272 DIRECTORY OF AMERICAN MUSEUMS 



many exceedingly fine and rare specimens from all parts of North 

 America; a series of 15 Indian pots, said to be the finest collection of 

 Algonquin pottery in the United States ; valuable collections of colo- 

 nial domestic utensils; Revolutionary and Wyoming massacre relics; 

 war relics; and Hawaiian, Egyptian, Chinese, Japanese, Philippine, 

 and African collections. There is a numismatic collection of 5000 

 pieces. 



ART. 103 portraits, chiefly of members and benefactors of the 

 society. 



GEOLOGY. 3000 minerals. 



PALEONTOLOGY. The Ralph D. Lacoe collection of 5000 paleo- 

 zoic fossils; the Christian H. Sharar collection of nearly 1000 paleo- 

 zoic fossils from the carboniferous limestone at Mill Creek, Luzerne 

 County, Pa., and 3000 specimens of the anthracite coal flora, including 

 200 types described by the late curator, R. D. Lacoe, and Professor 

 Leo Lesquereux. 



HISTORICAL SKETCH. The society was organized in 1858 to com- 

 memorate the successful burning of Wyoming anthracite coal in a 

 domestic grate, February n, 1808, by Hon. Jesse Fell. 



FINANCIAL SUPPORT. The museum is supported from a portion 

 of the general funds of the society, amounting in 1910 to $52,000 in- 

 cluding life memberships and gifts for special purposes. 



BUILDING. The museum occupies a portion of the society building. 



SCOPE. The society holds four regular meetings annually. Its 

 aims are the investigation of local history and geology. The meetings, 

 the library, the museum, and the publications are its chief activities. 



LIBRARY. 20,000 books and pamphlets on American history, 

 genealogy, and geology; 1200 bound volumes of local newspapers; 

 also depository for Pennsylvania and national publications. This 

 library is the only one of its kind in northeastern Pennsylvania, no 

 other covering the same field. 



PUBLICATIONS, (i) Proceedings and Collections, 10 volumes 

 issued. (2) 25 pamphlet titles, relating to. American history, geology, 

 ethnology, numismatics, etc. 



ATTENDANCE. Open free to the public on week-days from 10 to 

 5. Annual attendance 6000-7000. 



WILLIAMSPORT: 



THE JAMES V. BROWN LIBRARY. 



This library maintains an art gallery consisting at present of 30 

 oil paintings and water colors, 2 pieces of sculpture, and a large set 



