Band, residents, carolers help celebrate Coatesville past, present, and future
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
South Brandywine students sing Christmas carols, giving the night a sense of festivity.
COATESVILLE – The National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum held its annual Holiday Open House on Saturday night in the Lukens National Historic District.
Candles illuminated First Ave. as The Lukens Band performed in the Lukens Executive Office Building, and carolers from South Brandywine Middle School sang in the Terracina.
Donating food to the Coatesville Emergency Food Cupboard allowed residents access to these buildings as well as the Brandywine Mansion and the Graystone Mansion.
Cookies were spread, Santa Claus made an appearance, and dining rooms were dressed up with place settings, candles, and chandeliers. Attendees decorated cookies and learned of the history of the district, which played a part in the nation’s longest continuously-running steel mill.
“There’s a lot of amazing history within these walls,” said Museum Programs Director Juliette Honsinger.
The Brandywine Mansion was once the home of Rebecca Lukens, while the Graystone Mansion was the home of Abram Francis Huston, who was president of the Lukens Iron and Steel Company in 1897.
Skip Huston, former Vice President of Government Relations for the mill and a descendent of Rebecca Lukens, said that he would like to see more people learn about the mill and the city.
“Please come here and see the history. It’s a living history,” he said, pointing out that through the years, the mill has played an important role for the country, producing steel for The World Trade Center, the New Jersey Turnpike, and vehicles currently being used by the military.
A train chugs its way through the Lukens Executive Office Bulding.
Food for the Coatesville Emergency Food Cupboard was packed under a Christmas Tree as The Lukens Band played Christmas carols. The decorations and music was a demonstration of how the city’s past feeds into present-day camaraderie between residents.
Cathy Franciscus, who worked at the mill for 30 years and now works in the museum, reminisced on this past while also appreciating the festive atmosphere of Saturday night.
“Being here for 30 years, I jumped at the chance to come here and work with the history. I feel like I’m part of the history,” she said. “They [Coatesville’s young people] need to know the heritage of the city of Coatesville and where they live. I think that will be a basic, integral part of the [city’s] revitalization.”
Honsinger said that she believes that the facilities are an integral part of the city’s culture, and events like Saturday’s help to reinforce that culture.
“I think it really helps the sense of pride in the community. Coatesville’s a place that’s been through a lot,” she said. “Opportunities like this give the community a chance to come together and do something fun.”
As the night went on, carolers moved from building to building, ensuring that the history in the National Iron and Steel Museum will not be forgotten in future generations’ sense of Coatesville Pride.
