The Weisenberg Lowhill Township Historical Society recently welcomed area residents to their two-day Fall Festival or Spoatyahr Fesht at Zimmerman’s Hotel, Weisenberg Township.

Outside the rain was falling but in the buildings and under tents, people gathered to admire vehicles, tools and other items from the past and share what they knew and remembered about their families.

“This was run by the Zimmerman Family,” said Charlie Shaw, who has been a member of the historical society for more than 10 years. “I guess I’m the maintenance guy.”

A few minutes later, he was busy showing kids how to shuck corn.

In addition to the displays, visitors could tour the hotel and store, participate in numerous craft activities and purchase various food items.

“My grandfather bought this place in 1918. I’m the last one in the family and I didn’t know what to do with it,” said Gloria Zimmerman, vice president of the organization.

When Donald Brein-inger suggested starting an historical society, Zimmerman said she would donate 2.9 acres and the buildings.

“Then, people from the community started to donate things,” said Zimmerman.

Breininger serves as the president of the organization, which now has more than 200 members who meet regularly.

“Residents called the local bars hotels back then,” said Zimmerman, explaining rooms were never really rented.

The main house originally housed a store and post office.

“I was raised in this house,” she said. “There were six of us - my grandparents, my parents, my brother and me. My father had a large collection. That Cadillac was my grandfather’s.”

Zimmerman worked at Cedarbrook for almost 30 years. She also bought the personal care home directly across the road from the hotel.

Her extensive knowledge and love of the hotel where she grew up were obvious as she ushered visitors from room to room.

This year the focus of the festival was on the Herber Family. “Every two to three years, [the historical society] decides to feature a family,” said Nancy Zettlemoyer who curated the Herber display. “There are a lot of different lines of Herbers.”

Peter Herber and his family of five left Langenlonsheim, Prussia, now Rheinland-Palatinate, Germany, and settled in Pennsylvania in 1742. Zettlemoyer, who did extensive research over the course of three months to prepare the special exhibit, said she was pleased with the results.

“You never get done in genealogy,” she said. “You’re always finding new descendants.”

The historical society sponsors a number of events throughout the year. “We have speakers quarterly,” said Zimmerman.

The organization also sponsors a genealogy workshop the second Saturday of each month.

“There’s an old saying, ‘Those that don’t know history are bound to repeat the mistakes of the past,’” said Zettlemoyer. “Our heritage is here and that makes it all the more special.”