties, collections, publications, and community programs. Its work links preservation of physical places with documentary research and public interpretation, giving residents and researchers multiple ways to engage with the history of Waynesboro and its surrounding area.

• 1996

  Oller House listed on the National Register

  [1]Waynesboro Historical Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society’s headquarters, the Oller House, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

• 1992

  Death of Rello Oller

  [1]Waynesboro Historical Societyen.wikipedia.org

  Rello Oller died at the age of 97. The succession arrangement connected the Oller House permanently with the Waynesboro Historical Society.

• 1990

  Oller House leased to the society

  [1]Waynesboro Historical Societyen.wikipedia.org

  Rello Oller leased the Oller House to the society for one dollar per year, with an arrangement providing for the property to pass to the society after her death.

• 1963

  Society founded

  [1]Waynesboro Historical Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Waynesboro Historical Society was founded to promote preservation and public understanding of the history of Waynesboro and the surrounding area.

A community-based historical society combining preservation of Waynesboro-area landmarks with archival collecting, genealogy, publishing, and accessible public education.

• Historic property and headquarters · 1990

  Oller House

  The Oller House is the society’s headquarters and a central historic asset. Formerly associated with the Oller family, the property was leased to the society in 1990 under a long-term succession arrangement and later received National Register recognition in 1996. It serves as a base for the society’s preservation, collection, and public-history activities.

• Research resources

  Archival and genealogical collections

  The collections bring together books, pamphlets, manuscripts, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, printed ephemera, family papers, organizational records, cemetery information, undertakers’ records, and other local-history materials. They support research into Waynesboro’s families, institutions, businesses, built environment, and community life.

• Historical publication and cookbook

  Culinary Traditions: A Taste of Waynesboro

  A two-volume cookbook publication produced by the society. It documents community culinary traditions while also functioning as a fundraising or public-engagement publication associated with local heritage work.

• Historical and genealogical journal

  Antietam Ancestors

  A former journal published by the society. Back issues are retained as part of the organization’s historical and genealogical publication resources.

1. 1Waynesboro Historical Societyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Waynesboro Historical Society official websitewaynesborohistory.com