Winter Time Blues?

David Sonnen took this and other photos of the Conrad Weiser Homestead in last weekend's snow (photo via CWH Facebook page)

This past week has ranged from snow to spring where I live, and the weekend ahead looks like something in between (with wind, yay!). Don't let 60-degree weather in February fool you, campers. Winter never gives up that easily. As much as I'm not a big fan of being cold, I do love to see the winter scenes at our Trails of History sites, like the photo above from Conrad Weiser Homestead. Winter is definitely a slower time on the Trails, but there's still plenty to do. Even at sites that are closed to the public for the winter there is lots of activity going on behind the scenes. So whether you want to get outside, stay inside, or both - don't forget to visit your favorite Trails of History sites in person and online. (Here endeth my stream-of-consciousness exercise - Yikes!)

We love our visitors, but some jobs are easier to do when folks aren't around for tours. That's particularly true of giving our buildings and exhibits a deep clean (as opposed to ongoing maintenance and upkeep). Recently staff at Pennsbury Manor and Old Economy Village, both closed to visitors during January and February, rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

I tried to come up with clever shift here, but I can't. The Pennsylvania Military Museum shared this post about the anniversary of the first computer, ENIAC, which originated as a tool for calculating artillery firing tables. If you're reading this on your phone, you have more computing power in your hand than this room-sized computer had. Wild.

Up Next

Today, February 18

• Snow-mobility Weekend (in-person), 10:00 am-4 pm, Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
• Ride your snowmobile from Susquehannock State Forest to the museum today, tomorrow, and Sunday (10 am-4 pm each day). Enjoy a pancake breakfast tomorrow only (10 am-2 pm) in the visitor center (Snow-mobility details)

Saturday, February 19

• StoryTime (in-person), 10:30-11:30 am, The State Museum of PA
• Read "One Dog Sleigh" by Mary Casanova and create your own jingle bells. For kids age 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission (StoryTime info)

• Medicine and Disease in the 18th Century (in-person), noon-4 pm, Bushy Run Battlefield
• New exhibit opens today. Regular admission charged (Bushy Run info)

• The Dead of Winter (in-person), 5:30 and 7:00 pm, Graeme Park
• This program is conducted in the style of an early 20th-century seance, with a short historical discussion afterwards. Tickets are limited and reservations are required (Dead of Winter tickets)

Tuesday, February 22

• Sensory Hours (in-person), 3-5 pm, Railroad Museum of PA
• Light and noise levels will be lowered, and there will be several quiet spaces set up in the galleries. Several pieces of rolling stock will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Registration is required (Sensory Hours ticket options)

• Pennsylvania Railroad Wooden Passenger Cars (virtual), 7-9 pm, The Railroad Museum of PA
• Take a virtual tour of coaches Nos. 3556, 8177, and 4639. Tickets are by donation (virtual tour tickets)

Wednesday, February 23

• Family Gallery Tour: Mammal Hall (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
• Museum educators will use hands-on objects to help you learn about PA animals and their habitats. Included in regular admission (Gallery Tour info)

Thursday, February 24

• Winter History Class (virtual), 9 am-noon, Ephrata Cloister
• This week's topic is "Pennsylvania Dutch: The Story of an American Language." If you didn't register for the full course, you can attend today's session via Zoom for $10 (Winter History Class info and registration)

• Curiosity Kids (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
• Learn about sleds and sleighs and how people in the past travelled and had fun in the winter. For kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission (Curiosity Kids info)

• PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase (virtual), 7-8 pm
• This month's theme is Unique and Rare Objects. Panelists from 5 Trails of History sites will each have 5 minutes to present their object, then the audience gets to vote. Program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Collections Showcase info and registration)

Friday, February 25

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), 12:15-12:45 pm, The State Museum of PA
• Curators Katie McGowan and Robert Hill will share the story of Mary Sharp Ward (1912-1989), who served with the American Red Cross during World War II. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration)

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Ephrata Cloister's Winter History Class continues each Thursday morning from 9 am to noon through March 31; if you didn't sign up for the full 9-week course, you can register to attend individual sessions via Zoom for $10 each (Ephrata Cloister website)
• Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, in cooperation with the Potter County Conservation District, will host "Conservationist Gardener Workshop" on March 4, 11 am-12:30 pm; the workshop is free and in-person, but you must contact the Conservation District to register (Conservation workshop info)
• Rails and Ales: enjoy an evening of craft beer among the museum's historic trains at the Railroad Museum of PA, April 9, 5:30-9 pm; must be 21 or older to attend; variety of ticket options (VIP tickets are sold out), including designated driver tickets (Rails and Ales tickets)
• Drake Well Marathon, August 14 - this race is a Boston Marathon qualifier. Registration for a variety of categories is now open.