It's Almost April on the Trails of History

There’s so much info here that I won’t slow you down, except to point out that most Trails of History sites will be closed on April 20 for Easter. The Pennsylvania Military Museum, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and Washington Crossing Historic Park will be open on their regular Sunday schedules that day. (If you are looking for events this weekend you can find them in last week’s post or the Feb. 28 post.)

Something to look forward to,
courtesy of Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum

Conrad Weiser Homestead
April 6: Open—the site is open from noon to 4 pm.
April 13 (corrected date): Weiser Interpretive Program—enjoy an afternoon of history. Noon-4 pm.

Cornwall Iron Furnace
April 8: Friends Lecture Series—“The Waterworks at Schaefferstown,” with speaker Larry Stohler. Lectures are held in Freeman Hall auditorium at Cornwall Manor. 7 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
April 5: Boone’s Beerfest—food, beer, music, house tours, and a brewing demo (historical techniques). Cost is $40, $10 for designated drivers. 2-6 pm.
April 13: Pennsylvania German Easter and Spring Nature Program—lots of family activities, an Easter egg hunt, and a chance to learn about Pennsylvania German Easter traditions. Admission is $4 per person (age 3+). Noon-4 pm.

Drake Well Museum
April 12: Family Day—Held throughout the year, Family Day programs include crafts, movies, music and more. Included in museum admission; special family rate – up to 2 adults and 3 children for $20.
April 24: Heritage Lecture Series—special admission fee – adults (age 12-64), $5; seniors (65+), $4; children and Friends of Drake Well members, free.
April 26: Oil Valley Blacksmiths—this organization meets at Drake Well on the last Saturday of every month through October, providing demonstrations for visitors. Included in museum admission. 9 am-2 pm.

Eckley Miners’ Village
April 12: Tour Guide Training and Volunteer Meeting—if you’re interested in volunteering with Eckley’s programs or learning to guide tours of the village, this is a good time to start. Volunteer meeting is at 10 am, tour guide training at 11. Eckley is also looking for a volunteer to serve as Volunteer Coordinator. Call 570/636-2070 to sign up or to learn more.

Ephrata Cloister
April 3: Winter History Class Field Trip—travel to the Moravian Historical Society in Nazareth and the Troxell-Steckel House in Egypt (PA). $70 includes transportation, admissions, and lunch. Call 717-733-6600 to see if space is still available.
April 9: Storytime—Designed for preschoolers and their adults, the program pairs a story with a related craft or activity. Cost is $6 for an adult and accompanying child (age 3-5), $3 for each additional child; FREE with family-level membership in Ephrata Cloister Associates. 10-11 am.
April 12: Spring Search—children can hunt for clues all over the site, getting stamps in their Heritage Passports and earning a prize and treat if they find all the clues. Admission for children ages 11 and younger, $1; adults (12-64), $10; seniors (65+), $9 (free admission for members of Ephrata Cloister Associates and Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation). 1-4 pm.
April 25: Community Days School Program—Designed for school aged students, this program encourages exploration through a range of learning stages across the site. Reservations strongly encouraged. Visit the website for details. 9:30 am-1 pm.

Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara
April 12: Little Mates Easter Egg Hunt—members of the museum’s Little Mates Kids Club are invited to tour the museum and ship, make Easter crafts, and visit with the Easter bunny. Not yet a member? You can join when you register for the program. RSVP deadline is April 4.

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
April 5: Victorian Tea and Tour—start with a visit to the chair exhibit, then enjoy a guided walk through the village and a three-course tea at the Landis Valley House Hotel. Reservations are required by April 1. 10 am.
April 12: Paper Folding—part of the Museum Store’s “Folk Art and Friendship” series. Registration is required; call 717/569-9312. 1 pm.
April 12: Spring Benefit Auction—there’s a silent auction and a live auction, plus food and beverages for sale, to benefit the museum. Doors open 4:30 pm, live auction starts at 5:30 pm.

Old Economy Village
April 5: The Art of Blacksmithing—visit the blacksmith shop and watch a demo of this important skill. Included in regular admission, so please start at the Visitor Center. 11 am-4 pm (site open 10 am-5 pm).
April 12: 19th-Century Foodways: Breadbaking and Cooking—learn how the Harmonists (and many of their contemporaries) prepared meals – you might even get to sample homebaked bread. Included in regular admission, so please go to the Visitor Center first. 11 am-4 pm (site open 10 am-5 pm).
April 12: Easter Egg Hunt—bring the kids for an old-fashioned good time. Rumor has it the Easter Bunny will bring along some friends for the children to visit as well. Designed for children 10 and younger. $5 per person (adults, too) includes refreshments. Paid reservations by April 9; call Holly Dofner, 724/266-4500 x102. 9-11 am (hunt starts promptly at 9:15).
April 26: Meet the Gardeners—OEV is known for many things, including its beautiful gardens. Today you can talk with some of the volunteers who tend those gardens and ask questions about your own gardening needs (many of them are Master Gardeners). Included in regular admission, please purchase your tickets at the Visitor Center first. 11 am-4 pm (site open 10 am-5 pm).

Pennsbury Manor
April 6: Historic Trades and Open Hearth Cooking—the blacksmith, the joyner, and the cooks will all be on hand to demonstrate their skills with (respectively) metal, wood, and fresh spring ingredients. Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.
April 13: Living History Theater—“The Funeral of Phineas Pemberton” sheds light on a man William Penn called “one of the best men of the Province” and explores funeral customs in 17th-century Pennsylvania. Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.
April 27: Garden Highlights and Beer Brewing Demonstration—explore the kitchen garden, talk to the gardeners, and learn how the brewers turn barley and hops into beer (sorry, no samples). Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.

Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
April 12: Spring Antiques and Collectibles Show—held at Pine Creek Inn (1637 Route 6 West) due to visitor center expansion project. 10 am-4:30 pm.

Pennsylvania Military Museum
April 2: Friends Richard Koontz Memorial Lecture Series—Dr. Greg Ferro, Penn State Univ., will present “Richard M. Nixon – The Nation’s Vietnam War and the President’s Personal War.” Donations accepted. 7:30 pm.
April 26: Kids Day: Dress Up and Discover!!—kids of all ages can try on field gear and head gear from the museum education collection. Photo backdrops will be set up in the museum theater and there will be learning stations throughout the galleries. Included in regular admission. 10 am-3 pm.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
April 26: Exhibit opens—“A First Class Restaurant on Wheels: The Story of the Railroad Dining Car” includes artifacts and photos of the golden age of dining cars. Included in museum admission during regular hours, through December 31.

Somerset Historical Center
April 7: “PA German Music, Dance, and Instruments”—Keith Brintzenhoff, through the PA Humanities Council Commonwealth Speakers Program, offers an overview of Pennsylvania German music traditions through lecture and performance. The presentation will be followed by the Historical & Genealogical Society of Somerset County’s Annual Meeting. Admission is free. 6 pm.
April 11-13: Annual School of Coopering—learn traditional skills using traditional tools (hand power only) at this popular workshop. Contact the site at 814/445-6077 or c-mware@pa.gov for details. (If you already have the skills, you might like to know that SHC is also a good source for traditional coopering tools.)
April 12: Pysanky Egg Workshop—Jennifer Mudery, who demonstrates traditional egg decorating at Mountain Craft Days, will teach a beginner class. $30 includes all materials needed to get started ($25 for HGSSC members). Call 814/445-6077 to register.

State Museum of Pennsylvania April 4: State Geography Bee—100 participants from around the state will compete for the state title. Final round starts at 3:30 pm, followed by a brief award ceremony.
April 18: 3rd in the Burg/Learn at Lunchtime—visit with staff of the Susquehanna Art Museum to learn about their exhibit, “Lost World/Found World.” Museum admission is free during the event. 11 am-1:30 pm.
April 27: Exhibits closing—Last day to see “Chairs from the Collection of the State Museum” and “South Central Pennsylvania Scholastic Arts Exhibit.” Included in regular admission.

Washington Crossing Historic Park
April 6: Chocolate – A Look into an 18th-Century Chocolate Drink—in the 18th century chocolate was generally for drinking (not hoarding in your cubicle to sneak bites of when the 3 pm blues roll around - but I digress). Join Connie Unangst to learn more and sample some drinking chocolate. Admission is $6. 11 am.