June!

There’s so much listed here that I don’t want to bog things down, but I wanted to mention that PHMC sites are participating in the Blue Star Museums program, through which museums all over the country offer free regular admission to active duty service members and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. PHMC sites are proud to take part in this effort, and in fact, we welcome military families free of charge year round.


Anthracite Heritage Museum and Scranton Iron Furnaces
June 1-3: Fire at the Furnace and Arts on Fire—TONIGHT is the Fire at the Furnace fundraiser at Scranton Iron Furnaces (here for details, you can get tickets at the door for a donation of $20). The Arts on Fire festival is on Saturday and Sunday, with industrial artists working in glass, metal, recycled materials, and clay (plus children’s activities, food, and music). Admission to the Arts on Fire festival is free.

Brandywine Battlefield
June 7: Brandywine Battlefield Task Force public meeting—the BBTF is seeking public input on the Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan, which concerns an area beyond the boundaries of our Trails of History site. For more information on the planning to date or to register for the public meeting, go here.
June 25-29: Summer History Camp for Grades 3-5—summer camp is held weekly through early August for different age groups. Check the website for details and to register.

Bushy Run Battlefield
June 16: Lecture—Dr. Karen Kehoe, assistant professor of history at Saint Vincent College, is the speaker. Lecture (and general meeting) is free to members of the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society; there is a $5 fee for non-members.

Conrad Weiser Homestead
June 3: Colonial Craft and Demonstration Day—craft demonstrators will share the historical context, materials, and equipment of a variety of mid- to late-18th-century trades (some demonstrators will have items for sale).

Daniel Boone Homestead
June 16: Evening on the Green—this program features fiddle music, tour guides in period dress, colonial era games and toys, old-fashioned ice cream making, and mead samples (go here for details).

Drake Well Museum
June 13: Model T Reunion Tour—vintage cars from 1909 to 1926 will be on site as the Model T Reunion tour swings through the oil region.
June 21: Summer Heritage Lecture Series—check the website for details.
June 30: Blacksmith demonstrations—this is a recurring program offered the last Saturday of each month through October.

Eckley Miners’ Village
June 16-17: Patch Town Days and Antique Car Show—the village comes to (19th-century) life with music, food, dramatic performances, dancers, and vendors both days. On Saturday only, there will also be a selection of antique cars on site.

Ephrata Cloister
June 14, 21, 28 and July 5: Guide Training—are you interested in history and enjoy sharing your interest with others? Consider becoming a volunteer tour guide. No prior knowledge of Ephrata history is required. For more information, go here.
June 17: Father’s Day—dads get in free today, and there are guided tours on the hour from 1 to 4 pm.

Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara
June 1: TONIGHT, the US Navy Band will perform a free concert at 7 pm in Erie’s Liberty Park as part of the Perry 200 celebration. Park at the Erie Maritime Museum and take the shuttle. (As of Thursday afternoon, the concert was still on, with bad weather forecast to move out of Erie in the afternoon.) BAYFRONT CONVENTION CENTER; PARKING IS FREE. (Concert moved due to weather--go here for info.) The Navy Band will also perform briefly at tomorrow night’s Mariners Ball, but that’s sold out so this is your chance.
June 5 and 18: Tune in to JEOPARDY these two nights (and again on a date in 2013 yet to be announced) for War of 1812 clues during the Double Jeopardy round. (Staff at Erie Maritime recently helped the Jeopardy Clue Crew—say that three times fast—with research for the 2013 clue. Hmm.)

Fort Pitt Museum
June 9: Kids at the Fort—this month’s installment in the Summer Saturdays at the Fort series focuses on what life was like for children in 18th-century Pittsburgh. There will also be a book signing and talk by Brady Crytzer, author of Fort Pitt: A Frontier History.

Hope Lodge
June 13: Outdoor Concert—the Ambler Symphony Orchestra will perform on the front lawn; bring lawn chairs, picnic suppers (if you like), and flashlights. Rain date is June 20. More info here.

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
June 19-22: Summer Institute—celebrating its 56th anniversary, Institute offers a wide range of hands-on classes, lectures, tours, and evening events for adults (and summer camp activities for kids so the whole family can attend). Go here for a brochure.
June 26: Hands-on History Days—chores, games, crafts, wagon rides, a one-room schoolhouse lesson, and more for kids of all ages ($10 per person, children 5 and younger get in free).

Old Economy Village
June 2 and 16: Living History Days—the village will be alive with activity and demonstrations throughout the historic buildings. Start at the Visitor Center for tickets and info on the day’s events.

Pennsbury Manor
June 3: Historic Trades—the blacksmith and the joyner will demonstrate their skills from 1 to 4 pm.
June 8: Dine Around the Manor—a progressive dinner will take you to various buildings on the site; in-between you’ll find demos of 17th-century cooking and strolling musicians. End the evening in the Visitor Center with dessert, a basket raffle, and a live auction. Check here to see if tickets are still available.
June 10: Living History Theater—“John and Mary Sotcher: May 1702” brings us up-to-date on William Penn’s steward and housekeeper, married last fall and currently responsible for taking care of Pennsbury while Penn is in England.
June 17: Open Hearth Cooking—the cooks will be making cheese and other dairy recipes, and they’ll talk about the uses of milk in the 17th century.
June 24: Garden Highlights—experience the glories of the summer garden, with lush fragrances and colors. (The Times of Trenton posted photos of May's garden program here.)

Pennsylvania Civil War 150 Road Show
June 30-July 8: Kutztown Folk Festival—the Road Show hits the road for the summer, hosted by the Berks County Historical Society and Kutztown Folk Festival.

Pennsylvania Military Museum
Weekends in June: T-Shirt Tour Weekends—wear an Armed Forces t-shirt any Saturday or Sunday and take part in a guided tour at 1 p.m. for only $4.00.
June 6: "Belgium Under German Occupation During World War I"—speaker is Dr. Sophie de Schaepdrijver, associate professor of modern European history at Penn State, talking about the life, work, and remembrance of Gabrielle Petit, set against a backdrop of military occupation, secret intelligence networks, and divided postwar memories; part of the Friends of the PA Military Museum speaker series.
June 14: Flag Day Celebration—State College Elks Lodge and local veterans organizations sponsor this annual Flag Day service and U.S. Flag Retirement Ceremony. If you have a U.S. flag that is no longer serviceable, bring it along for proper disposal.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
June 2-3: Norfolk Southern Days—this event will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Norfolk Southern and explore some of its predecessor railroads. Of particular interest will be the Pennsylvania Railroad heritage unit, a new locomotive with a traditional PRR tuscan red and gold paint scheme. Go here for more details about the event.

Robert Fulton Birthplace
June 2: “Southern End” House and History Tour—the Southern Lancaster County Historical Society hosts its third annual house and history tour to benefit the Robert Fulton Birthplace in Quarryville (details here). Call 610/593-6989 for details and tickets.

Somerset Historical Center
June 23: Exhibit opening—“Made in Somerset County” features some of the finest examples of local craftsmanship, including work by weavers, blacksmiths, coopers, cabinetmakers, gunsmiths, and more. Included in site admission (free to members), the exhibit will continue into the fall.

State Museum of Pennsylvania
June 9: 2nd Annual Fatherhood and Family Celebration—this program features speakers, dance classes, films, workshops and children’s activities. Free admission.
June 15: 3rd in the Burg/Learn at Lunchtime—museum admission is free from 11 am to 1:30 pm, and there will be free tours at 12:15 and 1 pm. “Learn at Lunchtime” will continue every Friday through Aug. 31.
June 16: Exhibit opening—“Art of the State,” the annual juried exhibition of Pennsylvania artists opens at 6:30 pm, with an awards ceremony at 7 (followed by a reception).
June 20: Story Time in Curiosity Connection—free with museum admission, this children’s book program will be offered every Wednesday morning at 10 am through Aug. 1. ALSO, at noon on June 20, there will be a free lecture and book signing by Thomas J. McGuire, author of Stop the Revolution: America in the Summer of Independence and the Conference of Peace.

Warrior Run Church
June 10: Strawberry Festival—the day before the event, volunteers start churning hundreds of gallons of ice cream and hulling mountains of local berries. Yum!

Washington Crossing Historic Park
June 16: American Heritage Chocolate Program—offered in partnership with Mars Chocolate North America and fitting PHMC’s 2012 foodways theme, this program includes a lecture (with samples!) on the kinds of chocolate consumed in the American colonies and a lecture on 18th-century chocolate processing. Be still my heart.