November Rolls In

Welcome to November on the Pennsylvania Trails of History. Time to start checking seasonal schedules, as some sites are now closed or on reduced hours for the winter. With Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, we also have some holiday changes as well (a summary of holiday schedules will help you plan ahead).

For those of you in the Harrisburg area (or who would like a weekday road trip), the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation's annual Holiday Marketplace is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, November 21 and 22, 10 am-3 pm. The event, which features merchandise from sites on the Trails of History as well as other state agencies, takes place in the atrium of the Commonwealth Keystone Building, corner of North St. and Commonwealth Ave. Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation and State Museum Affiliate members receive a 10% discount on purchases.

Anthracite Heritage Museum
Nov. 2: A Miner’s Tale—dramatic presentation by Robert Hughes provides insights into the life of an anthracite miner. $5 ticket includes admission to the museum’s exhibits as well. 2 pm.

Brandywine Battlefield
Nov. 2: First Annual Brandywine Battlefield 5K—starts at Brandywine Battlefield Park, 8:30 am.
Nov. 30: Patriot’s Day—British and Continental troops, civilian reenactors, sutlers, and much more at this annual event commemorating the Battle of Brandywine and its significance to the American Revolution. 10 am-4 pm.

Conrad Weiser Homestead
Nov. 3: Open noon-4 pm.
Nov. 23: Candlelight Tours—this annual program features living history, 18th-century music, and a chance to see the site by night. 6-8:30 pm.

Cornwall Iron Furnace
Nov. 12: Friends Lecture Series—“Tools of Genealogy,” with speaker Brian Kissler, librarian and archivist for the Lebanon County Historical Society. Lectures are held in the auditorium of Freeman Hall at Cornwall Manor retirement community. 7 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
Nov. 3: Boone Birthday Program—celebrate Daniel’s 279th birthday with tours, storytelling, and cake. Admission: $6 ages 12+, $4 ages 5-11. Noon-4 pm.
Nov. 10: Fall Lecture—Floyd Turner II will present a talk entitled “Turtle—Washington’s Revolution War Attack Submarine.” Suggested donation: $2 (regular admission charged for tours or to visit the historic area). 2 pm.
Nov. 17: Flag Retirement Ceremony—several local organizations will be on hand to properly retire U.S. flags that are no longer serviceable. Event is free; regular admission charged for tours or to visit the historic area. Noon.

Drake Well Museum
Nov. 7: Heritage Lecture Series—"You Can Come Home Again: Two Centuries of the Appalachian Natural Gas Rush," with David Waples, author of The Natural Gas Industry in Appalachia. Program details.
Nov. 21: Heritage Lecture Series—Speaker is Dr. William Brice, author of Myth, Legend, Reality: Edwin L. Drake and the Early Oil Industry. Program details. 6:30 pm.

Ephrata Cloister
Nov. 7: Ephrata Cloister Chorus at Historical Society of Pennsylvania—the chorus will perform traditional music as part of "Flowers of Paradise: Manuscripts and Illustrations from the Ephrata Cloister," a lecture by Dr. Jeff Bach, who has done extensive research and writing on the community at Ephrata. The program is presented by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St., Philadelphia. Free of charge. 6-7:30 pm. Nov. 8: Tickets for Christmas at the Cloister—as of today, the general public can purchase tickets for this limited-seating event, scheduled for Dec. 9 and 10. Tickets are $6. Call 717/733-6600.

Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara
Nov. 2: Little Mates Kids Club—tour the ship, have lunch with Captain Wes, and get a kid-friendly behind-the-scenes peek at the museum. More info on Facebook, including how to join the Little Mates Kids Club. 11 am.

Graeme Park
Nov. 30: A Soldier’s Christmas—see how soldiers have celebrated the holidays on the battlefront of different eras. Free admission. Noon- 6 pm.

Hope Lodge
Nov. 2-3: Whitemarsh Encampment Reenactment—this long-standing event commemorates the Nov. 2-Dec. 11, 1777, encampment of Gen. George Washington and the Continental Army in the Whitemarsh Hills. Program details and discount coupon. 10 am-4 pm, rain or shine.

Joseph Priestley House
Nov. 3: Heritage Day—costumed interpreters will be stationed in the house as you tour, Dr. Priestley will demonstrate chemical principles, and there will be games for children. 1-4 pm (chemistry demos at 1:30 and 2:30).

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
Nov. 2-3: Landis Valley Museum Store Holiday Open House—shop for locally handmade art, crafts and heirloom-quality gifts and enjoy holiday decorations in the museum store. 9 am-5 pm.
Nov. 7: Hands-on History Day—experience seasonal chores, a one-room schoolhouse, hands-on crafts, and wagon rides. $10 per person (ages 5 and under are free). 10 am-3 pm.

Old Economy Village
Nov. 13: Behind the Scenes Tour—wonder what’s behind the locked doors? This is your chance to find out. Tour collections storage areas with staff and see treasures not currently on display. Wine and cheese will be served in the visitor center. $25 ($20 for Friends of OEV). Reservations required.
Nov. 16: Museum Store Class—learn to make German stars for decorating your home. $15 fee includes materials. Register by Nov. 13.

Pennsbury Manor
Nov. 17: Open Hearth Cooking—the cooks will be overdosing on sugar today as they explore 17th-century confections. Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.
Nov. 30: Wreaths & Greens Workshop—make a fragrant evergreen wreath and learn how to prune and care for evergreens in your yard. $35 fee. Choose morning (10 am-noon) or afternoon (1-3 pm) and bring your own clippers. Registration is required.

Pennsylvania Military Museum
Nov. 6: Friends’ Richard Koontz Memorial Lecture Series—“Young Mr. Roosevelt,” with speaker Dr. Stanley Weintraub, explores Theodore Roosevelt’s experience as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. 7:30 pm.
Nov. 9: Kids Day - Dress Up and Discover!!—Kids of all ages get to try on field gear and head gear from the museum education collection. Photo ops abound with three backdrops in the museum theatre. Visit the education stations in the galleries for more fun discoveries throughout the day. Admission is Buy-One-Get-One-Free. Parents must remain on-site while their kids participate in the activities. 10:00 am-3:00 pm.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Nov. 2-3: Trains & Troops—this annual program salutes our armed forces and explores the role of the military in railroad history (and vice versa). A Swing Dance Saturday night (separate or combo ticket) lets you enjoy big band music, refreshments, and swing, swing, swing. Program details. Sat., 9 am-5 pm; Sun., noon-5 pm.

State Museum of Pennsylvania
Nov. 3: Exhibit Opening—“Chairs from the Collection of The State Museum” presents a diverse array of chairs ranging across Pennsylvania’s history. The exhibit will be on view through April 27, 2014. An opening reception will be hosted by the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation. 2-4 pm.
Nov. 15: Hidden Treasures 2—a scavenger hunt for grown-ups, with food, live music, and adult beverages. Details and tickets at shoppaheritage.com (online sales close Nov. 13). $30 per person, $55 per couple. 6-9 pm.
Nov. 16: Workshops in Archaeology—the focus this year is “Archaeology of a Troubled Nation, 1755-1865.” Additional information and registration.

Washington Crossing Historic Park
Nov. 10: Historic Foodways—check the website closer to the dates to confirm details.
Nov. 13: Final Public Meeting for WCHP Master Plan—an opportunity to preview the final plan for use of the park's many facilities, hear a progress report, and ask questions or provide comments. 5:30-8:30 pm.