Well, that was August, I guess

The September program page is now available and will be updated as events are added. For online activities available 24/7, check out the Trailheads Rec Room (to the right of your screen).

August has been a blur, and I guess that's not unusual. But we're all dealing with some degree of upheaval and disruption, some of us more than others (I realize what an understatement that is). The Commonwealth of PA website has gathered mental health resources, if you're looking for some help with coping.

Life on the Trails of History continues - it's mostly online, but it continues. This has been a big week for anniversaries and commemorations.

Replica oil derrick at Drake Well Museum and Park (via Facebook)

Normally, Drake Well Museum and Park marks Drake Day (the anniversary of the first successful oil well) with an onsite program the weekend closest to August 27. Recent years have included a 19th-century traveling circus, with a glimpse of life in the oil region, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's "Spinosaurus Encounter," exploring the geology of the oil fields. This year's Drake Day featured an online presentation by museum curator Sue Beates, who recounted the history of the industry that started at Drake's well and the development of the museum.

A new monument in Harrisburg honors the Old 8th Ward, a predominantly Black and immigrant neighborhood that was removed to make way for what is now the Capitol Complex, home to (among many other state agencies) The State Museum of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Archives, and PHMC's headquarters offices. The monument dedication was held on Wednesday to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and the 150th anniversary of the 15th Amendment. (In 2015, one of PHMC's Keystone Interns wrote a guest post for Trailheads about a walking tour that included part of the Old 8th Ward.)

Last week's post (and the week before) included news about the commemoration of the 19th Amendment, which opened the way for women to vote. With the 100th Anniversary on Aug. 26, a number of sites posted in honor of the day, also known as Women's Equality Day.