PRVCHS Membership
Become a Member of the Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps Historical Society
Membership in the Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps Historical Society (PRVCHS) helps ensure that our work continues, researching, documenting, and preserving the historic memory of the Pennsylvania Reserves and their service during the American Civil War.
Membership dues are not used to fund monuments, headstones, or individual projects. Those efforts are supported separately through donations and grants. Instead, membership provides the operational support that allows the Society to function year-round. Membership keeps the lights on.
What Your Membership Supports
Annual membership dues support the Society’s core operating needs, including:
Insurance and volunteer coverage, Website hosting and digital infrastructure, Publication and distribution of the Society’s journal and Administrative and compliance costs.
By maintaining this foundation, PRVCHS can responsibly pursue research, publications, educational programming, and preservation initiatives across Pennsylvania.
“Three Years or the War: A Journal of the Pennsylvania Reserves",
first publication will be June 2026.
Membership Categories
PRVCHS offers five membership options: General Membership, General Membership PLUS, the Descendants Association, and Corporate / Institutional Membership.. Each option reflects a different level of engagement with the Society.
Friends of the Society
Friends of the Society is a non-membership supporter level for individuals who wish to stay informed about the work of the Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps Historical Society and help sustain its ongoing operations.
Friends of the Society receive:
Society communications, announcements, and periodic project updates
General information about research, preservation, and public history efforts
The opportunity to support the Society’s mission at an accessible annual level
This level is intended for supporters who value the Society’s work and wish to remain informed, without participating in formal membership or benefit programs.
General Membership
General Membership is open to anyone who supports the mission of PRVCHS, including historians, educators, reenactors, descendants, and members of the public with an interest in Pennsylvania’s Civil War history. This level of membership includes our “Three Years or the War: A Journal of the Pennsylvania Reserves", and 10% discount on PRVCHS events and merchandise.
The cost of General Membership is $100 annually (≈ $8.33/month).
Includes:
Subscription to the Society’s biannual printed journal, “Three Years or the War: A Journal of the Pennsylvania Reserves”;
and 10% discount on PRVCHS events and merchandise;
Members will also receive communications, updates, and announcements.
General Membership PLUS
The cost of General Membership PLUS is $150 annually (≈ $12.50/month)
Includes:
Everything found in the General Membership Package, plus:
One (1) PRVCHS T-shirt (shipped annually upon initial sign up and future annual renewals). Shirts feature a different design annually.
Descendants Association Membership
The Descendants Association is intended for individuals with a documented familial connection, by bloodline or marriage, to soldiers who served in the Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps or its successor regiments.
This membership category includes Society-wide benefits along with additional forms of descendant recognition.
Descendants Association | New Member
$200 annually (≈ $16.66/month). (Additional $40 per Soldier will be invoiced if you are claiming more than one) Includes:
All General Membership PLUS benefits;
One (1) authentic reproduction Civil War–style Dog Tag featuring the name of your ancestor, his company, regiment of service, as well as his hometown/county (if known). This dog tag is a one-time issuance when you sign up. Renewals are done at a discounted rate, and will not include a second issuance dog tag.
Certificate of Descendant Recognition;
Inclusion in the PRVCHS Descendants Association roll via website and publication in the journal, “Three Years or the War: A Journal of the Pennsylvania Reserves”.
Example of a Civil War Era Dog Tag, or “ID Disc” from the time period. The reproductions are authentically reproduced, to match your ancestors name, unit and location of residence, if known.
Descendants Association | Renewal
$150 annually (≈ $12.50/month). Includes: All General Membership PLUS benefits. Renewal memberships do not include re-issuance of one-time recognition items.
Descendants Association enrollment may be limited or temporarily paused to ensure responsible fulfillment and sustainable volunteer capacity.
Corporate / Institutional Membership
Corporate and Institutional Membership is intended for businesses, organizations, libraries, museums, historical societies, and civic institutions that wish to provide meaningful operating support to the Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps Historical Society.
This membership category is not a sponsorship and does not include advertising, endorsements, naming rights, or influence over Society programming.
Corporate / Institutional Member
$1,000 annually (≈ $83.33/month)
Includes:
Two (2) copies of the Society’s biannual printed journal, “Three Years or the War: A Journal of the Pennsylvania Reserves”;
Recognition as a Corporate / Institutional Member on the PRVCHS website;
Recognition in the Society’s biannual printed journal for as long as the organization remains a current member;
10% discount on PRVCHS events and merchandise;
Advance notice of programs, lectures, and exhibits
Listing in the Society’s annual report;
Additional Journal Copies (Corporate / Institutional Members)
Corporate and Institutional Members may request additional copies of the Society’s biannual printed journal at discounted institutional rates, subject to availability.
Institutional Pricing:
1–2 additional copies: $30 per copy;
3–4 additional copies: $25 per copy;
5–6 additional copies: $22 per copy;
7 or more additional copies: $20 per copy
Additional copies must be requested in advance of publication and are intended for internal, educational, or reference use only. Journals provided under this option may not be resold.
Membership Comparison
All memberships are valid for one calendar year from the date of enrollment or renewal. Membership dues are non-refundable.
Use of Membership Dues
Membership dues primarily support the Society’s operating costs. Physical items are provided as a benefit of membership and are not priced or sold individually.
Journal Fulfillment
Three Years or the War: A Journal of the Pennsylvania Reserves is provided in printed format only and is published twice annually. Membership must be active at the time of publication to receive the journal. Delivery timing may vary based on print schedules and availability.
Merchandise & Physical Items
Physical items, including T-shirts, ID discs, and certificates, are provided as a benefit of membership. Fulfillment timelines may vary due to production schedules, supply availability, or volunteer capacity.
Discounts
The 10% event and merchandise discount is a courtesy extended to members and does not represent a guaranteed cash value. Availability may vary by event or partner.
Descendants Association Eligibility
Descendants Association membership is open to individuals who can document a direct genealogical or familial relationship, including through bloodline or marriage, to a qualifying Pennsylvania Reserves soldier.
Changes to Benefits
PRVCHS reserves the right to adjust membership benefits, fulfillment schedules, or enrollment limits as necessary to responsibly manage operational needs and volunteer capacity.
Why Become a Member?
Membership supports serious historical work without gimmicks or inflated promises. It allows PRVCHS to operate responsibly, publish original scholarship, and maintain the infrastructure required to preserve the historic memory of the Pennsylvania Reserves.
If you value careful research, accurate interpretation, and responsible stewardship, we invite you to become a member.