Program at Comm to highlight Civil War in NEPA
WAVERLY TWP. — The Waverly Community House (the Comm), 1115 N. Abington Road, will host “Harper’s Weekly War” at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, in the auditorium.
The program will highlight Harper’s Weekly illustrations printed during the Civil War era and how the illustrations connect to what was going on in Northeast Pennsylvania during the Civil War. It will include a slideshow presentation featuring the illustrations and some other related historical documents.
Admission is free, and light refreshments will be served.
The University of Pennsylvania hosts a website called the Online Books Page, which links to archived editions of Harper’s Weekly.
“After finding the online archive, I combed through each edition of Harper’s Weekly from the end of 1859 through the early 1870s to find important images that have relevance to issues that impacted residents of Northeastern, Pennsylvania,” said E.J. Murphy, director of advancement and historical programs at the Comm.
He manages the Comm’s Destination Freedom: Underground Railroad walking tour of Waverly Township and works with fundraising, donor consultation, and public outreach.
Some of the images cover major events and issues leading up to the Civil War. These include the Underground Railroad, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia and Abraham Lincoln’s election in the 1860 presidential contest. Many of the images will reflect wartime issues such as the recruitment of soldiers during the conflict, Lincoln’s administration policies regarding the enslaved and slavery, and some battles of the war. The images will also portray the end of the war and its consequences.
America250PA is a statewide organization under the umbrella of America250.
This is taken from the America250 official website:
“Americas250 mission is to celebrate and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, marking America’s Semiquincentennial. We aim to inspire our fellow Americans to reflect on our past, strengthen our love of country and renew our commitment to the ideals of democracy through programs that educate, engage and unite as a nation. America250 will foster shared experiences that spark imagination, showcase the rich tapestry of our American stories, inspire service in our communities, honor the enduring strength and celebrate the resilience of the United States of America, showcase the rich tapestry of our American stories, inspire service in our communities, honor the enduring strength, and celebrate the resilience of the United States of America.”
The Comm and other local organizations have been working with America2500PA to organize events that help people to reflect on our history and fulfill the mission of America250. The Harper’s Weekly Civil War program is one of a few events that the Comm staff have planned going into 2026.
“I think this program is important because it will not only focus on our national story during one of the most tumultuous time periods our country has ever seen, but also our local story. I believe that focusing on local communities and how they respond to and influence major historical events is extremely important and can help provide a new perspective on well-known topics,” said Murphy.
“Programs like this offer a chance to connect with history in a tangible way. Seeing the Civil War through the eyes of those who experienced it helps us appreciate the complexity and significance of that era,” said Gia Tugend, executive director at the Comm.
