For Angie Van Scyoc and Edward Thome, the path to saving one of America’s most significant historic estates did not begin in Elkins Park just outside of Philadelphia, where the sprawling Gilded Age mansion Lynnewood Hall stands. It began much closer to home.

Both raised in the Juniata River Valley, Van Scyoc and Thome first connected through involvement in local community theater. At the Stone Arch Players, Van Scyoc worked behind the scenes while Thome took to the stage — an early partnership grounded in creativity, collaboration and dedication to community.

At the time, neither imagined that those same values would one day be applied to one of the largest residential preservation projects in the United States.

Thome was first captivated by Lynnewood Hall at just 11 years old after discovering images of the long-abandoned Gilded Age estate located just outside Philadelphia. Once home to industrialist Peter A.B. Widener, the mansion had suffered decades of neglect. What began as childhood curiosity slowly developed into a vision to see the historic structure saved.

When Van Scyoc learned of that vision years later, she didn’t dismiss it as unrealistic.

“I thought I was just helping a friend at first,” Van Scyoc said. “But it didn’t take long to realize this was something much bigger.”

Turning a vision into action

Together, they began making frequent three-hour drives from Central Pennsylvania to the Philadelphia area, spending weekends networking, advocating and learning what it would take to preserve a property many believed was beyond hope. Skepticism was common, but determination carried them forward.

“There were a lot of people who told us it couldn’t be done,” Thome said. “But I don’t believe in a defeatist mindset; there is always a way to persevere if you truly wish to make a difference.”

In 2019, Van Scyoc and Thome, along with three other individuals, formally founded what would become the Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation. Years of setbacks, perseverance and gradual progress followed. Their efforts reached a defining milestone in June 2023, when the foundation successfully acquired Lynnewood Hall, securing its future after decades of uncertainty.

National recognition and historic significance

Another major achievement followed in August 2025, when Lynnewood Hall was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service, recognizing its architectural and cultural significance on a national level.

Today, Van Scyoc and Thome serve as co-founders and executive leaders of the foundation, overseeing what is expected to become the largest restoration project ever undertaken on a residential-designed building in the United States. Despite the national and even international scope of the work ahead, their focus has never drifted far from their roots.

“This started in our community,” Van Scyoc said. “And we want to make sure the platform of Lynnewood Hall promotes stewardship and interest to give back to our local communities.”

That mindset remains evident through their continued involvement in local preservation efforts, including work with the Historic Embassy Theatre in Lewistown — another project close to home.

“This is what historic preservation is all about — passionate people who care deeply about their communities stepping up to save the past for future generations,” said Paul Fagley, president of the Friends of the Embassy Theatre. “These places are irreplaceable.”

From preservation to the big screen

Recently, Van Scyoc and Thome’s preservation story took an unexpected turn into film.

Shortly after the foundation acquired Lynnewood Hall, the estate was selected as a filming location for “A Great Awakening,” a feature film produced by Sight & Sound Films. Thome was even invited to appear in a cameo role — a fitting moment for someone whose creative roots were planted on a local stage.

As the film now screens in theaters across the country, including Miller Cinema in Lewistown, the experience feels especially personal. Miller Cinemas will hold a community screening of “A Great Awakening” on Friday. The first of two showings will begin at 5:45 p.m.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. where Van Scyoc and Thome will meet local movie goers prior to each showing, as well as share information about Lynnewood Hall alongside members of Stone Arch Players and the Historic Embassy Theatre. The second showing is slated for 8:45 p.m.

“When we found out the film would be playing here at home, it just felt like everything had come full circle,” Van Scyoc said.

Another local connection

That sense of connection extends to the theater itself. Miller Cinema owner Sherri Burns has personal ties to Elkins Park, the very community where Lynnewood Hall is located.

“I was born and raised in Glenside, Montgomery County, just outside of Philadelphia,” Burns said. “I moved to Mifflin County and bought Miller Cinema in July 2023. ‘A Great Awakening’ was filmed in and around Philadelphia, and we are proud to be able to share it with our community.”

Miller Cinema recently marked its 77th anniversary, having first opened on April 1, 1949. Burns credited longtime employee Rob Sprankle, who has worked at the theater for 43 years, as a steward of the historic building and a familiar figure to generations of moviegoers.

A story that comes full circle

For Van Scyoc and Thome, the hometown screenings represent more than just a film. They’re an opportunity to reconnect with the community that shaped them — and to show what can grow from local beginnings.

“We want people to see that something like this can start right here,” Thome said. “A regular individual, no matter your background or upbringing, can achieve great and honorable things if you’re willing to put in the time, dedication, and passion.”

What began in a small-town theater has become a preservation story of national importance. Yet at its heart, the story of Lynnewood Hall remains local — one rooted in perseverance, community and the belief that the past is worth saving.