July Speaker Series: Featuring Nancy Groff on Watt & Shand
July Speaker Series: The Preservation Palette – Colors of Our Past Featuring Nancy Groff on Watt & Shand
Join the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County for a captivating evening as we welcome local author and historian Nancy Groff for our July installment of the 2025 Speaker Series, The Preservation Palette: Colors of Our Past.
📅 Date: Wednesday, July 9, 2025
🕕 Time: Doors open at 6:00 PM | Presentation begins at 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, 123 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA
🎟️ Admission: By donation
🪑 Registration: Space is limited to 40 attendees—registration is encouraged! Scroll to the bottom of the page to register.
A Family Legacy and a Lancaster Icon
Nancy Groff, great-granddaughter of store co-founder Peter T. Watt, will delve into the rich history of one of Lancaster’s most iconic department stores: Watt & Shand. Her presentation will trace the inspiring journey that began on a windswept farm in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, where Peter T. Watt was born, and follow his emigration to America in pursuit of the American dream.
Together with James Shand, Watt opened the doors of Watt & Shand on March 9, 1878, at 20–22 East King Street. What began as a modest dry goods business grew into Lancaster’s largest and most enterprising department store, serving generations of families with domestic and foreign goods, notions, and fashions of the day.
Nancy will share stories not only about the store’s rise and success but also personal insights into her family’s history, the enduring legacy of the Watt & Shand name, and the building’s place in Lancaster’s architectural and cultural landscape. Her presentation is based on her 2022 book, Watt & Shand: East, West, Hame’s Best, which explores both the business and the people behind it, complete with vivid anniversary celebrations and memories shared by employees and patrons alike.
Watt & Shand
Artifacts, Memorabilia & More
In addition to her talk, Nancy will have two tables of original Watt & Shand artifacts on display, offering a rare opportunity to see pieces of the store’s past up close. She will also have books and posters available for purchase, making this a perfect event for local history enthusiasts and collectors.
Don’t miss this special opportunity to step back into a cherished chapter of Lancaster’s retail and architectural history, guided by someone with a deeply personal connection to the story.
📍Seating is limited to just 40 attendees—register now to reserve your spot!
We look forward to seeing you at the historic Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House on July 9th.
Event Registration