What Now?

Please be sure to check the PHMC Events Calendar for information on upcoming programs (in-person and virtual). I've included highlights below. The Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen offer an array of online content generated by Trails of History sites. Also, if you're looking for a Covid vaccine provider, check out Vaccines.gov and enter your zip code.

Please note that staff and volunteers at Commonwealth of PA worksites, including the PA Trails of History, are wearing masks while indoors. Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to do so as well.

You can tour buildings at Ephrata Cloister by candlelight tomorrow night, Nov. 27 (photo via Ephrata Facebook page)

I hope that you had a pleasant and safe Thanksgiving with plenty of whatever you needed from the occasion. If you are looking for things to do today (Nov. 26), please note that most Trails of History sites are closed. Bushy Run Battlefield, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania are open today. Other sites on the trails will resume their normal seasonal hours tomorrow (except the Erie Maritime Museum, which will be closed). As I always say, please be sure to check ahead to be sure the site you want to visit will be open when you plan to be there. I've noted some events below that take place this weekend.

As you probably know Nov. 27 is Small Business Saturday, and Nov. 28 is Museum Store Sunday. Historic sites and museums can always use your support, so please consider visiting and shopping on the Trails of History this weekend. Bushy Run Battlefield is holding a Used Book Sale today through Sunday, and Somerset Historical Center's Christmas Craft Shoppe, featuring handmade items by local vendors, will be open Wednesday to Saturday (starting tomorrow) through December 23. Our other museum stores have loads of themed and seasonal merchandise for your gift-giving needs (no one will tell if you keep them for yourself, either).

Do your interests run more to the spirit of #OptOutside? Many sites have beautiful grounds and/or trails that can provide plenty of fresh air; others are adjacent to or very close to state parks and forests (please note this safety reminder from the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources).

If family history (in PA) was a topic of history around your Thanksgiving table, you can follow-up with some research using resources digitized by the Pennsylvania State Archives. From birth and death records indices to military service records and more, plus links to other digital records collections, the Archives is a great place to start your search(Digital Collections page).

The Week Ahead

Saturday, Nov. 27

• Christmas in the Colonies (in-person): explore different traditions as you tour the Keith House and watch the Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble; Graeme Park; 3-5 pm; tickets are $10 for ages 13 and up, $7 for members and ages 6-12 (Graeme Park info)
• Candlelight Open House (in-person): stroll the grounds, visit with craftspeople, and enjoy music performed by the Ephrata Cloister Chorus; Ephrata Cloister; 5:30-8 pm; tickets are $7 (Open House info)

Sunday, Nov. 28

• Sunday Sewing Circle (in-person): bring your projects and spend time with other stitchers; Bushy Run Battlefield; 1-4 pm (Sewing Circle info)

Monday, Nov. 29

• Deadline to order Gingerbread Cookie Kits for pick-up at the Railroad Museum of PA on Dec. 4, 10, or 11 (Gingerbread Cookie Kit orders)
• Deadline for reservations for Christmas with the Conductor, Dec. 4 and 11 (11 am story time is sold out), Railroad Museum of PA (Christmas with the Conductor tickets via Eventbrite)

Wednesday, Dec. 1

• Explore! (in-person): learn about Pennsylvania owls and their habits; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission (Explore! info)
• Deadline for required advance tickets for Pennsbury Manor's Holly Nights, which takes place Dec. 2 and 3, 6-9 pm (Holly Nights info and tickets)

Thursday, Dec. 2

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): visit the Art of the State exhibition to learn about how artists use color; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission (Curiosity Kids info)

On Sale Now (as of 11/24; some programs will sell out)

• Ethnic Traditions: on Dec. 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, Somerset Historical Center will partner with local families for a program on cultural traditions, food, and music of Japan, Italy, and Bangladesh; cost is $20 per person (Ethnic Traditions ticket info)
• Christmas at the Cloister: Ephrata Cloister presents a program of lessons and carols in the historic Meetinghouse on Dec. 13 and 14, with performances at 6:30 and 8 pm each evening. Tickets available online via Ticketleap (Christmas at the Cloister info and tickets).
• Lantern Tours: Dec. 27-30 at Ephrata Cloister learn about the site's history through living history tours and performances; advance tickets required, on sale starting Dec. 1 (Lantern Tour info)
• Winter Day Camp: on Dec. 29 from 9 am to 4:30 pm Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum will present a day camp for kids in grades 5-11; the focus is Christmas Around the World and includes a themed escape room; cost is $60 per camper ($54 for members) (Day Camp info and registration)

Thanksgiving Awaits

Please be sure to check the PHMC Events Calendar for information on upcoming programs (in-person and virtual). I've included highlights below. The Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen offer an array of online content generated by Trails of History sites. Also, if you're looking for a Covid vaccine provider, check out Vaccines.gov and enter your zip code.

Please note that staff and volunteers at Commonwealth of PA worksites, including the PA Trails of History, are wearing masks while indoors. Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to do so as well.

Conrad Weiser Homestead's Candlelight Tours take place tomorrow (see info below)

The next Trailheads post won't be until next Friday, so I'll take this opportunity to wish you all a safe and healthy Thanksgiving. I hope that you have found many things to be thankful for this year and that you will have the chance to share time with family and friends. I am thankful for my husband and all of my family and am grateful that we have weathered the pandemic fairly well so far, although many of the young adult generation battled Covid cases in 2020 and 2021. I am grateful, as always, for the work that my colleagues here at PHMC are doing to share the rich and complicated history of Pennsylvania with the public and to explore ways to improve everyone's access to that history. The flexibility, creativity, and perseverance of our staff and volunteers are a source of inspiration for me. I say "thank you" to them and to all of you for reading Trailheads.

All Pennsylvania Trails of History sites and museums will be closed on Nov. 25 for Thanksgiving. Most will also be closed on Friday, Nov. 26; Bushy Run Battlefield, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania will be open that day. Everyone else will resume their current operating hours on Saturday, Nov. 27; please see the list below for some special programs as well. When you're making plans to the holiday weekend, please remember your favorite Trails of History sites on Small Business Saturday and Museum Store Sunday.

If you're interested in new approaches to the traditional Thanksgiving narrative, Native Knowledge 360 (a program of the National Museum of the American Indian) has a broad range of educational resources, such as Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations, which features Wampanoag perspectives on their ancestors' dealings with the Pilgrims in coastal Massachusetts.

As I was thinking about some menu ideas (but it turns out I'm just making apple pie this year), I remembered that our first PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase last December featured holiday foods. You can watch the program (and other past showcases) on PHMC's YouTube channel (December 2020 Collections Showcase) and see a compilation of recipes from the show on Trailheads (recipe page). Just like on the Cooking Channel! You'll also find an interesting post about heritage turkeys on the Assn. for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums blog (read about heritage turkeys).

The Week (or so) Ahead

Today, November 19

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual): Thomas Keller from the PA Game Commission will talk about wild dogs of PA; The State Museum of PA; 12:15-12:45 pm (Learn at Lunchtime info and Zoom registration)

Saturday, November 20

• Candlelight Tours (in-person): visit the year 1755 with guided tours, Native American storyteller Darius Puff, and musician Catherine Hollen; Conrad Weiser Homestead; 5:30-8 pm (Candlelight Tours info)

Sunday, November 21

• Historic Foodways Demonstration (in-person): visit the kitchen to see what the cooks are working on; Pennsbury Manor; 1-4 pm; included in regular admission (Foodways info)

Wednesday, November 24

• Explore! (in-person): visit the Art of the State exhibition and learn how artists use line in their work; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission (Explore! info)

Saturday, November 27

• Wreaths & Greens Workshops (in-person): make a festive wreath to take home and learn some tips for caring for evergreens in your yard; Pennsbury Manor; 10 am-noon or 1-3 pm; cost is $35 ($31.50 for members) and pre-registration is required (Pennsbury's website has more info)
• Christmas in the Colonies (in-person): learn about different traditions as you tour the Keith House and watch the Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble; Graeme Park; 3-5 pm (tours start every 30 minutes from 3:30 to 5); tickets are $10 for ages 13 and up, $7 for members and ages 6-12 (Graeme Park website for more info)
• Candlelight Open House (in-person): enjoy an evening of art, spinning, and music; Ephrata Cloister; 5-8:30 pm; tickets are $7 for age 3 and up, available at the door or in advance via Ticketleap (Ephrata Open House tickets online)

Sunday, November 28

• Sunday Sewing Circle (in-person): bring your projects and spend time with other stitchers; Bushy Run Battlefield; 1-4 pm (Sewing Circle info)

On Sale Now (as of 11/17; some programs will sell out)

• Holly Nights: experience Pennsbury Manor by candlelight Dec. 2 and 3 from 6 to 9 pm; tickets must be purchased in advance by Dec. 1 (Holly Nights info and tickets).
• Gingerbread Cookie Kits: Railroad Museum of PA is accepting orders for train-shaped gingerbread cookies. Choose 12 cookies per box (plain) or 6 cookies per box with vanilla icing bag and sprinkles for $20. Orders must be picked up at the museum on either Dec. 4 (10 am-3 pm), Dec. 10 (4-6 pm), or Dec. 11 (10 am-3 pm). Deadline for orders is Nov. 29 (RMP cookie flyer for details).
• Christmas with the Conductor: kids ages 3 and older will get to board one of the Railroad Museum of PA's historic railroad cars to hear a classic holiday story. Other activities are also part of the program. The program is offered Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 with three storytimes each day. The $10 program fee is in addition to museum admission. Deadline for registrations is Nov. 29, but space is limited and this program usually sells out quickly (Christmas with Conductor info and tickets).
• Ethnic Traditions: on Dec. 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, Somerset Historical Center will partner with local families for a program on cultural traditions, food, and music of Japan, Italy, and Bangladesh; cost is $20 per person (Ethnic Traditions ticket info)
• Christmas at the Cloister: Ephrata Cloister presents a program of lessons and carols in the historic Meetinghouse on Dec. 13 and 14, with performances at 6:30 and 8 pm each evening. Tickets available online via Ticketleap (Christmas at the Cloister info and tickets).

Exhibits and Visits and Planning Ahead

Please be sure to check the PHMC Events Calendar for information on upcoming programs (in-person and virtual). I've included highlights for the coming week below. The Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen offer an array of online content generated by Trails of History sites. Also, if you're looking for a Covid vaccine provider, check out Vaccines.gov and enter your zip code.

Please note that staff and volunteers at Commonwealth of PA worksites, including the PA Trails of History, are wearing masks while indoors. Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to do so as well.

These yellow boots are on exhibit at Drake Well Museum & Park (photo via Drake Well Facebook page)

In the process of adding some new elements to their long-term exhibits, the folks at Drake Well Museum & Park developed a temporary exhibit called "Walking the Line: The Role of the Line Walker in the History and Safety of the Natural Gas Industry." The temporary exhibit ties into a new permanent section on pipelines and tells the story of the people employed by gas companies to check gas lines for leaks and damage in all sorts of weather. In addition to the wet-weather boots seen above, there's also a pair of snowshoes that curator Sue Beates presented in our January 2021 Virtual Collections Showcase (you can watch the recording on YouTube).

Landis Valley curator Jennifer Royer hosted redware artist Ned Foltz for a recent tour (photo shared via LVM Facebook page)

While we're on the subject of exhibits, I will note that if you have not yet seen "Thrown, Fired, and Glazed: The Redware Tradition from Pennsylvania and Beyond" at Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, you have until the end of December to do so. It's a beautiful exhibit, filled with many forms of historic redware, info on the makers, and items from contemporary redware artisans as well. You have until Jan. 2 to see "Witness to History," "Why Not in Pennsylvania: Campaigning for Women's Suffrage in the Keystone State," and "Art of the State 2021" at The State Museum of Pennsylvania.

Members of the Hazleton Rotary on a recent visit to Eckley Miners' Village (photo shared by Eckley on Facebook)

The thing our sites missed the most about being closed during the height of the pandemic was welcoming visitors. Now that we've been open for a while, we're starting to see group tours again. Some in-person school visits have taken place this fall, and groups of adults have taken the opportunity for field trips, too. As shown above, Eckley Miners' Village recently hosted a visit from members of the Hazleton Rotary, who shared images from their visit on their Facebook page. And the Pennsylvania Military Museum was honored with a visit from members of the Women's Veterans Association of PA (see photo below).

These veterans visited the museum as part of a recent retreat (photo courtesy PA Military Museum and Women's Veterans Assn. of PA)

The Week Ahead

Sunday, Nov. 14

• Artists Conversations Gallery Tour (in-person): PHMC Commissioner and artist Ophelia Chambliss and artist Shelby Wormer will lead an informal tour of The Art of the State 2021; The State Museum of PA; 2-3 pm; included in regular admission (gallery tour info)

Wednesday, Nov. 17

• Explore! (in-person): explore T.M. Fowler's techniques for producing birds-eye views of PA towns; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission (Explore! info)
• History Speaks Series (virtual): Dr. David Preston will present a program about irregular warfare during the colonial period; Bushy Run Battlefield; 7-8 pm; cost is $10 (History Speaks tickets)

Thursday, Nov. 18

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): examine pottery designes and create your own pinch pot; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission, sign up at the Ground Floor desk (Curiosity Kids info)
• PA History: Read It, See It (virtual): pay a virtual visit to the PA Lumber Museum and learn about related materials in your local library and the State Library's Rare Book Collection; noon-1 pm; to register, send an email to ra-edmakerspace@pa.gov with your name and title of the program

On Sale Now

• Wreaths & Greens Workshops: Pennsbury Manor will offer this workshop twice on Saturday, Nov. 27, 10 am-noon and 1-3 pm. Make a festive wreath to take home and learn some tips for caring for evergreens in your yard. Cost is $35 ($31.50 for members) and pre-registration is required (Wreath workshop details).
• Candlelight Open House: Ephrata Cloister welcomes you with an evening of art, spinning, and music, Saturday, Nov. 27, 5-8:30 pm; tickets are $7 for age 3 and up; purchase tickets at the door or in advance via Ticketleap (Ephrata Open House tickets online)
• Holly Nights: experience Pennsbury Manor by candlelight Dec. 2 and 3 from 6 to 9 pm; tickets must be purchased in advance by Dec. 1 (Holly Nights info and tickets).
• Gingerbread Cookie Kits: Railroad Museum of PA is accepting orders for train-shaped gingerbread cookies. Choose 12 cookies per box (plain) or 6 cookies per box with vanilla icing bag and sprinkles for $20. Orders must be picked up at the museum on either Dec. 4 (10 am-3 pm), Dec. 10 (4-6 pm), or Dec. 11 (10 am-3 pm). Deadline for orders is Nov. 29 (RMP cookie flyer for details).
• Christmas with the Conductor: kids ages 3 and older will get to board one of the Railroad Museum of PA's historic railroad cars to hear a classic holiday story. Other activities are also part of the program. The program is offered Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 with three storytimes each day. The $10 program fee is in addition to museum admission. Deadline for registrations is Nov. 29, but space is limited and this program usually sells out quickly (Christmas with Conductor info and tickets).
• Ethnic Traditions: Somerset Historical Center will partner with local families for a program on diverse cultural traditions, food, and music on Dec. 5, 5:30-8:30 pm, cost is $20 per person (updates on program/menu and tickets)
• Christmas at the Cloister: Ephrata Cloister presents a program of lessons and carols in the historic Meetinghouse on Dec. 13 and 14, with performances at 6:30 and 8 pm each evening. Tickets available online via Ticketleap (Christmas at the Cloister info and tickets).

Change of Seasons?

Please be sure to check the PHMC Events Calendar for information on upcoming programs (in-person and virtual). I've included highlights for the coming week below. The Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen offer an array of online content generated by Trails of History sites. Also, if you're looking for a Covid vaccine provider, check out Vaccines.gov and enter your zip code.

Please note that staff and volunteers at Commonwealth of PA worksites, including the PA Trails of History, are wearing masks while indoors. Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to do so as well.

Fall is still here in this photo of the Webber cabin at the PA Lumber Museum (photo via PLM Facebook page)

But it looks like winter is trying to nose in ahead of schedule at Drake Well Museum & Park (photo via DWM Facebook page)

   

Whatever season it is where you are this weekend, I hope you have a chance to check out some of the programming we have going on the Trails of History. A couple of notes about schedules. As I mentioned last week (I think), some sites have already adjusted their hours for the winter, and others will be doing so in the weeks ahead. So please be sure to double check. Most Trails of History sites will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day. Bushy Run Battlefield, Fort Pitt Museum, Pennsylvania Military Museum, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and Somerset Historical Center will be open regular hours that day.

Reenactors from multiple military conflicts will be at the Railroad Museum this weekend (photo via RMP Facebook page)

The Week Ahead

Today, Nov. 5

• StoryTime (in-person): this month's book is Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky; The State Museum of PA; 10:30-11:30 am; for kids age 2 to Pre-K and included in regular admission (StoryTime info)
• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual): several artists whose work is featured in the 2021 Art of the State exhibition will talk about their journeys with physical challenges; The State Museum of PA; 12:15-12:45 pm (Learn at Lunchtime info and Zoom registration)

Saturday, Nov. 6

• 1777 Whitemarsh Encampment (in-person): a wide range of activities including music, open-hearth cooking, military drills; Hope Lodge; 10 am-4 pm; tickets are $10 (Whitemarsh info and tickets)
• Trains & Troops (in-person): learn about the role of railroads during wartime overseas and on the home front; Railroad Museum of PA; 10 am-4 pm Saturday, noon-4 pm Sunday; included in regular admission (Trains & Troops info)
• Civil War Days (in-person): the Village will be filled with townspeople, cavalry and other soldiers, surgeons, and others with a role to play; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum; 11 am-4 pm Saturday and Sunday; Adults $12, seniors $10, ages 6-11 $8 (Civil War Days info)

Sunday, Nov. 7

• Living History Sunday and Fall Park Walk (in-person): enjoy a late fall day with history and nature; Conrad Weiser Homestead; noon-4 pm, guided walk at 2 (Weiser program info)
• Daniel Boone, the Homestead, and the French & Indian War (in-person): Paul Trainor will present a program in the Wayside Lodge exploring the impact of the French & Indian War in Berks County; Daniel Boone Homestead; 2-3 pm; suggested donation $5 (Boone program info)

Tuesday, Nov. 9

• Rexmont to High Bridge: A History of Lebanon's Water Supply (virtual): local historian and science educator Mike Trump will explore the evolution of Lebanon County's water supply from the late 19th century to today; Cornwall Iron Furnace; 7-8 pm (lecture info and Zoom registration)

Wednesday, Nov. 10

• Veterans Service Officer Day (in-person): representatives from organizations that serve military veterans will be on hand to provide help; Pennsylvania Military Museum; stop by the museum between 9 am and 4 pm or make an appointment by contacting Stephanie Imboden at 877/720-8387 or stephanie@pa-legion.com (Svc Officer Day details)
• Explore! (in-person): learn about wild dogs in PA (like coyotes and foxes) and how they're related to the dogs in our homes; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission (Explore! info)

Thursday, Nov. 11

• Virtual Ephrata Academy (virtual): Zachary Long, volunteer coordinator at Pennsbury Manor, will talk about traditional clear toy candy and show some of his collection of candy molds; Ephrata Cloister; 7-8 pm (Academy info and Zoom registration)

On Sale Now

• Wreaths & Greens Workshops: Pennsbury Manor will offer this workshop twice on Saturday, Nov. 27, 10 am-noon and 1-3 pm. Make a festive wreath to take home and learn some tips for caring for evergreens in your yard. Cost is $35 ($31.50 for members) and pre-registration is required (Wreath workshop details).
• Holly Nights: experience Pennsbury Manor by candlelight Dec. 2 and 3 from 6 to 9 pm; tickets must be purchased in advance by Dec. 1 (Holly Nights info and tickets).
• Gingerbread Cookie Kits: Railroad Museum of PA is accepting orders for train-shaped gingerbread cookies. Choose 12 cookies per box (plain) or 6 cookies per box with vanilla icing bag and sprinkles for $20. Orders must be picked up at the museum on either Dec. 4 (10 am-3 pm), Dec. 10 (4-6 pm), or Dec. 11 (10 am-3 pm). Deadline for orders is Nov. 29 (RMP cookie flyer for details).
• Christmas with the Conductor: kids ages 3 and older will get to board one of the Railroad Museum of PA's historic railroad cars to hear a classic holiday story. Other activities are also part of the program. The program is offered Dec. 4 and Dec. 11 with three storytimes each day. The $10 program fee is in addition to museum admission. Deadline for registrations is Nov. 29, but space is limited and this program usually sells out quickly (Christmas with Conductor info and tickets).
• Ethnic Traditions: Somerset Historical Center will partner with local families for a program on diverse cultural traditions, food, and music on Dec. 5, 5:30-8:30 pm, cost is $20 per person (updates on program/menu and tickets)
• Christmas at the Cloister: Ephrata Cloister presents a program of lessons and carols in the historic Meetinghouse on Dec. 13 and 14, with performances at 6:30 and 8 pm each evening. Tickets available to the general public on Monday, Nov. 8 (Christmas at the Cloister info).