On Sunday, June 9, the Compass Inn Museum and Ligonier Valley Historical Society (LVHS) celebrated 60 years in operation with a Proclamation from the Westmoreland County Commissioners presented by County Commissioner Doug Chew. LVHS also surprised volunteers with Docent and Volunteers of the Year Awards, including a dedication to Executive Director Theresa Gay Rohall who has spent 10 years at LVHS.

LVHS was formed in 1964 by the Ligonier Women’s Club. At that time, its primary purpose was recording oral histories and maintaining abandoned cemeteries in the Ligonier Valley. Today, LVHS keeps local history alive through education and preservation efforts. The organization maintains several local abandoned cemeteries and preserves Laurel Hill Iron Furnace, which is also on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The Compass Inn was built in 1799, and it was later expanded throughout the 1800s. The building was situated along the turnpike, making it a great stop for travelers and stagecoach passengers. Compass Inn served guests until 1862, when railroads and canals displaced traffic along the turnpike. Now, the Inn is a historic site and hosts thousands of visitors each year. LVHS's docents dress in period-style clothing and host tours through the Inn, transporting them back in time to the 1830s, when the Inn was at its busiest. 

Anyone interested in supporting LVHS's mission or attending upcoming events can find more information at compassinn.org.