About Our Organization's History

Founded in 2004 and officially, the Leesport Jaycee Foundation d.b.a.: Leesport Area Historical Society, the LAHS is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit, organized under the Charter of the Leesport Jaycees.  We are proud to be one of the few local historical societies that owns it’s own building. Built along Main Street around 1858, the West Leesport School was the center of education for the town’s children for over 100 years. Last used as a school in Spring of 1961. It was sold, converted for use as a warehouse for Wright’s Knitware who had a mill across Main Street. When it was learned that they wanted to demolish the building to add parking spaces, a group of concerned residents and former students of the school convinced them to sell the property to the Leesport Jaycees for $1.00 in 1981. When The Leesport Jaycees decided to disband, members decided to create the LAHS under it's Charter in 2004. A new electric service, HVAC system, plumbing and security system was added. A new classroom floor was installed, matching the look of the original. New energy efficient windows were installed in 2021. The restored classroom is available for groups to experience a “one room school”. The other first floor room is set up as a display area for our museum collections. There is a small store with local postcards and history publications printed by Milton Blatt in his Mohrsville Print Shop for sale. Milt's vintage print shop equipment on which all these materials were printed, is also on display courtesy of his son Larry. In addition, other items of local interest are available. One of the two rooms on the 2nd floor of the building is being organized into an archive for genealogical research with a large library of research books, family histories, as well as a digital archive of photographs, obituaries, death certificates and newspaper clippings featuring stories from the area. One of the two rooms on the second floor is currently used as a storage area.