On the Trails of History, January 17-30

Please note that Trails of History sites will be closed on Monday, January 20, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Also, winter weather can interfere with operating schedules, so it can't hurt to check before heading to a site. Social media is the best place to look for updates. 1/26/20: February program page is now available.

Anthracite Heritage Museum
Jan. 18: Knox Mine Disaster Commemoration—the program includes speakers, music, and a display of mining memorabilia (see Facebook event for details). Admission is free. 2-3:30 pm.

Brandywine Battlefield Park
Jan. 21: Revolutionary Dining Series—Joseph Seymour, Army National Guard historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History, will present a talk on the Military Association of Pennsylvania, commonly known as the Pennsylvania Associators. Cost is $50 per person and includes salad, entree, and dessert in addition to the program (see Facebook event page for more info). Program takes place at The Gables at Chadds Ford, 6-9 pm.

Bushy Run Battlefield
Jan. 25-26: Making Basic 18th-Century Accessories—learn to make a plain pocket, a triangular linen neck handkerchief, a silk bonnet, and a pair of fancy garters during this two-day hands-on workshop. Cost is $165 and includes lunch and snacks both days. Check out the Facebook event page for details on how to register. Sat., 9 am-5 pm; Sun., 10 am-4 pm.

Ephrata Cloister
Jan. 30: Winter History Class begins—learn about the history of the community at Ephrata and the world that surrounded it. Speakers include site staff as well as outside scholars. Sessions are held from 9 am to noon each Thursday through March 26, and there is a field trip (extra charge) on April 2. Cost for the entire class is $55, $45 for members; you can attend individual classes for $10 each. Call the site at 717/733-6600 for more information or to register.

Fort Pitt Museum
Fort Pitt will be closed in January for collections inventory and exhibit maintenance/upgrades. Please visit the website for information.

Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
Jan. 18, 19, 25: Winter Workshops—check out the workshop page on Landis Valley’s website for details on a variety of hands-on classes for adults; you’ll see the schedule for February and March as well. Times and costs vary.

Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
Jan. 25: Winter in the Lumber Camp— outdoor fun in the snow with sledding, snow men, and snow art activities. Try your hand at cross-country skis, snowshoes and ice skates (conditions permitting) with the help of equipment provided by PA DCNR and volunteer instructors. Food and drink available in the program room. Keep an eye on the Facebook event page for details. 10 am-4 pm.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Through Feb. 9: Murder on the Orient Express at Fulton Theatre—the museum is partnering with Fulton Theatre to offer group and individual tour packages during the run of the play, for a great cross-over experience. Visit the museum’s Facebook page for details and to see video of the play's cast touring the museum to learn more about trains and their history.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Please visit the museum’s Planetarium page for a full schedule.
Jan. 17: Learn at Lunch—join the Art Docents for a tour of Picturing a More Perfect Union: Violet Oakley’s Mural Studies for the Pennsylvania Senate Chamber, 1911-1919, on view through April 26. 12:15 pm.
Jan. 23: Nature Lab—learn how to identify different kinds of rocks. Included in general admission. 11:30 am.

Washington Crossing Historic Park
Please visit the Washington Crossing website for info on this month's programs and schedule.