Happy Holidays!

The withdrawing room at Pennsbury Manor set to receive guests during Holly Nights earlier this month (photo via Pennsbury Facebook page)

All sites on the Trails of History (well, except Washington Crossing, which is run by DCNR) will be closed this Saturday, Dec. 25, and next Saturday, Jan. 1. Most of our sites will also be closed tomorrow, Dec. 24, and next Friday, Dec. 31. Many will be closing early today (12/23) and on 12/30. Exceptions are: Fort Pitt Museum and Somerset Historical Center will be open regular hours on Dec. 24 and 31, and The State Museum of Pennsylvania will be open 9 am to 1 pm those days. Here are some other holiday schedules that I'm aware of:

• Bushy Run Battlefield will be closed through Jan. 7, then open Saturdays and Sundays until spring
• In addition to the holiday schedules noted above, Old Economy Village will be closed from Jan. 2 through mid-March
• Graeme Park will be closed Dec. 24-Jan. 6, reopening for tours on Friday, Jan. 7
• ADDED 12/28: After tomorrow, 12/29, Pennsbury Manor will be closed until March
• ADDED 12/28: Starting 1/1, Fort Pitt Museum will be closed for routine maintenance and exhibit updates until 2/1
• ADDED 1/4: Anthracite Heritage Museum will be closed during January and February, reopening on March 4
• Already closed until spring: Conrad Weiser Homestead, Daniel Boone Homestead, Hope Lodge, Joseph Priestley House (except for Twelfth Night event Jan. 9)

Be sure to check specific sites that you want to visit and remember that some are on reduced schedules for the next few months.

Ho, ho, ho!

Trailheads will be on hiatus for the next week or so. The next new post will appear on Friday, January 7. In the meantime, I've included information below on upcoming programs through January 6. As always, please be sure to check that there have been no schedule changes, as I will not be making updates to the post. However you are celebrating I hope that you have plenty of light, laughter, and warmth. May we all look forward to good health, time with the people we love, and lots of ways to learn--and learn from--history in 2022.

Cookies offered at the opening reception for Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum's multi-year redware exhibit, which just wrapped up its successful run

During the week ahead, I hope you have some chances for fun and relaxation. For those of you who enjoy digital puzzles, I've created four new ones on Jigsaw Planet using photos from visits to sites on the Trails of History. You can find them by visiting the Trailheads Rec Room to the right of your screen if you scroll back up to the top of the blog, along with lots of other content from Trails of History sites. And here's a shortcut:

• Eckley Miners' Village Garden
• Ephrata Cloister - Hawk on a Fence
• Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum Redware Cookies
• Old Economy Village Baker House Garden

And finally, I leave you with some music from the Ephrata Cloister Chorus, recorded back in 2009 during Christmas at the Cloister and shared on Ephrata's YouTube channel.

The Weeks Ahead

Today, December 23

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): discover holiday traditions, decorations and toys from the 1950s and 60s; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission; space is limited (Curiosity Kids info)

Monday, December 27

• Lantern Tours (in-person): tonight through Dec. 30 this year's program revolves around taxes and acts of resistance; Ephrata Cloister; tours start at 6:15 and leave the visitor center every 15 minutes; tickets are limited and must be reserved in advance by calling the site at 717/733-6600 (Lantern Tour info)

Wednesday, December 29

• UPDATE 12/29: This event has been cancelled. Explore! (in-person): explore PA New Year's traditions, create your own noisemaker, and help count down to 2022; The State Museum of PA: 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission; space is limited (Explore! info)

Sunday, January 2

• Artists Conversations Gallery Tour (in-person): take a casual tour of the Art of the State exhibition on its last day with artist Stephen Althouse and fine arts curator Amy Hammond; The State Museum of PA; 2-3 pm; included in regular admission (Gallery Tour info)

Wednesday, January 5

• Explore! (in-person): learn about owls in Pennsylvania; 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, January 6

• Giant PA Map (in-person): discover our state and test your geography skills; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; included in regular admission (Giant Map info)

On Sale Now

• Rails and Ales: enjoy an evening of craft beer among the museum's historic trains at the Railroad Museum of PA, April 9, 2022, 5:30-9 pm; must be 21 or older to attend; variety of ticket options, including designated driver tickets (Rails and Ales tickets)

Festive History

A festive Christmas pudding at Daniel Boone Homestead's event last weekend (photo via DBH Facebook page)

 
The past couple of weeks have been filled with holiday programming on the Trails of History. There seems to have been plenty of pent-up demand after last Christmas season when everything was cancelled or online (although I would like to note that Ephrata Cloister received a Leadership in History award from the American Association for State and Local History for their 2020 virtual holiday pivot). The chance to see historic sites by candle and lantern light has been a tremendous draw, and a lack of serious winter weather has helped attendance. There are still some in-person and virtual holiday programs to come, so please check out the listings below. As always, it's a good idea to check ahead by visiting websites and Facebook pages to be sure there's been no change in plans. Trailheads staff (that is, me) will be away from Dec. 23 through the new year, so the info below likely won't get updated. Please see below for information on site schedules during the coming weeks.

This year, Christmas at the Cloister was presented in person (photo via EC Facebook page)

All sites on the Trails of History (well, except Washington Crossing, which is run by DCNR) will be closed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Most of our sites will also be closed on Dec. 24 and 31; Fort Pitt Museum and Somerset Historical Center will be open on both "eves," and The State Museum of Pennsylvania will be open 9 am to 1 pm those days. Here are some other holiday schedules that I'm aware of:

• Bushy Run Battlefield will be closed from Dec. 20 through Jan. 7, then open Saturdays and Sundays only until spring
• Daniel Boone Homestead will be closed from Dec. 20 through March 13 (Charter Day)
• Old Economy Village will be closed from Jan. 1 through March 13 (Charter Day)
• Graeme Park will be closed Dec. 24-Jan. 6
• Already closed until spring: Conrad Weiser Homestead, Hope Lodge, Joseph Priestley House (except for Twelfth Night event Jan. 9)

Be sure to check specific sites that you want to visit and remember that some are on reduced schedules for the next few months.

The parlor of the George Rapp House at Old Economy Village (photo via OEV Facebook page)

The Week Ahead

Saturday, December 18

• StoryTime (in-person): read An Early American Christmas by Tomie dePaola; The State Museum of PA; 10:30-11:30 am; for kids ages 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission (StoryTime info)
• Meet Belsnickel (in-person): meet the grumpy, fur-clad version of Santa Claus familiar in PA German culture; Old Economy Village; 11 am-1 pm; cost is $5 per person (child or adult), and snacks are included (Meet Belsnickel info)

Tuesday, December 21

• Exploring PA German Christmas and New Year's Traditions (virtual): Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum; 7-8 pm; program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Virtual Program info and registration)

Wednesday, December 22

• Explore! (in-person): learn about the changing of Fall to Winter and how it affects plants and animals in PA; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission; space is limited (Explore! info)

Thursday, December 23

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): discover holiday traditions, decorations and toys from the 1950s and 60s; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission; space is limited (Curiosity Kids info)

On Sale Now (as of 12/15; some programs will sell out)

• Lantern Tours: Dec. 27-30 at Ephrata Cloister learn about the site's history through living history tours and performances; advance tickets required (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); Dec. 17 is the last day to register (Day Camp info and registration)
• Rails and Ales: enjoy an evening of craft beer among the museum's historic trains at the Railroad Museum of PA, April 9, 2022, 5:30-9 pm; must be 21 or older to attend; variety of ticket options, including designated driver tickets (Rails and Ales tickets)

Something for Everyone?

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.

Home for the Holidays continues this Saturday at the Railroad Museum of PA (photo via RMP Facebook page)

If you're still in the market for gifts for the people in your life, don't forget to check in with your favorite Trails of History sites to see what their museum stores have to offer. Visit their website or Facebook page for info; some have online ordering available. Please be aware that operating hours vary, so you'll need to check before venturing out. Your purchases support educational programs and offerings at our sites and museums. A gift membership to any site or to the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation is also a great way to support sites and treat history lovers to visits during the coming year. And they're never the wrong size.

The Week Ahead

Today, December 10

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual): Chris Kemmerer from the Bureau of State Parks will talk about owls that live in and migrate through PA; The State Museum of PA; 12:15-12:45 pm (Learn at Lunchtime registration)
• Holiday Bonfire (in-person): musical entertainment, free refreshments, and a bonfire; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum; 6-8 pm, formal program starts at 7; event is free, LVM will be accepting donations of canned and other non-perishable food items for Lancaster Food Bank (Holiday Bonfire info)

Saturday, December 11

• Home for the Holidays (in-person): explore bygone eras, visit with Santa and send a telegram to the North Pole, and enjoy festive decorations and music; Railroad Museum of PA; 10 am-4 pm; included in regular admission (Home for the Holidays info)
• Holidays at the Homestead (in-person): discover PA German and English traditions, listen to carolers, make a paper ornament, and visit with Belsnickel; Daniel Boone Homestead; 11 am-4 pm, Belsnickel 1-3 pm (Holidays at the Homestead info)
• Holidays at Hope Lodge (in-person): enjoy the decorated rooms at your own pace, listen to holiday music, and more; Hope Lodge; 11 am-5 pm; regular admission charged, age 21+ can sample craft beers for an additional fee (Holidays at Hope Lodge info)
• Santa in the Shay (in-person): visit Santa in the cab of the Shay locomotive, take an instant pic to make an ornament, and enjoy cookies and hot cocoa; PA Lumber Museum; noon-3 pm; cost is $5 for adults, $3 for kids (Santa in the Shay info)

Sunday, December 12

• Christmas Sale (in-person): local vendors with a wide variety of wares will be on hand; Bushy Run Battlefield; 10 am-3 pm (Christmas Sale info)

Tuesday, December 14

• The Railroads of Cornwall (virtual): Mark Cain will present a program on the history of railroads in the Cornwall area and site administrator Mike Emery will facilitate a brief discussion; Cornwall Iron Furnace; 7-8 pm (Railroads at Cornwall info)
• A History of Manheim Township (virtual): Manheim Twp Historical Society president Ben Webber will present a talk on the township where the museum is located; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum; 7-8 pm (LVM virtual program info and registration)
• Christmas at the Cloister (in-person): a program of lessons and carols in the historic Meetinghouse; Ephrata Cloister; performances at 8 tonight (as of 2 pm 12/8 all others sold out); advance tickets required (Christmas at the Cloister info and ticket availability)

Wednesday, December 15

• Explore! (in-person): learn about textiles in early PA and create your own design; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission; space is limited (Explore! info)

Thursday, December 16

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): learn about dinosaurs, when they lived, and some of their unusual adaptations; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission; space is limited (Curiosity Kids info)
• PA History: Read It, See It (virtual): make a virtual visit to the Pennsylvania Military Museum and hear from State Library staff about related books and collections; noon-1 pm; email RA-edmakerspace@pa.gov with your name and date/topic to receive the meeting invitation

On Sale Now (as of 12/8; some programs will sell out)

• 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)
• Rails and Ales: enjoy an evening of craft beer among the museum's historic trains at the Railroad Museum of PA, April 9, 2022, 5:30-9 pm; must be 21 or older to attend; variety of ticket options, including designated driver tickets (Rails and Ales tickets)

The USS Pennsylvania

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.

Two 66-ton guns from the USS Pennsylvania were installed at the PA Military Museum in 2009 (photo PA Military Museum)

On Tuesday, December 7, at 12:45 pm, the Pennsylvania Military Museum will host a remembrance ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Japanese Imperial Navy's attack on the American military installation at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. This annual event takes place beneath the museum's two massive guns from the USS Pennsylvania (official designation: BB-38) that were installed on the grounds in 2009 after years spent at a US Navy facility in Dahlgren, Virginia. Bringing the guns to Boalsburg was a long-term effort, led by the Friends of the PA Military Museum and museum staff. Recently, the mount for the guns was overhauled, and the museum posted about it on their Facebook page (Pennsy gun post on Facebook).

You can learn more about the Pennsy Guns and the PA Military Museum by tuning in to PA History: Read It, See It at noon on December 16. This program is a collaboration between PHMC and the State Library of Pennsylvania that provides a brief virtual visit to a Trails of History site and info on related library materials. To sign up for Dec. 16, send an email to ra-edmakerspace@pa.gov with your name and the date/topic of the event. They'll add you to the list to receive a Zoom link closer to the program date (catch up with previous PA History: Read It, See It programs).

The designation "USS Pennsylvania" refers to multiple ships. As is tradition in the U.S. Navy, names are reused for different generations of ships as time passes. The first USS Pennsylvania launched in 1837, and the current holder of the name is SSBN-735, a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine launched in 1988. The ship (BB-38) where the museum's guns saw action launched in 1915, saw service in two world wars, and was sunk during atomic bomb testing in 1948. There is some newsreel footage of BB-38 undergoing maintenance at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1930 that shows 14-inch guns like those at the museum being added to the ship's armament (could be the actual guns, but it's probably not possible to tell from the film). Tip of the hat to Charlie Fox for the link to the Fox Movietone News Collection at the Univ. of South Carolina (USS Pennsylvania Gets New Set of Guns).

One of Hope Lodge's colonial revival rooms decorated for Christmas (photo via HL Facebook page)

The Week Ahead

Today, December 3

• StoryTime (in-person): read An Early American Christmas by Tomie dePaola; The State Museum of PA; 10:30-11:30 am; for kids ages 2 to Pre-K and included in regular admission (StoryTime info)
• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual): curator Amy Hammond talks with Lauren Whearty and Kelly Kautz, whose works are included in the 2021 Art of the State exhibition; The State Museum of PA; 12:15-12:45 pm (register for Learn at Lunchtime)

Saturday, December 4

• Christmas Open House (in-person): guided tours of the furnace, unique gifts and gift wrapping, holiday decorations, and light seasonal refreshments; Cornwall Iron Furnace; 9 am-7 pm; included in regular admission (Open House info)
• Home for the Holidays (in-person): costumed staff will evoke the past, you can have a virtual visit with Santa, send a telegram to the North Pole, and enjoy festive decorations and music; The Railroad Museum of PA; 10 am-4 pm (also takes place on Dec. 11); included in regular admission (Home for the Holidays info)
• Holiday Mansion Tours (in-person): guided tours of the mansion decorated for the season; Hope Lodge; tours at 11:30 am, 1 pm, 2:30 pm; regular admission charged, but today it includes cookies and hot chocolate (Mansion Tours info)

Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5

• Christmas at Eckley (in-person): carolers and cocoa, crafts and St. Nick; Eckley Miners' Village; 10 am-4 pm both days; admission is $7, $1 discount with food pantry donation (Christmas at Eckley info)
• Staying Warm in the Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge (in-person): living historians will be encamped from 10 am to 4 pm near the Sherman Tank both days, lecture at 2:30 pm Saturday on Major Dick Winters; Pennsylvania Military Museum; Battle of the Bulge events are free, regular admission applies to tour the museum galleries (PMM event info)
• Christmas at the Village (in-person): visit the historic buildings to learn about 19th-century trades and traditions, listen to music, shop for handcrafted items, and visit with Belsnickel; Old Economy Village; Saturday 2-9 pm, Sunday 2-7 pm; regular admission charged (Christmas at the Village info)

Sunday, December 5

• Christmas Open House (in-person): living historians will be on site for this festive event; Conrad Weiser Homestead; noon-4 pm (Open House info)
• Children's Christmas Party (in-person): children ages 5-12 are invited for an afternoon of games, crafts, and a visit with Santa; Bushy Run Battlefield; 1-3 pm; cost is $5 (Christmas Party info)
• Artists Conversations Gallery Tour (in-person): artist Harold Zabady will lead a casual tour of the 2021 Art of the State exhibition; The State Museum of PA; 2-3 pm; included in regular admission (Gallery Tour info)

Wednesday, December 8

• Explore! (in-person): learn about ways to make art from items in nature; 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, December 9

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): learn about firetrucks and the history of firefighting in Pennsylvania; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited so be sure to sign up at the Ground Floor Information Desk when you arrive (Curiosity Kids info)

On Sale Now (as of 12/1; some programs will sell out)

• Christmas at the Cloister: Ephrata Cloister presents a program of lessons and carols in the historic Meetinghouse, with performances at 6:30 and 8 pm. Tickets available online for Dec. 14 (Dec. 13 sold out) 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)
• Rails and Ales: enjoy an evening of craft beer among the museum's historic trains at the Railroad Museum of PA, April 9, 2022, 5:30-9 pm; must be 21 or older to attend; variety of ticket options, including designated driver tickets (Rails and Ales tickets)