Dec. 7—LEWISBURG — The Union County Historical Society is eager to acquire items from the Packwood House Museum auction later this week.
“We’d like the public’s help in ensuring these items stay in the county,” said Historical Society President Bruce Teeple.
Packwood House closed in 2020 and last September, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Lewisburg received the assets of the Fetherston Trust, including the Packwood House Museum, according to the will of Edith Fetherston who died in 1972.
Several auctions will be held to sell the museum items, with proceeds benefiting the church.
“It has been a staple for the community. It was a great gallery,” said Jennifer Snyder, former Packwood House administrator.
“It’s such a desirable collection,” said auctioneer Julia Pook.
Last year, Teeple and other members of the historical society’s archive committee spent several days in the museum looking through hundreds of items.
“We were like kids in a candy store,” he said. “Edith Fetherston had a lot of things that are significant to Union County.”
Among the items are artwork from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries; furniture; ceramics and sculptures.
Teeple said any donation of purchased items from the auction to the historical society would be tax-deductible and invited the public to contact him or Matt Wagner at 570-524-866.
Online auctions will be held at 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday. A preview of the items will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday in person at the former museum located at 15 N. Water St., Lewisburg, or online at dovetailauctions.com.
To register for the auctions, visit the website and go to the “Register on Bidsquare” or “Register on HiBid” links, or call 610-350-6845.
More items will be offered at auctions to be held Wednesday, Jan. 18, and Thursday, Jan. 19. at Pook & Pook Auctioneers, 463 East Lancaster Ave., Downingtown.
After living in various locations along the East Coast, the Fetherstons purchased the 27-room building at 15 N. Water St. in Lewisburg as a retirement home in 1936. Edith Fetherston, who was born in Lewisburg, was a parishioner of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.
Following the deaths of John Fetherston in 1962 and Edith Fetherston a decade later, the home was turned into a museum and opened to the public in 1976.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish is a separately incorporated entity from the Diocese of Harrisburg. None of the Packwood House Museum assets will be transferred to the Diocese nor can they be used for the Diocese’s Chapter 11 reorganization.
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