Exploring the Berwick Historical Society Museum

Collage of four scenes from the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring the American Car and Foundry Military Room with World War II memorabilia, vintage Wise Potato Chips advertising and photos, a display of historic Berwick dairy bottles, and the exterior view of the historic David A. Sadock House that serves as the museum’s home.

Visiting the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County is like stepping back in time to explore the people, businesses, and events that shaped this river town.

Elegant room at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring a crystal chandelier, Victorian-style furniture, framed historic maps and artwork, display cabinets filled with Berwick memorabilia, and a glass-topped table showcasing photographs and artifacts related to the town’s history.

Housed in the historic David Sadock House, directly across the street from the Jackson Mansion, the museum features two floors of themed rooms highlighting different aspects of Berwick’s history.

Front entrance of the historic David A. Sadock House in Berwick, Pennsylvania, featuring double teal doors adorned with floral wreaths, a brass plaque identifying it as the headquarters of the Berwick Historical Society, and a glimpse of the ornate chandelier inside through the glass panels.

From military memorabilia to vintage wedding fashions, the exhibits offer an engaging glimpse into the town’s past.

American Car and Foundry Military Room at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring World War II uniforms, photographs of local servicemen and women, wartime memorabilia, and historic displays honoring Berwick’s military contributions.

Directions | Hours | Admission Fees

The Berwick Historical Society Museum is located at 341 North Market Street, Berwick, PA 18603.


The museum is open Tuesday-Wednesday 11 am – 3 pm.

Exterior view of the historic David A. Sadock House in Berwick, Pennsylvania, home to the Berwick Historical Society Museum, featuring a red brick façade, green shutters, rocking chairs on the front porch, American and Pennsylvania flags, and a welcoming garden framed by an iron fence.

Admission to the museum is free; donations are appreciated.

Display of 19th-century stoneware pottery at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring handcrafted jugs and crocks with cobalt blue floral designs, along with historical documents and interpretive signs detailing local pottery makers and their contributions to the community’s heritage.

What You’ll See at the Berwick Historical Society Museum

One of the highlights is the American Car and Foundry Military Room, honoring local servicemen and women with World War II uniforms, photographs, and artifacts documenting Berwick’s wartime contributions.

Display of American Car and Foundry memorabilia at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring vintage photographs, patriotic posters, factory tools, nameplates, military artifacts, and framed illustrations highlighting the company’s role in Berwick’s industrial and wartime history.

Another exhibit showcases vintage Wise Potato Chips memorabilia, including the company’s iconic owl logo and images of the original factory.

Vintage Wise Potato Chips memorabilia on display at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring an antique Wise Potato Chips sign with the iconic owl logo, historic photos of the original factory, and early advertising artifacts celebrating this famous local snack brand.

The museum also celebrates Berwick’s agricultural heritage with displays of antique dairy bottles from local creameries and dairies.

Collection of vintage Berwick dairy bottles on display at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring embossed and painted glass bottles from local creameries and dairies, along with milk caps and delivery tools showcasing the region’s agricultural heritage.

Upstairs, visitors can explore exhibits dedicated to Berwick’s schools, featuring framed class photos, yearbooks, and colorful school pennants from decades past.

Historic Berwick school and sports memorabilia on display at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring framed class photos, vintage sports team portraits, and colorful felt school pennants from various graduating classes.

A room dedicated to wedding fashions displays more than a century’s worth of bridal gowns and accessories, dating from 1860 to 1970.

Vintage wedding fashions exhibit at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, showcasing 110 years of bridal gowns from 1860 to 1970, along with period accessories, photographs, and mannequins dressed in historic attire.

Berwick’s business history is preserved through advertising signs, calendars, and artifacts from once-thriving local companies.

Display of vintage Berwick business memorabilia at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring old advertising signs, collectible mugs, commemorative plates, historic calendars, glass bottles, and photographs celebrating local businesses and community history.

The museum also features a detailed scale model of the long-lost St. Charles Hotel, once a prominent landmark in town.

Intricate scale model of the historic St. Charles Hotel on display at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, showcased in a Victorian-era room with antique furniture, framed maps, and period artifacts surrounding the exhibit.

Antique spinning wheels, butter churns, and early household items illustrate how Berwick residents lived and worked in the 19th century.

Antique spinning wheel and butter churn on display at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, surrounded by framed historic photos, vintage textiles, and Victorian-style curtains in a room dedicated to Berwick’s early domestic life and craftsmanship.

Throughout the museum, photographs and documents bring to life the prominent citizens and everyday families who shaped Berwick’s story.

Framed historic photographs, documents, and memorabilia from the Berwick Store Co. displayed on a wall at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, highlighting the history of this once-prominent department store and its role in the local community.

Final Thoughts

With so many exhibits under one roof, the Berwick Historical Society Museum offers an informative and entertaining experience for history lovers.

Display case at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring a detailed model of a canal boat once used on the North Branch Division of the Pennsylvania Canal, with a historic map of Berwick hanging above and crystal candlesticks on either side.

It’s a must-visit destination for anyone wanting to explore the heritage of Berwick and the surrounding region.

Vintage fire company memorabilia on display at the Berwick Historical Society Museum in Columbia County, PA, featuring an antique fire alarm indicator box, a red fire chief’s helmet, historic photographs, and a Defenders Fire Company parade hat.

Nearby Attractions

Touring the Jackson Mansion in Berwick is like stepping back into the elegance of the Gilded Age; this stunning Victorian home tells the story of Colonel Clarence G. Jackson, a Civil War hero, local businessman, and one of Berwick’s most influential 19th-century figures.

Collage of four images featuring the Jackson Mansion in Berwick, Pennsylvania, including its grand stone exterior, an opulent green-walled parlor with chandeliers and ornate furnishings, an elegant Victorian bedroom with white and gold accents, and a richly decorated room with stained glass windows and a portrait of Colonel Clarence G. Jackson.

The Stuart Tank Museum is dedicated to telling the story of Berwick’s pivotal role in World War 2, when over 15,000 Stuart tanks were built in the town between 1941-1944.

A collage of five photos showcasing the Stuart Tank Museum in Berwick, Pennsylvania, featuring an interior view with a Stuart tank and military mannequins, the museum's exterior with an 'OPEN' flag, a historical marker detailing the factory's production during WWII, and additional displays including a black and white photo of a Stuart tank and a variety of military memorabilia.

Bill’s Old Bike Barn in Bloomsburg is a sprawling 55,000 square foot museum and treasure trove of all things Americana.

A collage of four photos presents a visual tour of Bill's Old Bike Barn in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The first photo features the museum's rustic exterior sign surrounded by a collection of vintage memorabilia, including a boat and an old-fashioned bathtub. The second image showcases the interior with an array of colorful motorcycles, a large Captain America shield, and vibrant neon signs. The third photo offers a glimpse of a carnival-themed display with a merry-go-round, neon lights, and an array of classic bikes. The final image captures a charming indoor street scene with replica buildings, including a post office and a quaint cobblestone path lined with vintage motorcycles, giving visitors a sense of walking through a nostalgic small town.

The East Paden and West Paden Covered Bridges in Columbia County, known collectively as the “Twin Bridges”, are one of only two sets of twin covered bridges in the United States!

The East and West Paden Twin Covered Bridges in Columbia County PA are one of two remaining pairs of twin covered bridges in the United States.

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Rusty Glessner
Rusty Glessner is a professional photographer, lifelong Pennsylvanian, and a frequently-cited authority on PA's best travel destinations.