CLARION, Pa. — The Clarion Free Library has dealt a winning hand for Clarion County, showcasing the rich history of our region in a nostalgic deck of custom playing cards.

Each card showcases a historic photograph of Clarion County and may be the perfect gift for this holiday season.

“For each card, we selected photographs of landmarks, events or architecture that played a role in our past,” Dan Parker, Executive Director of the Clarion Free Library commented.

“It’s fascinating to browse through the cards and learn more about our area.”

The Clarion Free Library created the deck of custom playing cards to coincide with 175th anniversary of the Clarion Borough. Proceeds support the Clarion Free Library who has been hit with several unexpected costs this year, including vandalism, flooding, and maintenance on their old building.

“The response to our deck of cards has been overwhelming. So many people have purchased decks to send as holiday gifts to family no longer in Clarion. We have shipped cards to California, Nevada, Utah, and Florida.”

Many of the photographs used in the deck of cards were borrowed from the collection of local author and historian Kevin Beichner.

“Kevin has such an immense collection of historical photographs; it was a pleasure to partner with him on this project” Parker continued.

The deck of cards includes nostalgic photographs from around Clarion County, including boat races on the Toby River in 1948, the Acme Coal mine in Rimersburg and the old Garby Theater on Main Street, Clarion. The cards are high-quality and fully playable.

The Friends of the Clarion Free Library sold card sponsorships to local businesses to offset the cost to produce the cards.

“The cards make great holiday gifts. Whether you play cards or not, the deck is a great keepsake from our region. They showcase the history of our region in a unique and even practical way.” .

Decks of cards are available at the Clarion Free Library and various locations throughout the county for $12.00.