Welcome to 2015!

I hope your new year is off to a good start. Before we jump into the January program listings, I'd like to share a couple of links to images of the 2014 Christmas Day crossing of the Delaware at Washington Crossing Historic Park. Not quite the same as being there, but for many of us, it will have to do. Friends of Washington Crossing Park uploaded photos to their Facebook page, and the Times of Trenton has an online article with photos.

Not on the PA Trails of History but a favorite photo from the past year (photo by AKF)

Please be sure to check site operating schedules before you visit, to avoid disappointment and frustration. Winter brings adjusted days, hours, and/or building availability, as well as the occasional weather-related closure. Most sites will be closed on January 19 for the Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday; the Railroad Museum of PA UPDATED 1/5/15 and the visitor center at Washington Crossing Historic Park will be open.

Anthracite Heritage Museum
Jan. 10-24 is Mining History Week and the Museum is cooperating with various other regional institutions offering programs. For more information on events, visit the Facebook page, Public History at Wilkes University or this article in the Citizens' Voice [added 1/12/15]. Jan. 17: Knox Mine Disaster—this program looks at the events of Jan. 22, 1959, when the Susquehanna River flooded the mine at Port Griffith (Luzerne County), and explores the effects on the local community. Admission is free. (UPDATED 1/5/15 Snow date is Jan. 25.) 2 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
Jan. 18: Fireside Tales—come to the Wayside Lodge for an old-fashioned storytelling session, a warm fire (but bring a blanket if it's really cold), and refreshments (more info in the Pottstown Post). The program is geared for children age 4-8 and their families. Suggested donation of $2 per child. 2 pm.

Drake Well Museum
Jan. 10: Something More Saturday—join storyteller Bill Stumpf as he brings to life the tall tales of the oil region's Gib Morgan. Included in regular admission. Special family rate of $20 for up to 2 adults and 3 children. 10 am-3 pm.

Ephrata Cloister
Jan. 2-3: Lantern Tours—this year's tour focuses on the Great Comet of 1743-44 and its effect on the community. Last weekend's tours were well attended, but as far as I know there are still tickets available. Call 717/733-6600 to check. Cost is $10 (age 12-64), $9 (65+), $7 (6-11), and $5 (3-5). Tours leave the visitor center every half hour from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Jan. 14: Storytime—preschoolers and accompanying adults enjoy a story and an activity related to the history of Ephrata Cloister. Cost is $6 for an adult and child, $3 for each additional child (age 3-5). Free to family-level members of Ephrata Cloister Associates or with a Library System of Lancaster County Family Museum Pass. 10-11 am.
Jan. 22, 29: Winter History Class—first two of nine weekly sessions exploring a variety of topics related to the Historic Ephrata Cloister and the world in which it existed. Classes continue each Thursday through March and conclude with a field trip on March 26. Cost is $50 ($40 for members of Ephrata Cloister Associates) with an additional fee for the field trip; or you can pick individual sessions at $8 each. Call 717/733-6600 for details or to register. 9 am-noon.
Jan. 24: Young Curators of Our Community—Ephrata's curatorial and educational staff will answer questions about their work and teach attendees some of the basics of organizing, caring for, and exhibiting their own special collections. Program is recommended for pre-K through 8th grade; a parent or guardian must accompanying children. Cost is $6 for one adult and one child, $3 for each additional participant. Please register by Jan. 17; call 717/733-6600. 1-3 pm.

Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara
Jan. 26: Storytime at the Maritime—enjoy a maritime-themed story, meet the guest reader, and tour the museum. Please contact Andrew at 814/452-2744 x225 or outreach@flagshipniagara.org to register. Event is free. 10 am.

Fort Pitt Museum
Jan. 5-30: Museum closed—Fort Pitt will close for routine maintenance and exhibit updates, then reopen on Jan. 31.

Joseph Priestley House
Jan. 4: Twelfth Day—glimpse the Priestley family’s life in Northumberland with a taste of the English customs they remembered. The house will be decorated as an English country manor, costumed docents will be on hand, and there will be chemistry demonstrations and children’s games. Admission charged. 1-4 pm. (Did you miss it? Read about it in The Daily Item.)

Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
UPDATED 1/5/15 - this program is full; check the website for future offerings - Jan. 10: Heirloom Seed Project Workshop—a professional garden designer and horticulturist will talk about making your garden attractive to birds and butterflies; the workshop will also teach you how to build a nesting box for bluebirds. Cost is $25 (more info and registration form). 9 am-noon.
Jan. 31: Folk Art and Friendship Class—learn about tinsmithing and try your hand at making a simple project. Cost is $15. (More information, including a registration form and a list of upcoming classes, is on the website.) 1-3 pm.

Old Economy Village
New hours of operation in January—the historic buildings of the village will be closed in January. The Visitor Center will be open on a new schedule: Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday - 10 am to 5 pm; Wednesday and Thursday - 10 am to 8 pm.
Jan. 11: Open Sunday—the Visitor Center will be open one Sunday a month, noon to 5 pm.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Jan. 28: Registration opens—as part of its celebration of Read Across America Day on March 7, the museum will offer "Breakfast with the Conductor and Catcher [the museum's mascot, Catcher the Cow]" as an add-on. Space is limited and reservations will be accepted starting Jan. 28.

State Museum of Pennsylvania
Jan. 16: 3rd in the Burg—Deb Watson, a member of the National Watercolor Society and Watercolor USA Honor Society, will demonstrate watercolor techniques and talk about the 35th Anniversary edition of the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society International Juried Exhibition, on view at the museum through Feb. 8. Admission is free during this event. 5:30-7:30 pm.
Jan. 18: "How I Remember Martin"—the museum is hosting this program of poetry and personal reflections of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., presented by Nathaniel Gadsden's Writers Wordshop and Jump Street Inc. The program is sponsored by Imani African Christian Church. Museum general admission is free; museum hours are noon-5 pm, and the program is 2-4 pm.