History buff helps preserve Trafford history
History buff helps preserve Trafford history
By MEGAN TOMASIC Tribune-Review staff writer | Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021
Andrew Capets hopes his efforts through the Trafford Historical Society will help future generations learn about the history of the borough.
Founded in 2017, the society has grown into 12 members who work to gather information about Trafford and share their findings. For a recent project, they replaced the historical marker of the former Westinghouse site that was located next to the Route 130 bridge with a red and white sign that also describes how the borough got its name.
Andrew Capets looks at a glass negative that was donated by Don Vitous to the Society. Photo by Megan Tomasic
“I think, ultimately, we would like to see the history preserved and saved so that, generations from now, they can understand what happened here,” said Capets, 54, of North Huntingdon.
Capets first became interested in the history of Trafford when he began researching his family history in 2011 and kept stumbling upon facts about the borough he had not previously known. Capets decided to create the website, traffordhistory.org, where he posts details and historical facts.
Today the site is filled with the history behind old photographs as well as stories about people who once lived in the borough, founded in 1904 and named by George Westinghouse for Trafford Park in England, according to the site. Growth of the borough was spurred by the foundry built by Westinghouse that thrived for most of the 20th century.
By 2016, Capets was approached by Don Cole of Level Green, who had the idea of publishing a book filled with the photographs. That same year, the duo published “Images of America: Trafford” through Arcadia Publishing that contains 220 images.
Capets said he was not looking to make money from the book because many of the photos belong to the community. Instead, he created the Trafford Historical Society, where the funds are used to preserve the history of the borough.
The website continues to grow, and the society started receiving donations from community members. Several of those donations are stored at the Trafford library with the goal of organizing them so people can search for their family history. Other items will be placed around the borough.
There are archival boxes located in the library, and organization members are hopeful they can find a glass cabinet where they can display items, Capets said.
“Right now, it’s fun to get together and kind of see what people have donated to us,” he said, noting that donations increased during the pandemic when many people had time to sort through household belongings.
Another goal is to find a larger space where they can display items that tell the story behind Trafford’s industry as well as the stories of the people who made the borough what it is today.
The group is open to recruiting new members.
“We’re always looking for people who do have similar interests who want to help us move the society forward,” Capets said.
Those interested in volunteering or looking to donate items can contact the historical society at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Megan Tomasic is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Megan at 724-850-1203, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Original article: History buff helps preserve Trafford history
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