Jim Nobles was the original founder of the Sayre Historical Society, which was created in March of 1989, and its first president, serving for nearly five years. He had been the impetus behind the idea, planning and completion of the yearlong centennial celebrations of Sayre’s first 100 years, 1891—1991 and served as centennial co-chair. (The many successes of the centennial are noted in a separate column.) He served as editor and also authored many articles in the society magazine, the Sayre Quarterly. He participated in other publishing projects, most noteworthy, as managing editor of the hard cover definitive volume A Century of Memories, Sayre, Pennsylvania, 1891—1991, and the latest, a postcard book titled Sayre, available for sale in the museum’s Burkhart Gift Shop.
Among his many other activities were opportunities to promote and preserve Sayre history. They focused on such projects as yearly history fairs and the very successful “Save Sayre’s Past!” project, through which hundreds of artifacts were donated by the public for preservation and have become part of the museum collection.
Henry Farley, while on the Sayre Borough Council, had worked to acquire the former Lehigh Valley Railroad Passenger Station for a small yearly fee from Sayre Borough for the Sayre Historical Society Museum. He was also instrumental in acquiring funding for the renovations to the museum: (1) the Guthrie Healthcare System donation of $50,000 for the Guthrie Gallery, the museum’s first gallery, the displays of which relate the makeup of the community of Sayre and (2) some of the funds from the sale of the Blue Swan Airport to complete the funding of the second, the Stephens-Redman Gallery, which will relate the importance of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Sayre and the surrounding area.
Henry also had served as society president and an editor of the Sayre Quarterly. He often wrote of history with articles in the centennial book, A Century of Memories…, in local newspapers, and in the Sayre Quarterly.
Noting the past accomplishments of both men, President Bracken concluded that the diligence of both has brought “the Sayre Museum to where it is today and where it will be tomorrow.”
Click here to recollect the many centennial activities and goals accomplished.
Click here: Jim Nobles biography.
Click here: Henry Farley biography.
