What November Brings

Please visit the PHMC Events Calendar for info on upcoming programs on the Trails of History (mostly virtual). Check out the Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen for online offerings available whenever you need them.

Voting machine used in Lebanon County, 1950s-60s (via State Museum of PA Facebook page)

As I write this on Thursday afternoon, votes are still being counted and the outcome of the Presidential election is not yet clear. So let's just set that aside and think about some of the other things going on this month. Any objections? I didn't think so. (But please join me in thanking all the poll workers, voters, and vote counters who did their part for democracy this week.)

Wednesday, November 11, is Veterans Day, a time to honor all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. As you probably know, the Pennsylvania Military Museum's mission is to honor and tell the stories of Pennsylvanians who have served, so be sure to visit their Facebook page or their blog to learn more about the objects and related stories from their collections, covering all periods of American colonial and national history. The other sites on the Military History Trail and the State Museum of Pennsylvania relate the stories of specific conflicts and military service, as well. Commonwealth of PA resources for veterans and active duty military are available on the web.

November is Native American Heritage Month. If you want to learn more about Native American history and heritage, the National Museum of the American Indian has all kinds of online resources, including a section on Thanksgiving that presents indigenous perspectives on the holiday. There's also a Facebook page devoted to Native American Heritage Month and you can learn more about land acknowledgments at native-land.ca.

.

Ephrata Cloister is participating in #Museum30, sharing a post each day to illustrate a variety of themes and topics. If you aren't already following them, find them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 

  

The deadline to nominate a state historical marker is December 1. For information and guidelines on submitting a nomination, visit the State Historic Preservation Office marker page, where you'll also find a recording of a recent webinar that provided tips for success.

Upcoming Events

• You may have heard that the 2021 Pennsylvania Farm Show will be mostly virtual this year (and if you hadn't heard, I'm so sorry to be the one to break the news). Fear not, milkshake and fried mushroom lovers (at least if you're in the Harrisburg area or are willing to travel). November 13-15 is the PA Farm Show Fall Food Fest, which will take place outdoors at the PA Farm Show Complex from 11 am to 6 pm each day.
• On Nov. 18 from noon to 1:30 pm, the Pennsylvania State Archives will host another of its Community History Dialog webinars, this one focused on caring for artifacts and objects. The webinar is designed for folks who are working to preserve their community history, but the information will be useful for those caring for family history as well. Rachel Yerger, Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums curator, and Dodie Robbins, collections manager at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, will be the presenters. The webinar is free and is offered via Zoom; you must register to get the link. To learn more about the Community History Dialog series, find a list of resources, or watch recordings of previous programs, visit the Archives webpage.