By Paula Green
Nestled in the entrance of North Park in McCandless Township sits the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center (HCC). The groundbreaking for this historic site was held in the fall of 2014 during the township's Community Days. HCC was constructed to house the longtime collection of local history buff and former Northern Connection writer Joe Bullick. Sadly, Bullick passed away in 2019, but his legacy lives on within the museum. HCC officially opened in 2016, and since then, residents have been able to browse the facility and recapture a bit of the area's history.
HCC has an informative speaker series lined up this year. The series will be held once a month at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday evenings. The lineup is as follows: on April 18, Ron Elder will enlighten guests on the current status of the changing climate for a non-technical audience.
On May 23, Chana Brody of The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh connects the horrors of the Holocaust and antisemitism with the injustices of today. June 20, Harrison Apple will discuss the Pittsburgh Queer History Project. Dr. Apple is an interdisciplinary artist and historian based in Pittsburgh.
July 18, the series continues with Miguel Sague for Three Rivers Council. Discover the ways of life of the native people who lived in what is now Pennsylvania. On August 22, Joe Wall will discuss the history of football in the North Allegheny School District. Wall is a former interim executive director of HCC and is a current McCandless Council member. September 19, Mike Funyak will bring back memories with his West View Park – A Pictorial History presentation. The park was permanently closed in 1977, but its impact on local families is multi-generational.
On October 24, Bob Jarvis, who worked for numerous telephone companies, will talk about the highs and lows of telephone development. On November 21, Gail Griffin will reflect on some of the most famous Pittsburgh inventions and historical moments from the region. Finally, on December 19, HCC's executive director, Wendy Moore, will explore St. Nicholas.
In addition to the Speaker Series, HCC plans to offer outreach programs by the Alzheimer's Association, emergency medical treatment by the Passavant Hospital Foundation, and UPMC Passavant will also present some medical information.
HCC has recently put wheels on its display cases so that they are easier to utilize. The facility can be rented for three hours for $150 (during hours when the museum is closed). HCC wants to increase its digital exposure. It is incorporating new fundraisers, looking for corporate sponsorships, and introducing new ways for volunteers (with clearances).
Museum hours for the Heritage and Cultural Center are Wednesdays & Fridays 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 1:00-4:00 p.m. For more info on HCC, visit