Lawrence County museum auctioning its items after 38 years of preserving transportation history

SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. — After nearly four decades of preserving the history of travel, the Harlansburg Transportation Museum is auctioning its items.

Donald and Patricia Barnes founded the museum 38 years ago, filling it with airplane models, former train carts and railroad signs. For Donald Barnes, each piece is personal.

“Everything in here is part of me,” Donald Barnes said. “I always liked collecting memorabilia from all forms of transportation.”

In the quest to find older artifacts, the couple met new friends.

“We got to meet quite a few different people from different parts of the country. It was fun getting new friends,” Donald Barnes said.

This weekend, new faces will again walk through the museum, but this time to bid on its collection. An auction of the exhibits will take place — a bittersweet milestone for the Barnes family.

“It’s sad, maybe in a way I wouldn’t think it would,” said Barnes. “I won’t see it anymore.”

While most of the collection will be sold, Barnes said he is keeping some Coast Guard memorabilia, which he called an important chapter of his life.

The auction is scheduled to wrap up Tuesday.

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