Outstanding Women of New Brighton: Eva Mae Merrick

When you walk into the Merrick Art Gallery in New Brighton, PA, you will be amazed at the beautiful paintings on display collected by Edward Dempster Merrick from the mid to late 1800s. But we need to thank Eva Mae Merrick for her love of the gallery and her dedication to restoring it to the impressive destination it is today.

Eva Mae Christie was born on May 19, 1918 in Grove City, PA, and soon became the big sister to a younger brother and sister, Franchard and Ionna. She loved to spend time at her grandparents’ farm and learned to play the violin, but most of all she loved to read. Eva’s love of reading led her to attend Grove City College to earn a degree in Library Science. Little did she know that in her freshman year she would meet a senior named Robert Merrick who was also attending Grove City College. Robert came from one of the well-known early families of New Brighton, and when Bob took Eva to the Merrick Art Gallery it was love at first sight. Bob graduated that year and came home to New Brighton to work at the family business, Standard Horse Nail, and to wait three years for Eva to graduate. Eva continued her education at Grove City and worked at the local library where she paid her younger brother twenty-five cents to sweep the library steps. She graduated with a Library Science degree and a teaching certificate.

Soon after graduation in 1939, Eva and Bob were married and moved into an apartment building in front of Park Presbyterian Church in Beaver. They joined the church, became active members, and started their family. They soon had a daughter, Karen, and two sons, Ted and Bob, and Eva was busy as a mom, a Sunday school teacher, a brownie leader, volunteering at the New Brighton Children’s Home, and joining every book club she could find.

Then in 1959, their lives took a major turn when Bob was named the second trustee of the Merrick Art Gallery. By this time, the gallery was run down and in need of major repairs. Buckets were catching rainwater pouring through the roof, there was no electricity in the building, and the furnace was spewing coal dust on the priceless paintings. Many repairs needed to be made but there was little money available. Eva sprang into action, rallied her many friends, and had the roof repaired and a gas furnace installed. The only light coming into the gallery was from the second story skylights which let in very little light in the winter and evenings. In 1960, electricity was installed which meant the gallery could now be open most days for visitors.

The next project was to clean the paintings. Eva and her volunteers started the slow process of cleaning as it would take several years before there was enough money to have the paintings sent away for professional cleaning. Eva was always well dressed and neat so it was amusing to see her emerging from the cleaning room looking like a coal miner.

Now it was time to earn money to keep the improvements going. In 1963, The Merrick Art Gallery Associates was formed, and in the 1970s, Eva formed the Women’s Council. In 1973 she presented a display of hundreds of antique Valentine cards.

Some of the very successful fundraisers accomplished under Eva’s supervision were “Carriages at Six” and “Antiques” at the Morrow Farm, “The Great Gatsby” dinner at Seven Oaks Country Club, and “The Victorian Ball” at the Merrick. Guests would search antique shops for weeks prior to the events to find period clothing to wear to the occasions.

When the newly formed New Brighton Library needed a home, Eva’s love of reading was instrumental in making them welcome at the Merrick for several years until they could afford a home of their own. The New Brighton Historical Society also met at the Merrick for many years.

When a friend was asked what words described Eva she said, “gracious, kind, clever, supportive, treated everyone equally, and loved to entertain.” If anyone asked where they could find Eva, she was either at the art gallery or the church.

When Eva passed away in 2005 at the age of 87, Beaver County lost a true visionary and a woman who made a difference in her community.

When you visit the Merrick Art Gallery, make sure to look in at the newly refurbished Eva Mae Merrick Music Room and see the piano played by Stephen Foster at the Merrick House.