Heinz History Center free seminars set for Aliquippa library and Chippewa aviation museum

The Beaver County Library System will host Heinz History Center historians and curators for two free August events called "History Alive."

At 1 p.m. Aug. 2, the B.F. Jones Memorial Library in Aliquippa will host "H.J. Heinz: A Recipe for Success," a lecture chronicling the fascinating story behind one of America's most iconic Pittsburgh brands. History Center representatives will relay how beginning with less than an acre of garden in Sharpsburg, H.J. Heinz and his successors built a giant multi-national food business "that still retains many of the core values that guided its founder," Emily Ruby, Heinz History Center curator, said.

At 6 p.m. Aug. 30, the "Winning the War in the Skies" lecture will take place at The Air Heritage AviationMuseum in Chippewa Township. The event is described as an immersive journey through western Pennsylvania's pivotal role in World War II aviation.

"While we tend to think of 'Big Steel' and a few key names when talking about the area’s industries during World War II, there were a surprising number of activities related to aviation development in western Pennsylvania," Leslie Przybylek, Heinz History Center senior curator, said. "And one of the biggest stories from the region came from Beaver County."

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"I am especially excited to be offering this talk in Beaver County because the area was a crucial part of the region’s defense effort during the war, but because the Curtiss-Wright propeller factory rose and fell so quickly, it tends to get overlooked in favor of other companies that lasted in the area for much longer. Talking about it amid thefantastic artifacts of the Air Heritage Museum is just such a special opportunity, Przybylek said.

Thomas Gargaro, Air Heritage Aviation Museum president, said the museum will have on display World War II aviation artifacts "along with our historic C-47 'Luck of the Irish,' which made two separate supply drops at the Battle of the Bulge and also participated in Operation Varsity, where the Allies crossed the Rhine River into Germany. This was, and still is, the largest airborne operation in history."

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The Beaver County Library System will host these events in anticipation of best-selling author Marie Benedict's appearance Sept. 14 at Community College of Beaver County.

"Marie Benedict is an award-winning historical fiction author," Courtney Colaizzi, Beaver County Library System project manager, said. "Many of her titles involve hidden figures from the past who made great contributions to the world but didn’t get the acknowledgment they deserve. Western Pennsylvania is a hub of modern innovation that often goes unrecognized. We wanted to build the excitement for Marie Benedict by showcasing our localhistory with The Heinz History Center."

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This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: History seminars set for Aliquippa library & Chippewa aviation museum