November 2014 on the Trails of History

Happy Halloween! And goodbye, October. Don't forget that Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 am this Sunday, so if you don't reset your clocks, you'll miss an extra hour of sleep. As winter approaches, site schedules see more changes, so it's always best to check ahead. And we have several state holidays in November, so we've provided a handy-dandy summary to help you keep track of who's open and who's not. Please note that these listings will be updated as I get more info.

Anthracite Heritage Museum
Nov. 15: Lecture—David Wenzel (former mayor of Scranton) and museum board member Kate Gibbons will present a program on Scranton-area women in WWI and WWII. AAAAAND there will be an ice cream social! 2 pm.
Nov. 16: Lackawanna Audubon Society—Bill Speare's talk is entitled "Wildlife of Uganda and Kruger National Park." 2:30 pm.

Brandywine Battlefield
Nov. 29: 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. 2: Fall Lecture—Site is open noon-4 pm; the lecture is at 2 pm.
Nov. 22: Candlelight Tours—this annual program features living history, 18th-century music, and a chance to see the site by night. 6-8:30 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
Nov. 2: Boone Birthday Program—celebrate Daniel’s 280th birthday with tours, storytelling, and cake (following Henry Miller's 2 pm presentation). Admission (includes guided tour): $6, age 13+; $4, age 5-12; Members get in free. Noon-4 pm.
Nov. 9: Fall Lecture Series—Zachary Long will present "A Taste of the Eighteenth Century: The Original Farm to Table Cooking." The program will explore the origins of popular Pennsylvania foods, the types of seeds and livestock available, and tools and techniques of cooking. Suggested donation: $2 (regular admission rates apply for self-guided and guided tours of the historic area). 2 pm.
Nov. 16: Fall Lecture Series—Jim Lewars, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, will talk about "Rural Eighteenth-Century Pennsylvania Chairs," drawing on his knowledge of the Daniel Boone Homestead collections and those of the surrounding area (several pieces from Boone are included in Landis Valley's current exhibit, Chairs! Chairs! Chairs!). Suggested donation: $2 (regular admission rates apply for self-guided or guided tours of the historic area). 2 pm.

Drake Well Museum
UPDATED 11/5/14: this event has been postponed until spring.Nov. 13: Heritage Lecture Series—save the date and check back for details. 6:30 pm.

Ephrata Cloister
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. 8 and 9. Tickets are $6. Call 717/733-6600.
Nov. 12: Storytime—preschoolers (with an adult) enjoy a story and take part in a related activity. Admission is $6 for an adult and one child (age 3-5), $3 for each additional child (free for Family-level members or with Family Museum Pass). 10 am.
Nov. 16: Sunday Conversations—Nick Siegert will discuss the use of technology by members of the Amish community. Program is free, but regular admission rates apply to visit the site. 3-4 pm.
Nov. 22: Making History Workshop—a little DIY, a little conversation, a little history. Make a small cross-stitch embroidery piece based on Sister Petronella's 1768 sampler. Cost is $15, $10 for members. 10 am-noon.

Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara
Nov. 8: Little Mates Kids Club—tour the ship, have lunch with Captain Billy Sabatini, and get a kid-friendly behind-the-scenes peek at the museum. (Info on signing up, including how to join the Little Mates Kids Club.) 11 am.
Nov. 18: Lecture Series—in partnership with S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie, the Museum presents Jerry Skrypzak on "Commercial Fishing on the Great Lakes." Free of charge. 6:30 pm.

Fort Pitt Museum
Nov. 8-9: Living History Program—250th Anniversary of the Return of the Captives, 10 am-5 pm.

Graeme Park
Nov. 29: A Soldier’s Christmas—see how soldiers have celebrated the holidays on the battlefront of different eras. Free admission. This year, Graeme Park will be collecting personal care items to send to servicemembers stationed overseas. Noon-6 pm.

Hope Lodge
Nov. 1-2: 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. Admission charged - $8 (age 18-59), $5 (age 6-17 & 60+), family rate is $20 per car, free for age 5 and under. 10 am-4 pm, rain or shine.

Joseph Priestley House
Nov. 2: 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. 6: Hands-on History Day—experience seasonal chores, a one-room schoolhouse, hands-on crafts, and wagon rides. $10 per person (ages 5 and under and members are free). 10 am-3 pm.
Nov. 8-9: 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. Store event is free; regular rates apply for museum admission. 9 am-5 pm.

Pennsbury Manor
Nov. 2: Philadelphia: The Great Experiment—meet executive producer Sam Katz, learn about Pennsbury's role in the making of the Emmy award-winning series, and view installments 6 and 7. Reservations required. 1-3 pm.
Nov. 29: 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. 5: Friends’ Richard Koontz Memorial Lecture Series—“The Art of the Military Diorama,” with model maker Mike Siggins. Donation requested. 7:30 pm.
Nov. 8: Kids Day II - Dress Up and Discover!!—Kids of all ages get to try on military uniforms 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. Parents must remain on-site while their kids participate in the activities. 10:00 am-3:00 pm.
Nov. 22: "GAS! GAS! GAS! - The Terrible Weapon of the Great War"—Dr. Ron Lenox, retired organic chemistry professor and senior scientist at Armstrong World Industries, will talk about chemical warfare in World War I. Admission charged. 1:30 pm.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Nov. 1-2: 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. 2: Exhibit opening—"UnCommon Modern: A Pennsylvania Glossary of Midcentury Architecture" features a series of 40 color photographs by photojournalist Betsy Manning. Manning and exhibit curator William Whitaker, of the Architectural Archives of the Univ. of Penn., will be on hand to discuss the exhibit with visitors (more info about the exhibit). The exhibit will run through April 26, 2015. Museum admission is free today. 2 pm.
Nov. 8: Annual Workshops in Archaeology—this year's focus is climate change and its impact on cultural resources. Contact Janet Johnson by Nov. 4 for a brochure (you can see part of it on Facebook).
Nov. 8: Exhibit opening—the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society presents their 35th Annual International Juried Exhibition, which will run through Feb. 8. On Nov. 14, Karen Frattali, vice president of the society, will demonstrate watercolor painting in Village Square from noon to 1:30 pm (museum admission will be free from 11 am to 1:30 pm that day).
Nov. 21: Hidden Treasures 3—a scavenger hunt for grown-ups, with food, live music, and adult beverages. Details and link to buy tickets online (online sales close Nov. 18). $30 per person, $55 per couple. 7-9 pm.

Washington Crossing Historic Park
Nov. 16: Afternoon Concert Series—this month's offering is 18th-century opera. Please check back for more details. UPDATE: Graduate students from Westminster Choir College will perform. 2 pm. 11/10/14: Unfortunately this event has been cancelled. There will be a concert in December!
Nov. 23: Historical Lecture—Paul Nagy will discuss "Spies in the Continental Capital." 1 pm. UPDATE: the lecture will now take place at 2 pm.

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