~ Welcome to the ~

Peter and Victoria Skena

Nature Reserve

Peter & Victoria Skena

Named in honor of my parents. They bought the 28 acre Howard Creighton farm in 1949 when our new home in Monroeville (on four acres of land) was taken by eminent domain, to extend the Pennsylvania Turnpike from Irwin to Monroeville. Our house was located where the tool booths are now. I was 12 years old at that time.

We lived in the coal-stove heated farm house for a few years, and raised garden plants plus corn, wheat, oats, rabbits, chickens and ducks that swam on the pond that we built in 1952. And we had cows for a while that I learned to milk, and we started North Hills Nursery. I belonged th the 4-H Club where I met my future wife, Lona Patty. My parents built a new home along North Hills Road in ~1953. My brother and walked the ~ one mile dirt road to Murrysville to attend school.

I must "fast forward" now because the library will close soon. I belong to the Westmoreland Conservancy. I believe that the history of the Skena Farm is like that of the Flynn Reserve that is owned by the Conservancy. So if you open Westmoreland Conservancy, and go to properties, and select the Flynn Reserve, you can trace ~ownership of the land from William Penn to Mr. Keister. I'm working to learn the ownership from Keister to the Creightons.

I'm trying to preserve the springhouse. If you would like to have more information, I would be happy to walk the Skena Reserve with you and provide more information. I hope you will come to the Westmoreland Conservancy meetings, and join the organization.

Regards, Clarence C. "Buck" Skena

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