The Conococheague Institute revealed a new logo as part of its 30th Anniversary celebrations, in conjunction with new programming experiences for all ages.
The non-profit historic site has made great strides in recent years to represent the 18th century frontier history and natural resources to the community, winning several awards and recently growing its endowment to $1million.
For their 30th Anniversary the board and staff re-examined the organization’s strategic plan to identify new and creative ways of providing awareness, critical thinking and understanding of the region, and to path the growth for the future.
The new logo is part of this growth and symbolizes the aspects of the Conococheague Institute that it has come to be known for.
“It’s not an easy step trying to represent all of our mission into our logo, but Laura Oates Design did outstanding work, and we are so grateful” said Matthew Wedd, Executive Director. “We provided scores of photos of CI at its best and Laura turned them into the line arts in the logo, making this totally unique to us!
The logo includes the Negley log home representing preservation, a Great Blue Heron that is often seen on CI’s Wetland pond representing nature, an apple tree jointly representing agriculture and genealogy, and finally two people in 18th century clothes.
Wedd continued “This last portion of our logo represents the human connection with our past, and the engaging living history CI is known for. Our programs encourage critical thinking of early American history on the frontier. Why did people come to the frontier? European settlers sought freedom and wealth yet brought enslaved black people to labor under them. Conflicts with Indigenous groups drove the original inhabitants from the region. By learning how diverse groups of people lived, we can use our understanding of history to improve our current lives today. The two figures were chosen for their simple shapes that highlight our 18th century focus, but an astute eye will recognise them as one of our favorite student volunteers Sophia Mielke when she won a cocked hat for excelling in a program, and me!”
The new logo is just one new addition to an exciting year. The Conococheague Institute offers free programs every Saturday thanks to support from the Thomas G. & Nancy H. Burkey Fund, a charitable fund of the Franklin County Community Foundation, a regional foundation of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC).
For older learners it is now offering ‘First Friday Rock Hill Tours’ of the property’s architectural history. A new ‘Little Learners’ program twice a month introduces early childhood stories and crafts, and there are plenty of new exhibits and events on the horizon. For more information about the Conococheague Institute visit www.cimlg.org, email info@cimlg.org, call 717-328-2800 or visit the site which is open daily from dawn to dusk at 12995 Bain Road, Mercersburg, PA, 17236