Visit the PA Trails of History, July 20-31

We're more than halfway through July, but there's still a lot to do! Events below are today, July 20, through the end of the month. Look for the August listings around the 30th.

Volunteer of the Year honoree George Tolton will lead the dancing at Brandywine Battlefield this weekend

Anthracite Heritage Museum
July 20: Stoke the Fire Fundraiser—help support the Bonfire at the Furnaces event and enjoy an evening out at POSH at the Scranton Club. Information and advance tickets are available online from Brown Paper Tickets. 6-9 pm.

Brandywine Battlefield
July 21: Colonial Dancing—learn about an important aspect of 18th-century social life. Takes place in the Visitor Center and is free to the public. 11 am-3 pm.

Bushy Run Battlefield
July 28: Bushy Run Market—this open air market features a changing variety of vendors (last Saturday of the month, May-September). The concession stand will have drinks and light fare. Free for visitors and vendors (prospective vendors should contact market@bushyrunbattlefield.com to discuss participation). 8 am-noon.

Daniel Boone Homestead
July 25: Sawmill demonstrations—the site's water-powered up-down sawmill will be demonstrated at 11 am and 2 pm.

Drake Well Museum and Park
Saturdays and Sundays: Historic Pithole open. Admission charged. 10 am-4 pm.
July 28: Something More Saturday—in addition to the regular offerings, there will be hands-on activities for fun and learning. Included in regular admission. 10 am-3 pm.

Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara
Through August 17: Tall Ship Summer Camp—sail on board the schooner Lettie G. Howard and learn all kinds of nautical skills. Week-long camp sessions are still booking, geared for ages 10-14--except for Tall Ships Summer Camp RETRO week (July 2-6), which is designed for grown-ups! Details and registration info are on the website.

Hope Lodge
Sundays in July—the site is open for tours every Sunday, through mid-October. Admission is charged. 12:30-4 pm, with tours at 1 and 2:30.
July 22: Science and Mystery: 18th-Century Food Preservation and Storage—the Summer Kitchen will be up and running with a special program today. Hope Lodge is home to one of the largest and most intact food storage cellar networks among Georgian style homes constructed before the American Revolution. Experience the sights and smells of a busy, fully functional 1790 kitchen as culinary history interpreter and Hope Lodge intern Erin Agnew demonstrates the process of preparing food to last through the cold season. Cheesemaking, pickling, curing meat, and making fruit preserves is on the menu! Visitors participating in the 1:00 & 2:30 mansion tours will have the opportunity to learn the science and guesswork that went into keeping the residents and staff at Hope Lodge fed through the non-growing season.

Joseph Priestley House
July 25-27: History Camp—this year's theme is "The Priestley Family in Northumberland." The program offers a wide range of activities for first through sixth graders (more info). Fee charged; registration deadline is July 23. 9 am-noon.

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
July 28-29: Civil War Weekend—the site is transformed into a rural Pennsylvania village during the Civil War, with reenactors portraying soldiers and civilians (more info). The event takes place rain or shine. Admission charged; tickets are available online from Brown Paper Tickets. Food will be available for purchase at the museum store. 10 am-4 pm both days.

Old Economy Village
July 23-27: Summer History Camp—kids ages 6 to 12 will explore the village and learn about life and work in the community (more info and registration form. Register by July 5. 9 am-12:30 pm.
July 21: Blacksmithing Class: Beyond the Basics—keep an eye on the website for details. 10 am-1 pm.
July 28: Broom Making Class—check the website for details. 10 am-4 pm.

Pennsbury Manor
Special Sunday Programming—chat with the gardeners and the brewers (7/22); meet some of the animals that call Pennsbury home (7/29). Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.
July 23-27: History Camp—this camp is for students who've finished grade 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 who want to learn about life 300 years ago. Registration is required (info and online registration are on the website).

Pennsylvania Military Museum
July 20: Registration deadline for Boot Camp for Kids—this year's Boot Camp will be held Aug. 4 (more info and registration forms.
July 20: Lecture—helicopter pilot Ed Ramon will talk about his two tours of duty in South Vietnam, 1966-1968, in a talk titled "A War We Can't Forget." 6:30-7:30 pm.
July 21-22: VIETNAM Revisited—living historians will be on the grounds portraying American combat and support troops “in country” in the late 1960s. 10 am-5 pm (tactical demo at 1:30 pm each day). [See a preview in this Penn Live article.]

Somerset Historical Center
July 21: Escape Room—work as a team (of up to 10 people) to solve your mission and escape the barn. Two 60-minute games offered per day. Cost is $10 per person. 10 am-2 pm.

State Museum of Pennsylvania
Through Aug. 24: Summer Fridays—Fridays are "Pay as You Wish" this summer.
For the full listing of July programs, including planetarium shows, Nature Lab programs, StoryTime, and Learn at Lunchtime, please visit the museum's calendar of events.