Matthew Carl, Executive Director

Matthew Carl is Executive Director of the Bradford County Historical Society. As a native of Bradford County, he became interested in local history during a visit to Laquin at the age of 10. He was founding president of LeRoy Heritage Museum in LeRoy Township, Bradford County, in 2001 at the age of 18. Under his leadership, the organization purchased a historic grange hall and performed a $300,000 restoration project. A museum and research library was opened in 2010 and today maintains the largest collection of southwestern Bradford County history available anywhere. Matthew designed and assembled the museum exhibits. After significant growth of the LeRoy Heritage Museum collection, Matthew led the effort to acquire a second property for the museum in the fall of 2015 with the help of generous donors and the museum Board of Directors. A second large scale building project was completed in 2021 to expand the museum and provide more space for the research collection in the original building. He is the editor and designer of The Monogram, LeRoy Heritage Museum’s semi-annual local history journal; and also compiled the hardcover photo history book, Images of Southwestern Bradford County, in 2014. He has served as President of LeRoy Heritage Museum for over 20 years.

Matthew joined the Board of Trustees of the Bradford County Historical Society (BCHS) in 2004 at the age of 21, and was the youngest board member to be appointed in BCHS history. In the Spring of 2007, he was given the opportunity to transition from being a volunteer board member to being an employee. Today he manages the daily operations of the historical society including staff, educational programming, grant writing, exhibition planning and development, collections, and a variety of other tasks. Matthew has authored, co-authored and/or designed four local history books for the Society and has worked on the reprinting of two older local histories. He also designed a book for the Wyalusing Valley Museum titled, Wyalusing Valley Portraits: Our Place - Our Past. He has created a number of printed local history travel guides; and does layout and design for The Settler, Bradford County Historical Society’s quarterly magazine, and the Annual. Matthew is known for his in-depth local history presentations and walking tours and has spoken regularly throughout Bradford County on the topic of local history for over two decades. He started a BCHS YouTube Channel in 2020 and has created various local history videos. He has also met with small or start-up museums in Bradford County and New York to share advice based on his experience.

Denise Golden, Library Clerk

Denise Golden is the Library Clerk in our Research Library. She became the receptionist at the Bradford County Historical Society in 1996. At the time, the Society was located in a house at 21 Main Street, Towanda. Denise assisted researchers there until the Research Library was moved to its present location in 2000. She then became the Library Clerk at the new facility where she has mastered the genealogical research process using the Historical Society's vast collection. She now has over 25 years of experience helping patrons with their research needs. When you visit the Research Library, submit a research request or need information on library services, Denise will be glad to assist you.