The Millersville Area Historical Society (MAHS) will host a meeting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, in Millersville's Municipal Center, 100 Municipal Drive. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. and lock at 9:15 a.m.

The speaker will be Nancy C. Groff, author of the book "Watt & Shand: East, West, Hame's Best" and the great-granddaughter of Watt & Shand co-founder Peter Watt. With an emphasis on the life of Watt, Groff's slideshow presentation will provide a history of the store, which was established in 1878.

Topics will include Watt's business activities in Scotland's Orkney Islands, where Watt was born and raised; how he happened to come to America; the circumstances in which he met James Shand and Gilbert Thompson; the business partnership of the three; and how they chose Lancaster as the site of their dry goods store. Groff also will discuss the store's growth through the years and its contributions to the community, other Watt family members who helped the business to thrive, as well as other people who used their professional skills to help establish and promote the enterprise. A question-and-answer session will close the meeting.

Groff, a resident of southern Lancaster County, is a registered nurse, the owner of the Nursing Educators Resource Group, and a professional seamstress. A graduate of Manheim Township High School, the Brandywine Nursing School and Immaculata University, she is a volunteer with numerous organizations, including the Friendship Community, the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, and Wheatland, where she serves as a tour guide.

Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. For more details, contact Phil Gerber at 717-872-8837 before noon or at pge8507@aol.com.