Did you know that at one time Orange Crush was bottled in Elizabethtown? Or that a team of semiprofessional baseball players from Elizabethtown's Klein Chocolate Company (now Mars) once defeated the Red Sox and pitcher Babe Ruth in a baseball game?

If you stop in at the Elizabethtown Historical Society, 57 S. Poplar St., you can learn about the town's rich and varied history. The society hosts meetings on the third Tuesday of the month from March through June and September through December. "We bring in speakers or cover a topic of local interest," said Dixie Kaley, vice president. "These meetings are free and open to the public."

If you come to a meeting, you can also browse the historical society's extensive collection. The Elizabethtown Historical Society formed in 1970, when a group of civic-minded residents sought to preserve the town's history. A circa-1860 one-room schoolhouse, which was a gift from Anna Olweiler Needham, housed the original historical society. Over the years, the building has expanded to now include a community room where the meetings are held, along with a foyer and a kitchen. "It was due to Anna's efforts to maintain the history of Elizabethtown that this place even exists," said Kaley.

Although her title is vice president, Kaley pitches in wherever she's needed at the historical society. A lifelong resident of Elizabethtown, she has extensive knowledge of the town's past, and her passion for history shows in her enthusiasm for the museum's collections. She changes the main display once a year and is currently working on setting up an exhibit to showcase community "Supporting Sponsors" - businesses and organizations that will help the historical society thrive. "We now have 23 partners who are helping us continue our mission," she stated.

Throughout the rooms of the historical society, displays feature a look into the Elizabethtown of yesteryear. There are memorabilia from mills, churches, railroads, shoe factories and snack food companies. "We have an extensive collection of military history," Kaley noted, adding that the society has records on veterans going back to the Revolutionary War. "We have handwritten deeds dating to the 1700s."

Wheelbarrows and other equipment from Buch Wheelbarrows are featured as well. "There was an amazing amount of craftspeople in this community," Kaley remarked. "This town has an enormous, rich and deep history." A small bookstore features books, artwork and DVDs about Elizabethtown.

Currently, Kaley is cataloging all of the museum's contents by hand, and it's a time-consuming and tedious process. Every donation needs to be recorded and properly stored, including stacks of photographs, cabinets of books and piles of papers. She encourages anyone with an interest in history to consider joining the historical society as a member or donating time to help.

"The historical society has a wealth of information and history for people to enjoy," she stated. "Everything that's here is part of why this community exists today."

For more information on the Elizabethtown Historical Society or to volunteer, send a message through the society's Facebook page or visit https://etownhistory.com.