When Nicole McMullen was asked what brought her back to Harrisburg, she replied coolly, “I fell in love with the John Harris/Simon Cameron Mansion.”
While many of us here would agree that the mansion is one of our local gems, pulling McMullen away from her previous position was no small feat. She most recently served as the executive director of the Maui Historical Society in Hawaii.
“It was very difficult leaving Hawaii,” she admitted, “but the midstate is my home.”
On March 4, McMullen began her tenure as the executive director of the Historical Society of Dauphin County. She replaced Kathryn McCorkle, the society’s highly regarded leader who retired after eight years at the helm.
McMullen has deep roots in the area. She was a student of history at Gettysburg College then completed a master’s degree in American Studies at Penn State Harrisburg. Prior to moving to Hawaii, she served in various positions in Cumberland, Lancaster and York counties.
Job Requirements
It’s fortunate that McMullen is so enraptured by the mansion as its continued preservation is one of the most important roles of the executive director.
According to Thomas Gacki, the former board president who chaired the search committee that hired McMullen, “Our single greatest asset—as well as our single biggest financial challenge—is the John Harris/Simon Cameron Mansion.”
As McMullen herself states, “The city has done a great job of preserving it for future generations. However, a structure that old requires constant care. One of my primary objectives is making sure that we are always financially prepared for the mansion’s restoration needs. Even now, we are preparing to do restoration on the woodwork as part of the home’s regular maintenance.”
Beyond this work, McMullen will take care to further the society’s mission “to collect, preserve, exhibit, publish and promote interest in the history of Dauphin County for the benefit of the public.”
“Like virtually all small non-profit organizations, funding is a challenge,” said Gacki.
“But the society is holding its own. We have a decent base of individual members who support us, but we need to expand our corporate support. We receive some help from Dauphin County, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and private foundations. McMullen will oversee crucial fundraising events.”
McMullen’s Vision
McMullen is inheriting an historical society with a healthy budget located within a community that is enthusiastic about history and historical preservation. The wonderfully preserved mansion is a testament to these efforts. However, while the situation at the society gives her reason to be optimistic, she has no intention of resting.
“She is facing the challenging task of succeeding an iconic leader,” said Gacki. “Fortunately, she has a nearly ideal background for the job. Her previous experience in Hawaii was with an organization remarkably like our own. She is tasked with improving our educational programs in particular, as well as revitalizing our volunteer base.”
For McMullen, a primary job is raising the profile of the organization.
“While an active and enthusiastic group of participants already exists, we can always do more to raise awareness,” she said. “Historical societies should be community organizations and a community resource for learning. I want to work more closely with area schools. I want to make sure we continue to regularly offer student tours.”
Invariably, in the 21st century, raising awareness is a predominately digital activity.
“We have a wonderful collection of archival materials here at the Historical Society,” said McMullen. “I am committed to putting more of our collections online, granting access to researchers and students all over the world. A lot of people don’t realize just how extensive our archives are.”
An increased digital presence, including the use of social networking tools such as Facebook, will also allow the society to connect with other historical organizations so they can pool their resources and assist each other in their preservation efforts.
Beyond this, McMullen wants to expand the programs available to the public. This will require additional exhibit space, something that she is also exploring.
Charting Her Course
As McMullen continues to transition into her new position, she will oversee numerous programs available to the community.
She is excited to offer lectures on the second Sunday afternoon of each month. Open to the public, these talks will highlight the history of the city and surrounding area.
Additionally, a new exhibit debuted in April and will run through Sept. 26. The special presentation of 1920s fashion features collections on loan from the Shippensburg University fashion archives. To give the collection a proper debut, the mansion played the role of speakeasy, recently hosting a ‘20s-themed fundraising event.
“We are hopeful that Nicole will be with us for a long time and will grow into a respected community leader,” said Gacki. “We believe she will chart her own course in this regard.”
