A June Roundup on the Trails of History

The June program page has info on upcoming events and programs. I've highlighted some of this weekend's offerings below.

See more about Art of the State on the State Museum Facebook page

The State Museum of PA, in conjunction with Jump Street (a Harrisburg-based arts organization), has opened the 50th Art of the State Exhibit, which will run through Sept. 10. At the opening reception for the exhibit, prize winners were announced in five categories of artwork (photos of prize winners and scenes from the reception), selected from entries submitted by artists around the state (photo gallery of all finalists included in exhibit).

Sunday, June 11, marked the 90th anniversary of the Lindbergh Special run. On June 11, 1927, the Pennsylvania Railroad's locomotive No. 460 raced an airplane from Washington, DC, to New York City. Both were carrying newsreel footage of a ceremony honoring Charles Lindbergh's successful nonstop solo flight from New York to Paris (completed on May 21, 1927). The race was to see which mode of transport could get the footage to theaters in New York first. The plane, even then, covered the distance faster, but the train carried its own darkroom, so the film was developed (look it up) en route and was ready for showing when the train arrived in NYC. The footage carried by plane still had to be developed when it reached the city. The 460 is now part of the permanent collection of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, where it is on display in Rolling Stock Hall following a multi-year restoration project. It is destined to be on display in the Museum's new Roundhouse exhibit building, when it is completed. You can read much more about the project on the museum's website or in the Spring 2016 issue of Pennsylvania Heritage magazine. UPDATE: the museum has posted a short video from the dedication of No. 460 after it was restored.

Fly casting instruction at PA Lumber Museum Youth and Family Field Day (more photos on Facebook)

Last weekend, the PA Lumber Museum held a Youth and Family Field Day where participants learned outdoor skills related to life in the lumber region. While much of the museum's exhibitry and programming is focused on the history of lumbering, another focus is preserving a balance among economic development, environmental protection, and recreational use of the forests and other natural areas. The activity stations for the field day were staffed by instructors from the museum and other local organizations. Site administrator Josh Roth reports that the instructors were pleased with how engaged the kids were and everyone seemed to have a great time learning new stuff and enjoying the outdoors (it was National Get Outdoors Day, by the way). One parent emailed on Monday to report that her son had enjoyed the day very much and was planning to return to the event next year (a sentiment expressed by a number of attendees. "He loved all the classes but seemed to pick up on Fly Fishing. We got home and he wanted to order a fly pole right away but I remember that his papa had a pole. I went digging and cleaned it all up for him. He practiced with that pole until 9:30 pm and then the next day went fishing! He didn't catch anything but it didn't matter to him, he loves it! Thanks Again!!!" I think you can consider that a rave review.

Eckley Archaeology Project 2017 has begun (via Facebook)

For the third summer (I think), a team from the University of Maryland is holding an archaeology field school on site at Eckley Miners' Village. This year's crew, made up of students, faculty members, and volunteers, started above ground by documenting extant outbuildings. Site administrator Bode Morin reports that the team found 160 outbuildings still standing. Eckley shares info about the field school on its Facebook page, but the Eckley Archaeology Project also has its own Facebook page and a blog detailing their work.

June 19 to 25 is #MuseumWeek, an international social media event showcasing museums, their collections, and the people who love them. The event started on Twitter but has expanded to include other platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Sina (in China). The overall focus this year is Women in Culture (#WomenMW), and each day has a different hashtag (6/19 - #foodMW; 6/20 - #sportsMW; 6/21 - #musicMW; 6/22 - #storiesMW; 6/23 - #booksMW; 6/24 - #travelsMW; 6/25 - #heritageMW). We always have some participation from sites on the Trails of History, so be sure to follow your favorite site. As you'll see below, Old Economy Village is out in front, previewing their links to some of the hashtags.



Other posts of interest...


Bushy Run Battlefield
June 17: Community Picnic—enjoy live music, children's games, and battlefield tours. $4 fee includes museum admission and tours; there will be food trucks on site if you want to purchase food (or bring your own picnic). Noon-5 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
June 17: Evening on the Green—this program includes colonial crafts and games, and live music by the Celtic Martin Family (more details on Facebook). Admission for this rain or shine event is $20 per car (free for FDBH members with membership card). Overall event time is 5-9 pm.

Ephrata Cloister
June 18: Father’s Day—enjoy a day out with dad and explore a unique historic site. Dads get in free. Noon-5 pm.

Graeme Park
June 18: Living History Sunday—learn about "Fathers and Family in the 1700s," featuring Dr. Thomas Graeme. Interactive living history throughout the event with a brief talk at 2 pm. Noon-3 pm.

Hope Lodge
June 18: Site open—Hope Lodge will be open the third Sunday of each month through October, with guided tours offered at 1 and 2:30 pm. Admission is charged. Free admission today for dads, in honor of Father's Day. 1-4 pm.

Old Economy Village
June 17: Saturday Spotlight—Niceties and Necessities. Included in regular admission, so please start at the Visitor Center. 10 am-5 pm.

Pennsbury Manor
June 17: Brews & Bites at Pennsbury Manor—sample beers from Philadelphia-area craft brewers and enjoy food, musical entertainment, and demonstrations of historic beer brewing. The event page has info on ticket options; tickets are on sale now. Must be at least 21 to attend. 4-8 pm.
June 18: Sunday Programming—June 18: Open Hearth Cooking—the cooks will prepare 16th-, 17th-, and 18th-century recipes to explore how cooking techniques were evolving. Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.

Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
June 18: 3rd Sunday Program—dads get free admission today in honor of Father's Day and this month's 3rd Sunday Program is a documentary about Gifford Pinchot, considered one of the fathers of American forestry. Museum is open 9 am-5 pm; documentary showing is at 1 pm.

Pennsylvania Military Museum
June 17-18: Guided Tours—on June weekends, the 1 pm guided tour is included in regular admission (normally an additional charge).
June 17: Buzzcut Saturday—just what it sounds like. Start the summer with a traditional boot camp haircut. Donations accepted or free with museum admission. 10 am-3 pm.

State Museum of Pennsylvania
June 16: Free Summer Friday—throughout the summer, museum admission will be free on Fridays. Learn at Lunchtime programming will also be offered (program details). Museum open 9 am-5 pm, lunchtime programming 12:15-12:45 pm.
June 18: Victorian Dance Ensemble—the performing troupe of the Civil War Dance Foundation will present demonstrations of period costume and dance. Museum admission is free. The museum is open noon-5 pm, dance demos at 1, 2, and 3 pm in Memorial Hall.