Latrobe locals invited to learn about wards' history during upcoming shows

Latrobe residents are invited to go back in time and learn more about the city’s six wards in the upcoming months.

The Latrobe Area Historical Society will present four shows about this history between July and October. The first show, which will delve into the First Ward, will take place on Frida and Saturday.

“For some, it’s a trip down memory lane,” said society President Mary Lou Townsend. “For others, they’ll have a ‘I never knew that’ kind of reaction.”

The First Ward is split by the Loyalhanna Creek and is home to Excela Latrobe Hospital. Townsend said the area is historically known for the railroad, brewery and Italian immigrants.

She anticipates “First Ward Revisited” will last about 45 minutes. The last time the historical society showed a program on the First Ward was 20 years ago.

Townsend spent hours researching and combing through photos to update the show for its 2022 release.

After July’s show, the society will present “Second & Third Wards Revisited” in August, “Fourth & Fifth Wards Revisited” in September, and “Sixth Ward Revisited” in October.

“Put them all together and you get a history of how Latrobe started, grew and where it stands today,” Townsend said.

Admission and refreshments are free, but donations to the nonprofit society are encouraged. Masks are required.

Doors open at 9 a.m. and the show starts at 9:30 a.m. On Friday, attendees can park on the street or in a parking lot. They can park at Kelly, Sparber, White & Associates at the corner of Weldon and Alexandria streets on Saturday.