History through Art

Custom poster created by design firm School using Benjamin West's 1771 painting Penn's Treaty with the Indians (painting courtesy of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia)

Starting tomorrow and continuing for the next year, a new sound installation at Pennsbury Manor will take visitors on a journey through Pennsbury's riverfront grounds, honoring and reimagining environmental song-making practices surviving in the Lenape diaspora. With "nkwiluntàmën: I long for it; I am lonesome for it (such as the sound of a drum)," artist Nathan Young invites audiences to "meditate on enduring Indigenous relationships to land." Young is an enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians (one of five federally recognized nations of the Lenape diaspora) and a direct descendant of the Pawnee Nation and Kiowa Tribe. He is currently pursuing a PhD in the Univ. of Oklahoma's Native American Art History Doctoral program where his scholarship is focused on Indigenous Sound Agency.

This new work combines environmental sounds, voice, and music from a range of collaborators to expand listeners' perspectives on the Delaware. Young explains, "This installation showcases sound as a powerful art form and uses modern technology to add meaning to a historic place. I hope that 'nkwiluntàmën' [pronounced KWEE-LU-NOM-IN] inspires visitors to explore the contemporary work of the Delaware people."

Artist Nathan Young recording enviromental sounds along the Delaware (photo by Ryan Strand Greenberg)

Pennsbury's site administrator, Doug Miller, notes that this artwork will help transform visitors' experience of the property and its history: "Pennsbury Manor has long been focused on the life of William Penn, but in the last decade, we've been looking beyond Penn's legacy to that of the Lenape people who first inhabited this land. Nathan Young's installation will help tell this complex story through an artistic lens."

Major support for "nkwiluntàmën" came from the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, with additional support from Pennsbury Manor. Due to the opening activities tomorrow, Manor House tours will not be available. After tomorrow's opening, visitors can experience the work Wednesday through Sunday afternoons, 1-4 pm, through April 2024. A $3 grounds pass is required (full admission rates apply to tour the Manor House). Online ticketing is available via Ticketbud.

For a sample of the soundscape created by Nathan Young and his collaborators, visit Pennsbury Manor's Facebook page.

Up Next

Saturday, April 15

• Mapping Mammal Hall (in-person); 10 am-Noon; The State Museum of PA
• Use the giant map of PA to locate the real-life settings for the Mammal Hall dioramas. Included in regular admission (Mammal Hall program info).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Friederike Baer, associate professor of history at Penn State Abingdon, will present "Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War," exploring the estimated 30,000 German soldiers hired to fight for the British. Tickets are $20 (Rev Speaker Series tickets).

Sunday, April 16

• Open Hearth Cooking (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• The cooks will fire up the bake oven to demonstrate the weekly baking of bread and more. Included in regular admission (Sunday program info).

Tuesday, April 18

• Sensory Hours (in-person); 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, sound, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be some quiet spaces in the galleries to take a break. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (April 18 Sensory Hours tickets).

Wednesday, April 19

• Celebrate Earth Day: Plant a Tree (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn more about the trees in Pennsylvania and how they make our lives better. Then take a seedling home to plant. Supplies are limited, so register at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive to receive a seedling. Included in regular admission (Earth Day program info).

Thursday, April 20

• Archives Without Tears Q&A (virtual); 10-11 am; PA State Archives
• Do you have questions about practical ways to preserve and/or make available the historical records in your care? Whether you are a curious individual collecting and caring for family or community materials, a local government employee tasked with records storage, a volunteer at a local historical society, the director of a large institution, or anyone in-between, we invite all to bring questions for Pennsylvania State Archives archivists to answer. It may be helpful (but is not required) to first check out the brief AWOT Key Concepts videos that are freely available on PHMC's YouTube channel, @PATrailsofHistory (Archives Without Tears registration).

Friday, April 21

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Emily Boyd, small game mammal biologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, will talk about the three Pennsylvania rabbit and hare species and the ongoing research to improve management and promote the continued presence of all lagomorph species for future generations of Pennsylvanians. Program is free, but you must register to receive the link (April 21 Learn at Lunchtime registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Lunch & Learn (in-person); Wednesday, Apr. 26, 10 am-2 pm; Graeme Park
• Author C.J. McGroarty will discuss her novel, Clara in a Time of War, which is set on a Chester County farm in 1777. The program also includes continental breakfast, buffet lunch, and tours of the Keith House. Tickets are $35 (Lunch & Learn program info and tickets - sales end April 21).

• Behind the Scenes with the Heirloom Seed Project (in-person); Saturday, Apr. 29, 9 am and 1 pm; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
• Heirloom Seed Project staff and volunteers will offer a glimpse into preparations for the annual Herb & Garden Faire and lead a tour of gardens on the site. Two tour times: 9 am or 1 pm. The tour is two hours of walking around the museum grounds, rain or shine; please dress for the weather with comfortable footwear. Tickets are $40, $35 for members (Heirloom Seed Project tour tickets).

• Art in the Garden (in-person); Saturday, Apr. 29, 10 am-1 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Take a tour of Pennsbury's gardens and grounds, then settle into your favorite spot and paint. All skill levels welcome; materials provided. Cost is $35, $30 for members. Registration required (Pennsbury Manor contact info).

• Salon Social (Tea) (in-person: Saturday, Apr. 29, 1-3 pm; Anthracite Heritage Museum
• Join us for afternoon tea featuring Victorian and Edwardian fashions, tea sandwiches, desserts, coffee and tea. Make reservations by calling 570/963-4804 or emailing ahmuseum@verizon.net. Tickets are $25 and the deadline to reserve is April 23 (call 570/963-4804 or email ahmuseum@verizon.net).

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, May 2, 3-5 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, sound, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be some quiet spaces in the galleries to take a break. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (May 2 Sensory Hours tickets).

• Herb & Garden Faire (in-person); Friday and Saturday, May 12-13, 9 am-5 pm; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
• The Faire, featuring plants from Landis Valley Museum’s Heirloom Seed Project, will also offer heirlooms, natives, and other hard-to-find varieties to purchase from vendors spread out over the historic village area of the site. The 2023 Herb & Garden Faire is the 35th year of this high-profile regional event. Food and drink will be available onsite. Tickets are available at the door or in advance online (Herb & Garden Faire online tickets).

Summer Camp Programs (camps are in-person unless marked otherwise)

• Brandywine Battlefield Park (Brandywine camp info)
• Live the Battle Week (grades 3-4), June 27-30, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 3-4), July 11-14, 9 am-2 pm
• Live the Battle Week (grades 5-6), July 18-21, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 5-6), July 25-28, 9 am-2 pm

• Drake Well Museum & Park (Drake Well camp info)
• Discovery Days Camp (ages 8-12), July 6, 13, 20 & 27, 9 am-4 pm

• Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum (LVVFM camp info)
• A Child's Life in the Civil War (ages 5-11), July 18-21, 9 am-12:30 pm

• Pennsbury Manor (Pennsbury camp info)
• Colonial Camp Week (ages 6-8), July 17-21, 9 am-4 pm

• Railroad Museum of PA (RMP camp info)
• Barons & Builders Summer Day Camp (ages 9-10), July 11-14
• Barons & Builders Summer Day Camp (ages 11-12), July 25-28

C'mon, Spring!

Feast Hall (left), Frederick Rapp House (center) and George Rapp House (right) as seen from the Rapp House Garden (photo via Old Economy Village Facebook page)

I know it's foolish to wish for spring just because it's March, but I can't help myself when I see photos like the one above. I'll keep dreaming. Some Trails of History sites began shifting from their winter schedules to their spring schedules this week, so that must mean something (although I should note that Old Economy Village, pictured above, will reopen April 1).

Visit Lebanon Valley, in partnership with the Lebanon County Branch of the NAACP, Lebanon County Historical Society, and Cornwall Iron Furnace, rounded out Black History Month by launching the Lebanon County African American Heritage Trail with a celebration attended by the participating organizations. Cornwall Iron Furnace is one of the stops on the trail.

The latest episode of the WQLN (Erie's PBS affiliate) series, Chronicles, features the story of Drake Well and Pithole City. Drake Well Museum & Park's curator, Sue Beates, provides commentary on the history of the oil boomtown and the context of oil industry history (watch Pithole City: The Ghost of America's Black Gold, Part I).

This past week, PA Museums (our statewide museum professional organization) hosted a webinar on the effort to return nearly 200 Lenape ancestors and their associated funerary objects to their Lenape homeland for burial. The 4-day event last April was the culmination of a process involving five Delaware nations and PHMC staff from The State Museum of Pennsylvania and Pennsbury Manor. The PA Museums webinar included commentary from Jeremy Johnson, cultural education officer for the Delaware Tribe of Indians, Janet Johnson, acting senior curator of archaeology at The State Museum, and Douglas Miller, site administrator at Pennsbury Manor, site of the homecoming and reburial (you can read a short article about the event in the Fall 2022 issue of Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine). The webinar was recorded and is available on the PA Museums YouTube channel. Doug Miller and Jeremy Johnson also recently appeared on an episode of the Keystone Edge podcast, which is produced in conjunction with PA Humanities. I recommend watching the webinar and listening to the podcast to learn more.

Next week's post will have more info on PA's birthday celebration coming up on March 12, but if you want to get a jump on celebrating, take advantage of a 10% discount on all PHMC titles sold through ShopPAHeritage.com now through March 31.

Up Next

Today, March 3

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Read Give Me Some Space by Philip Bunting and create your own map of the solar system. For ages 2 to Pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk (StoryTime info).

Saturday, March 4

• PA Geography with the Giant Map (in-person); 10 am-Noon; The State Museum of PA
• Discover the giant map of Pennsylvania as we walk across the state. Test your geography skills playing a game. Included in regular admission (Giant Map program info).

• Kids Day: STEM Discovery (in-person); 10 am-2 pm; PA Military Museum
• Come experiment and learn how math and science are used by the military. Make your own rocket, conduct experiments, and more. Included in regular admission (Kids Day info).

Wednesday, March 8

• Curiosity Kids (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about what the Sun is, its basic motions in the sky, and why it is important to us. Then make a suncatcher to take home. For grades K to 2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited, so sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Curiosity Kids info).

Thursday, March 9

• Winter History Class (virtual); 9 am-noon; Ephrata Cloister
• This course runs every Thursday through March 30. Today's presentations are "Henry Stiegel's Vision for Manheim" with Dan Snyder and "Iron and Glass by Stiegel: One Man's Collection" with Jeff Dreisbach. If you have not already signed up for the full series, you can attend single sessions via Zoom only (Winter History Class registration options).

• Wisdom & Wine (in-person); 5:30-8 pm; Drake Well Museum & Park
• Jim Samuels will present "My Dream Job Come True...Finding, Assessing & Plugging Abandoned Oil & Gas Wells." Admission charged. Lecture starts at 6:30. Doors open at 5:30 for socializing and wine tasting from Brokenstraw Valley Winery (Wisdom & Wine info).

Friday, March 10

• Original Pennsylvania Charter on Display (in-person); today through March 17; The State Museum of PA
• PA's 342-year-old Charter is written on parchment using iron gall ink. 51 weeks a year, the State Archives preserves the document in a high-security vault, shielding it from strong light and environmental fluctuations. In honor of PA's birthday, the Charter will be on display at The State Museum (included in regular admission) March 10-11 (10 am-4:30 pm), March 12 (Noon-4:30 pm), March 15-16 (10 am-4:30 pm), and March 17 (10 am-1 pm) (Charter display info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Remembering Gnadenhutten: Missionaries, Massacre, and the Resilience of a First Nation Community (in-person); Saturday, Mar. 11, 1-5 pm; Fort Pitt Museum
• During this one-day conference, attendees will examine the experience of Moravian Delaware converts in 18th-century Ohio Country and explore the fascinating history of the Delaware Nation at Moraviantown, where descendants of this resilient First Nation community live today (Gnadenhutten conference info and registration).

• All About Slag (hybrid); Tuesday, Mar. 14, 7-8 pm; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• Mike Weber will provide a comprehensive overview of slag, including what it is, how it's produced as part of the iron-making process, its characteristics, and why it is so important. Attend in person (Freeman Hall at Cornwall Manor) or online (register for Zoom). Program is free, but donations are appreciated.

• Homeschool Program (in-person); Wednesday, Mar. 15, 10-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Archivist Brett Reigh will discuss the history of the original 1681 Penn Charter and the research resources available at the Pennsylvania State Archives. Explore the process used to create the document, such as iron gall ink, quill pens, parchment paper and block printing, and then create your own document using similar techniques. Registration is required (Homeschool registration link).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Saturday, Mar. 18, Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Bradley Smith, archivist and assistant director of the Berks History Center, will present "Dr. Bodo Otto: The Patriot Surgeon of Pennsylvania," who at the age of 65 volunteered his services as a surgeon to the Continental Army. Tickets available starting Feb. 25 (3/18 tickets via Eventbrite).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); Friday, Mar. 24, 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Mark Hand, director, and Matt Reis, deputy director, will provide an overview of Pennsylvania's GreenGov Program and its climate goals for state agencies. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime registration).

• Rails & Ales 2023 (in-person); Saturday, April 1, 5:30-9 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Taste craft beers among the museum's world-class collection of historic trains in Rolling Stock Hall. Must be age 21 or older to attend; photo ID required at the door. Advance tickets only; VIP tickets are sold out (ticket options, including designated driver tickets).

Summer Camp Programs (camps are in-person unless marked otherwise)

• Brandywine Battlefield Park (Brandywine camp info)
• Live the Battle Week (grades 3-4), June 27-30, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 3-4), July 11-14, 9 am-2 pm
• Live the Battle Week (grades 5-6), July 18-21, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 5-6), July 25-28, 9 am-2 pm

• Drake Well Museum & Park (Drake Well camp info)
• Discovery Days Camp (ages 8-12), July 6, 13, 20 & 27, 9 am-4 pm

• Pennsbury Manor (Pennsbury camp info)
• Colonial Camp Week (ages 6-8), July 17-21, 9 am-4 pm

We're Going to Need Another Boat

Yes, I know that's not quite the line from Jaws, but humor me. If you enjoyed last week's post about the new exhibit at Erie Maritime Museum featuring a 123-year-old ice boat, then you may also enjoy a new exhibit at The State Museum of Pennsylvania featuring a somewhat younger 1956 Cowell Runabout. Cowell Boat Works (1953-1962) was part of the recreational boat building industry in Erie in the mid-20th century. The Runabout is now on exhibit in The State Museum's second floor Transportation and Industry Gallery.

Photo via The State Museum's Facebook page

Up Next

Saturday, February 25

• Chatting Through Time (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Discover how people have used different innovations throughout history to share their ideas and thoughts with others. Create your own secret message using the same techniques George Washington used at Valley Forge. Included in regular admission (Chatting Thru Time info).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Wade Catts, president of South River Heritage Consulting, LLC, will present "Archaeology and the Preservation of Sites of America's War for Independence, with special focus on new studies of the Brandywine Battlefield (Feb 25 Rev Speaker Series info).

• Rocks (in-person); 1-1:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Explore hands-on stations to compare rocks microscopically and uncover phosphorescent properties. Examine the use of rocks in historic tools and building materials. Included in regular admission (Rocks info).

Sunday, February 26

• African American History Month Celebration (in-person); 2-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Shirley Lee Corsey will present "Harriet Tubman – Live!" in which “Harriet” will speak to her audience about her early life on the Maryland plantation where she was born and enslaved, her escape from slavery up to Philadelphia and beyond to freedom. Pennsbury Manor will also again be displaying art quilts from the Dreams of Freedom - The Threads That Hold Us Together exhibit organized by the Sankofa Artisans Guild. These stunning works of art celebrate the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman. Included in regular admission (African American History Celebration info).

Tuesday, February 28

• Train Tour: The H6SB (virtual); 10-10:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Children in grades K to 6 will investigate the inside of the historic H6sb locomotive No. 2846, virtually visiting the cab and exploring behind-the-scenes in the tender and maintenance areas. Register to receive the link; admission is by donation (Train Tour registration).

• PA Museums Webinar with Pennsbury Manor (virtual); 1-2 pm
• Sponsored by PA Museums, this program features Jeremy Johnson, cultural education officer for the Delaware Tribe of Indians, and Douglas Miller, site administrator at Pennsbury Manor. Turner and Miller will talk about the partnership and collaboration that resulted in the repatriation of 180 Delaware ancestors to their homeland last spring. The program is offered via Zoom (PA Museums website to register).

• The Art of C. Edgar Patience (virtual); 7-8 pm; Anthracite Heritage Museum
• Anthracite Heritage Museum and Luzerne County Historical Society co-sponsor this African American History Month program, which features AHM curator John Fielding talking about the anthracite coal sculptures of C. Edgar Patience (Art of C. Edgar Patience info).

Wednesday, March 1

• Family Gallery Tour: PA Icons (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Take a trip through Pennsylvania to discover what makes the state iconic. Learn about people, places and industries from the State Museum collection. Included in regular admission (PA Icons Tour info).

Thursday, March 2

• Winter History Class (virtual); 9 am-noon; Ephrata Cloister
• This course runs every Thursday through March 30. Today's presentations are "Pennsylvania German: Their Lives Through Color," with Jennifer Royer, curator at Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, and "German Dairying Practices" with Susan Plaisted. If you have not already signed up for the full series, you can attend single sessions via Zoom only (Winter History Class registration options).

Friday, March 3

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Read Give Me Some Space by Philip Bunting and create your own map of the solar system. For ages 2 to Pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk (StoryTime info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• All About Slag (hybrid); Tuesday, Mar. 14, 7-8 pm; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• Mike Weber will provide a comprehensive overview of slag, including what it is, how it's produced as part of the iron-making process, its characteristics, and why it is so important. Attend in person (Freeman Hall at Cornwall Manor) or online (register for Zoom). Program is free, but donations are appreciated.

• Homeschool Program (in-person); Wednesday, Mar. 15, 10-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Archivist Brett Reigh will discuss the history of the original 1681 Penn Charter and the research resources available at the Pennsylvania State Archives. Explore the process used to create the document, such as iron gall ink, quill pens, parchment paper and block printing, and then create your own document using similar techniques. Registration is required (Homeschool registration link).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Saturday, Mar. 18, Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Bradley Smith, archivist and assistant director of the Berks History Center, will present "Dr. Bodo Otto: The Patriot Surgeon of Pennsylvania," who at the age of 65 volunteered his services as a surgeon to the Continental Army. Tickets available starting Feb. 25 (3/18 tickets via Eventbrite).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); Friday, Mar. 24, 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Mark Hand, director, and Matt Reis, deputy director, will provide an overview of Pennsylvania's GreenGov Program and its climate goals for state agencies. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime registration).

• Rails & Ales 2023 (in-person); Saturday, April 1, 5:30-9 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Taste craft beers among the museum's world-class collection of historic trains in Rolling Stock Hall. Must be age 21 or older to attend; photo ID required at the door. Advance tickets only; VIP tickets are sold out (ticket options, including designated driver tickets).

Summer Camp Programs (camps are in-person unless marked otherwise)

• Brandywine Battlefield Park (Brandywine camp info)
• Live the Battle Week (grades 3-4), June 27-30, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 3-4), July 11-14, 9 am-2 pm
• Live the Battle Week (grades 5-6), July 18-21, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 5-6), July 25-28, 9 am-2 pm

• Drake Well Museum & Park (Drake Well camp info)
• Discovery Days Camp (ages 8-12), July 6, 13, 20 & 27, 9 am-4 pm

• Pennsbury Manor (Pennsbury camp info)
• Colonial Camp Week (ages 6-8), July 17-21, 9 am-4 pm