History of Love, Loss, and the Making of Trafford’s Memory

The Trafford Historical Society will host a public presentation titled “History of Love, Loss, and the Making of Trafford’s Memory” on October 14, 2026, featuring local historian Andrew Capets and his research on the Earl family, with a special focus on the life of Anna Custer Earl, Trafford’s first Gold Star Mother. Born to a Civil War veteran who recovered the cannon ball now displayed in Westmoreland Park, Anna endured profound loss, including the deaths of her brother and husband in separate train accidents and the wartime service of her three sons. One never returned home. The program will feature rare artifacts, early Trafford photographs, and items from Mrs. Earl’s 1931 Gold Star Mother’s pilgrimage to France. The event begins at 6:30 PM in the Trafford Council Chambers, 414 Brinton Ave., Trafford, PA. The public is welcome.