During fiscal year 2007-2008, PHMC completed its three-year (2005-2008) strategic plan and finalized a new plan to guide the agency through 2008-2011. Planning continues to be valued as essential to PHMC’s ability to change and adapt to current trends and new opportunities. The following highlights some of the strategic accomplishments as a result of completing the plan.

Author and historian Dr. Lofaro gives a presentation to 6th graders at Daniel Boone Homestead.

Goal 1
Partner with state agencies, non-profits and other private and public entities to make history an asset in support of economic development, education and quality of life for Pennsylvanians.
Pennsylvania Civil War Trails signage was installed in partnership with PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation), DCED (Department of Community and Economic Development)and participating communities of Harrisburg, Shippensburg, Gettysburg, York, Lancaster, Hanover and Chambersburg.

• PHMC-administered historic site, Daniel Boone Homestead, working in collaboration with the Daniel Boone School District, invited Dr. Michael Lofaro, nationally known author and history educator, to take part in a three-day, on-site program for 6th graders from the school district and in public presentations.



Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum hosted a program to promote Charter Day.

• In cooperation with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, The State Museum of Pennsylvania hosted "Fallingwater en Perspectiva," an exhibition of 52 paintings by noted artist Felix de la Concha of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece.
• "An Anthracite Homecoming," a program at the Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum, a PHMC-administered historic site, featured 38 partners to promote Charter Day. PHMC co-sponsored an annual historic preservation conference, "Protecting Pennsylvania’s Historic Resources," and a statewide awards program.
• A collaborative program with Penn State University’s American Studies Program was established to offer graduate-level courses on Cultural and Historic Resources Management to be offered during the 2008-2009 academic year.

Goal 2
Create a unified identity for PHMC in order to improve its visibility and increase participation in its programs.

• The commission adopted an agency-wide policy and guidelines on use of the PHMC logo. PHMC Web site (www.phmc.state.pa.us), utilizing new portal technology, was updated with new content areas about the 75th Anniversary of the New Deal, African-American history programs, Archaeology, Architectural Field Guide, Archives and Records Management Seminar, Cemetery Recordation, Pennsylvania Heritage magazine, Pennsylvania Historical Marker Program, School Preservation and Trails of HistoryTM.
• PHMC launched the 75th Anniversary of the New Deal as its annual theme. Accomplishments include distribution of a printed poster, content contributions to the PHMC Web site and nine New Deal initiative grants awarded to county historical societies.
• Joseph Priestley House, a PHMC-administered historic site, was featured in WVIA-TV’s documentary New Deal Legacy: A Passage Through Pennsylvania’s Valleys of the Susquehanna.

PHMC employees carefully clean historic artifacts at the Joseph Priestley House.

Goal 3
Expand and diversify financial resources including fundraising and revenue-generating initiatives to support PHMC’s mission.

• Bureau for Historic Preservation awarded a Preserve America grant for the "Preserving African-American Heritage in Pennsylvania" initiative and launched a major research effort, the results of which will be formally unveiled along with numerous related public programs in 2010.
• Old Economy Village, a PHMC-administered historic site, received a grant from the Heinz Endowments for the publication of a book on Harmony Society furniture.
• The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania received an IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) Conservation Project support grant to preserve more than 2,000 glass plate negatives from the Broadbelt collection of Baldwin Locomotive Works images. 
• The Friends of the Pennsylvania Military Museum are raising funds to move two of the main 14-inch guns from the WWII era battleship USS Pennsylvania from Virginia to Boalsburg. The first phase of the project was completed with installation of concrete mounts that will hold the guns.



PAbookstore.com features monthly specials on books and related items dealing with Pennsylvania topics.

• PAbookstore.com, a partnership of the Pennsylvania Heritage Society and PHMC, was launched online and offers a wide array of book products about Pennsylvania.

Goal 4
Develop a more collegial and creative institutional culture that encourages and celebrates excellence, collaboration, productivity and public service.

• Established a multi-year schedule of PHMC annual themes that cut across bureaus and mesh a wide array of programs and staff collaboration. 
• Larry Say, maintenance foreman at Drake Well Museum, received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the category of saving commonwealth funds.
• Library brown bag lunches continue to provide a way for staff to share research and knowledge.

Goal 5
Provide leadership in state and local history by committing to excellence in all we do.

• Drake Well Museum received reaccreditation from the American Association of Museums in recognition of meeting and exceeding standards of excellence.
• Ambridge, Beaver County, borough location of Old Economy Village, received designation as a Preserve America Community. 
• The Friends of Drake Well received the American Association of Museums’ scholarly publication award for Oilfield Journal.