August on Tap

Summer is forging ahead and so are the Trails of History sites. Find one near you and enjoy!

Anthracite Heritage Museum
Aug. 5: Lithuanian Heritage Day—exhibits, lectures, and musical performances will explore the Lithuanian heritage of the anthracite coal region. Lithuania's ambassador to the U.S. will be among those on hand to enjoy the day. Included in museum admission. Check here for program details. Noon-5 pm

Brandywine Battlefield
Aug. 26: Battlefield Movie Series—Free Sunday afternoon movies and snacks. 1776 is this month’s film. 1 pm

Bushy Run Battlefield
Aug. 4-5: 249th Anniversary of Battle of Bushy Run—this highly popular two-day event features battle reenactments, sutlers, crafts, and historical presentations. 10 am-4 pm

Conrad Weiser Homestead
Aug. 5: 18th-century Interpretive Sunday—learn about life in Berks County in the mid-18th century and hear a Native American perspective on the French and Indian War. Noon-4 pm; historic guided tours hourly noon-3 pm.

Cornwall Iron Furnace
Aug. 3: Cornwall Blast—a new fundraising event featuring local wineries and breweries, plus music by the Wayne Fox Trio. Wine and beer tastings for those 21 and over, plus other refreshments suitable for younger visitors and those who prefer their beer rooty instead of hoppy. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance; call 717/272-9711 to check on availability. 7-9 pm
Aug. 14: “Pennsylvania Long Rifles”—Staff from Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum will talk about the development of the distinctive American form known as the Lancaster or Pennsylvania long rifle. (As we may have mentioned here once or twice, Landis Valley currently has an exhibit of rifles and firearms that continues through Dec. 31.) Part of the Friends of Cornwall Iron Furnace lecture series, the program takes place in Freeman Hall auditorium at Cornwall Manor. 7 pm

Daniel Boone Homestead
Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26: Interpretive Sundays—spend Sunday afternoons in August learning about gardening and food preservation (8/5); turning flax and fleece into linen and wool (8/12); gunsmithing (8/19); and camp cooking (8/26). Included in museum admission. Noon-4 pm

Drake Well Museum
Aug. 4: Historic Pithole Open for Tours-Guides will be available today at the remains of one of the oil region's famous boomtowns. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children (ages 3-11); free for Friends of Drake Well. Go here for more info or here for doowop song about Pithole (thanks to PA Trails of History for the share). 9 am-3 pm
Aug. 25: Blacksmith Demonstrations—this monthly event brings local blacksmiths to the site to show how it’s done. 10 am-2 pm
Aug. 26: Drake Day and Exhibit Grand Opening—celebrate the first successful well drilled for oil and explore our brand new exhibit, “There’s a Drop of Gas and Oil in Your Life Every Day.” (Photos of the exhibit work in progress are here.) Local musicians, the Venango Brigade, will perform (you can hear samples of their Civil War-era music here). Noon-5 pm

Eckley Miners’ Village
Aug. 18-19: Living History and Civil War Weekend—living history demonstrations, military encampments, and reenactments throughout the village. Ethnic food concessions and a Victorian tea are also on the menu. Regular admission rates apply. 10 am-5 pm

Ephrata Cloister
Aug. 5: Ice Cream Social—enjoy an evening of ice cream (pick your own sundae toppings) and music (vocalist Dean Sensenig) in a beautiful setting. Tickets are $3 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the Museum Store. 4-6 pm
Aug. 18: Family Day—discover life in Ephrata during the 1700s and the roles that family members played in their households through hands-on activities around this historic site. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $7 for students (age 6-17) and $5 for children (age 3-5). Ephrata Cloister Associates and PA Heritage Society members get in free. 10 am-3 pm

Fort Pitt Museum
Aug. 11: Saturdays at the Fort—this month the focus is on how the 18th-century residents of Fort Pitt fed themselves. Special demonstrations include hunting, fishing, and gardening. 10 am-5 pm

Graeme Park
Aug. 26: Yellow Fever Living History Program—Philadelphia experienced a dramatic yellow fever epidemic in 1793. Graeme Park, like other country estates, became a haven removed from the city’s contagions. This program explores the impact of the epidemic on Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson and her circle of family and friends. Noon-3:30 pm

Joseph Priestley House
Aug. 5: Oxygen Day—in honor of Dr. Priestley’s best known (though certainly not his only) scientific contribution, this program features costumed docents throughout the house, chemistry demonstrations, and a presentation by staff from the respiratory care department at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. Free admission. 1-4 pm; chem. demos at 1:30 and 3 pm.

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
Aug. 7: Hands-On History Day—experience chores, games, and crafts from the past, take a wagon ride, learn your lessons in the one-room schoolhouse, and more. This program will also be offered Oct. 4 and 25, Nov. 8. Cost is $10 per person; children 5 and younger are free. 10 am-3 pm
Aug. 11: Storytelling Day—a full day of storytelling around the site, plus hands-on workshops and craft demonstrations. Go here for the day’s schedule. Regular admission rates apply. 10 am-4 pm
Aug. 25: Weathervane Art Show—Landis Valley’s museum store will host an array of artisans selling their wares and demonstrating their crafts, plus there will be music by the Ragtime Willi Band and, of course, food. Go here for a list of some of the artisans (the flyer says “30 artisans” but the list has grown to 50 as of late July). Admission to the art show is free; but why not buy a ticket to the site and make a day of it? 9 am-4 pm

Old Economy Village
Aug. 18: Living History Day and Gertrude Rapp’s Birthday—a full day of activities, with crafts demonstrations (including silk making in honor of the birthday girl), ginger cookies, ice cream and musical entertainment. Included in museum admission, so please start your day at the Visitor Center to purchase tickets. 10 am-5 pm
Aug. 24: Survivor in Concert—Remember “Eye of the Tiger?” “Is This Love?” “The Search is Over?” The ‘80s band Survivor will perform in the historic gardens (lawn chair and blanket seating only), with opening act Bishop Clay (a local band). Go here for details and info on tickets. Gate opens at 6 pm; Bishop Clay hits the stage at 7:30 pm, Survivor at 8:30 pm.

Pennsbury Manor
Aug. 5: Historic Trades—the blacksmith and the joyner will demonstrate their skills. 1-4 pm
Aug. 12: Living History Theater—“The Germantown Protest of 1688” explores the first documented protest against slavery in America, which took place at the Germantown meetinghouse of the Society of Friends. 1-4 pm
Aug. 19: Open Hearth Cooking—the cooks will be demonstrating Dutch foodways traditions in the kitchen. 1-4 pm
Aug. 26: Garden Highlights—the gardeners will be working in the kitchen garden. 1-4 pm

Pennsylvania Civil War 150 Road Show
Through Aug. 4: Schuylkill County Fair—hosted by the Schuylkill County Historical Society, Pottsville
Aug. 12-18: Fulton County Fair, McConnellsburg
Aug. 21-25: Perry County Fair, Newport
Aug. 28-Sept. 3: The Great Allentown Fair

Pennsylvania Military Museum
Aug. 1: “Harry Truman: The Most Successful (WWII) and Least Successful (Korean War) Commander-in-Chief”—Greg Ferro will talk about “Give ‘em Hell” Harry Truman, the only U.S. president to lead the country through two wars. Ferro, a retired State College High School history teacher, continues to teach and lecture on historical topics. Part of the Friends of PMM speaker series. 7:30 pm
Aug. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26: T-shirt Tours—wear an Armed Services themed t-shirt to the Museum any weekend in August and receive a 1 pm guided tour for $4.
Aug. 5, 12, 19: “Gone West: The History of the 28th Division Shrine”—take a guided walking tour of the 28th Division Shrine, followed by a historical presentation and vintage film footage in the museum’s orientation theater. Donation requested. 5:15 pm
Aug. 7: “24 Hours at Manassas Junction: Second Manassas Campaign”—speaker Mark Trbovich will explore the campaign waged by Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia against Maj. Gen. John Pope’s Army of Virginia. August 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Second Manassas. (As a Union general, Pope would probably have referred to it as the second Battle of Bull Run.) Presented by the Central PA Civil War Roundtable. 7 pm

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Aug. 10-11: Hogwarts Express Parties—elements of the popular Harry Potter books come to life among the museum’s railcars and street scenes. The program is recommended for ages 8 and up (attendees must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian). Space is limited; registrations are accepted by mail or in person, and all those attending over age 3 also subject to museum admission fees. Go here for details and a registration form. 11 am, 1 pm

State Museum of Pennsylvania
Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Learn at Lunchtime—the museum offers free admission mid-day every Friday, along with docent tours of select exhibits. 11 am-1:30 pm; docent tours at 12:15 and 1 pm
Aug. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26: IdeaZone—explore the topic of "Food in PA from Field to Table," with hands-on activities in the museum’s interactive learning space. Included in museum admission. 12:30-3:30 pm
Aug. 17: 3rd in the Burg—this month’s program features an Artist Conversation in the “Art of the State” exhibit and a reception. Free. 6-8 pm

Washington Crossing Historic Park
Aug. 4: The American Travelling Morrice—this group, comprised of musicians and morris dancers from all over who come together once a year to tour a different part of the country, will visit Washington Crossing as part of their 37th annual tour. Morris dancing is an English country tradition that dates back centuries. WCHP performance is at noon.