The Warren County Historical Society is holding a special event later this month to highlight the history of the National Forge Company.

The event — set for Sept. 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Wilder Museum in Irvine — will highlight the connections between the society and the company.

The name of the museum is one of those connections.

“Founded in 1915 by Clinton E. Wilder, the National Forge Company began as the National Forge and Tool Company in Erie,” a statement from the Historical Society explained.

“The company quickly purchased the Irvine Steel Forge Company as an additional facility and eventually moved the entire operation to Irvine in 1917.

The company became a major producer of large, precision machined steel forgings with many employees contributing to the company’s success throughout history.”

Fast-forward 75 years and Robert O. Wilder, chairman and president of National Forge Company “initiated the establishment of a museum to honor his father, hold archives relevant to the National Forge Company, and display artifacts from the Brokenstraw Valley area.”

That started in 1991 as the Clinton E. Wilder Museum at the former Irvine school building which was build in 1940 on land he had donated.

Five years later, the Society was given the museum “which is home to almost 4,000 artifacts in 17 exhibit rooms dedicated to Warren County history,” they say.

“One such room is the National Forge Exhibit Room which contains various machinery, equipment, photos, a 1963 Mercedes Benz once owned by Robert Wilder, large weapons, such as a 37 mm anti-tank gun and a torpedo, and extensive additional artifacts.”

The event on Sept. 29 is free and open to the public.

This event is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome. For more information, please call (814)723-1795, visit www.warrenhistory.org, or like the Wilder Museum on Facebook.