Wills Mansion Tours
Wills Mansion, west corner at Route 611 and Veterans Drive, Coolbaugh Township
(Photo by HATT member Kim Williams — Used with permission)
TOURS of WILLS MANSION MUSEUM
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF TOBYHANNA TOWNSHIP
June 26 and July 2, 2013
Wills Mansion and Museum, Coolbaugh Township
Fred Lehrer, HATT program chair, suggested in January that we coordinate tours of the Wills Mansion and Museum, operated by the Coolbaugh Township Historical Association.
This suggested turned out to be a real winner. Fred contacted Kay Kinsley, vice president of the Coolbaugh association, and agreed on two dates for the tours, June 26 and July 2. It was decided that tours of approximately one hour would be conducted at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. each day, allowing 15 to 20 people per tour.
The program was heavily promoted through all of HATT’s normal publicity channels. Pre-registration was required, and all persons reserved were given a reservation number and directions to the Wills Mansion. There was no charge for the tours. A total of 105 people were reserved for the tours, with 94 honoring the reservations. Between 13 to 19 people were hosted in each tour session.
The volunteers of the Coolbaugh Township Historical Association did a spectacular job. Kay Kinsley led the tours. Her knowledge and presentation was authoritative and entertaining. On average there were four other volunteers on staff to assist with various parts of the tour.
The property was sparkling, and the displays were very effective. And as gracious hosts, the dining room table was laid out with cookies, snacks and treats. And to top it all off, bottled water was “on ice” for the attendees. What made this so special is that the ice came from their very own icehouse, which stores the ice from their Millpond ice harvest re-creation this past February.
Rick Bodenschatz, president of HATT, greeted all of the attendees, and for those who are not HATT members, each received a HATT brochure and information about HATT. (Twenty-three of the attendees were from HATT.)
In discussions with many attendees, there is little doubt that both historical associations will gain new members from this joint effort.
Read the Pocono Record story online
Also during these special tours the Pocono Record sent a reporter and a photographer on June 26, and interviewed Kay Kinsley. There was then a very complimentary article in the newspaper the following day, covering the history and aspects of the museum.
June 28, 2013
NOTE: The museum is located on Route 611 at Veterans Drive in the village of Tobyhanna, Coolbaugh Township. It is open 10 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Saturdays between noon and 4 p.m. until September. It is also open Tuesday for tours starting at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Entrance is free with donations accepted.
• Pocono Record, June 27, 2013 | Museum aims to keep yesteryear alive in Tobyhanna
• Coolbaugh Township Historical Association
