Tempting Fate

Tempting Fate
Photo shows white snowdrops and yellow daffodils and forsythia blooming among trees. A banner across the middle in shades of white and green reads "Happy Spring"
This hopeful message comes by way of Ephrata Cloister's Facebook page

I know it's still March and that in Pennsylvania we're not out of the woods yet when it comes to late winter weather. But it's officially spring, and we can all use some bright and cheerful flowers. So I'm sharing with you what several Trails of History sites shared this week. It's tempting fate, but I think it's worth it. I hope these images brighten your day as they brightened mine. Happy weekend!

To the left is a multi-story stone barn with vents along the ground floor and under the eaves. To the right is a tall Star Magnolia starting to show its white blossoms.
The barn (Visitor Center) at Graeme Park and its Star Magnolia (via GP's Facebook)

Close-up of a crocus with green leaves, dark purple petals, and a yellow pistil.
This crocus is welcoming spring at Old Economy Village, which reopens for the season on April 1 (via OEV Facebook page)

Cream-colored frame and mat around watercolor painting with muted yellow, pink, purple and brown shades. The work depicts abstracted floral forms.
"Flower Piece" (1916) by Charles Demuth, watercolor on paper, The State Museum of Pennsylvania (via SMOP Facebook page)

Up Next

Today, March 25

  • Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), 12:15-12:45 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Nevin Welte from the PA Fish and Boat Commission will talk about freshwater mussels and efforts to improve their populations in PA's rivers and streams. Offered via Zoom; registration is required (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).
  • Ritchie Boy Secrets (in-person and virtual), 1:30 pm, Pennsylvania Military Museum
    • Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy will discuss her book, Ritchie Boy Secrets, which explores the history of the Military Intelligence Training Center in northern Maryland during World War II. The program is presented in cooperation with Penn State's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and will be offered in-person and via Zoom. Registration is required for both. In-person tickets are $20 and include admission to the museum; Zoom tickets are $15 (OLLI Lecture info and registration).

Saturday, March 26

  • The Battle of Iwo Jima: A Pennsylvania Story (in-person), 1-2 pm, Pennsylvania Military Museum
    • Museum director Tyler Gum will share the story of the Battle of Iwo Jima using images and artifacts that belonged to a Centre County native who experience it. The lecture is free and open to the public (donations welcome); seating is first come, first served (PMM lecture info).

Sunday, March 27

  • Beer Brewing and Garden Highlignts (in-person), 1-4 pm, Pennsbury Manor
    • Explore the recipes and plants that fed the early residents of Pennsbury Manor. Included in regular admission (Pennsbury program info).

Wednesday, March 30

  • Giant PA Map (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of Pennsylvania
    • Discover our state and test your geography knowledge. Included in regular admission (Giant Map info).

Thursday, March 31

  • Winter History Class (virtual), 9 am-noon, Ephrata Cloister
    • Today is the last session for 2022 and will feature an exercise to imaging working at night by candlelight and a behind-the-scenes look at caring for an managing the site's artifact collections. If you did not register for the full course, you can watch today's session via Zoom for $10 (Winter History Class info and registration).
  • Family Gallery Tour: Paleontology (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of Pennsylvania
    • Museum educators will have hands-on fossils of plants and animals from the Carboniferous Period to the present. Included in regular admission (Family Tour info).
  • Wisdom & Wine Series (in-person), 6:30-8 pm, Drake Well Museum & Park
    • Local historian William Moore will present "Recipes of the Oil Region." Tickets are $5. At 5:30 there will be a wine-tasting happy hour (separate $5 fee). Registration is required (Wisdom & Wine registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

  • Somerset Historical Center has rescheduled their Pysanky Egg Decorating Workshop to Saturday, April 2. This class is geared to beginners and the fee includes materials. Adults and kids age 12 and up welcome; ages 12 to 15 must be accompanied by an adult (Pysanky workshop 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, 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)
  • Tickets are on sale now for Bushy Run Battlefield's Art and Wine with Henry! event on Saturday, April 23. Enjoy some history and view the work of local artists (Art and Wine info and tickets).
  • On Wednesday, April 27, Graeme Park will host a lunch and learn program, "Forgotten Heroes - Women and the Fight for the Right to Vote." The program includes continental breakfast, a lecture, and a buffet lunch; tours of the Keith House will be available after lunch. Tickets are $35; reservations are required (Forgotten Heroes info and tickets).
  • Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum will offer living history tours on Saturday, May 21, based on the life and work of local inventor William Chester Ruth. Ruth was born in 1882 in Chester County; his father had been enslaved in South Carolina and his mother was a free woman of color. Ruth will be portrayed by actor Keith Henley of American Historical Theater. Tour times are 9:30, 12:30, and 3; advance tickets are required (William Chester Ruth Tour info and tickets)
  • On May 22, Daniel Boone Homestead will host the Trails of History Run, which includes a 5K, 10K, and 1/2-mile fun run. There will be awards for 5K and 10K races, plus special awards for the best-dressed representation of the 1770s era. Advance registration is required (DBH trail runs info). Training runs for new runners start at 10:30 am every Sunday at the DeTurk House (near the front entrance gate off of Daniel Boone Rd).
  • Drake Well Marathon, August 14 - this race is a Boston Marathon qualifier. Registration for a variety of categories is now open.

What's New and Old on the Trails of History?

Tools with iron heads and wooden handles are displayed on a photo mural of a wooden barn wall with vertical boards. A plow with wooden handles sits in front of the wall.
A display of 18th- and 19th-century farming tools at Daniel Boone Homestead

What's New?

Several new temporary and long-term exhibits opened on the PA Trails of History this past weekend, ready for the 2022 visitation season. The photo above (courtesy of my colleague Janice Mullin) is one element of a new visitor center exhibit at the Daniel Boone Homestead. The exhibit explores the history of Berks County's Oley Valley, the people who lived (and live) there, and the families that made what we call the Daniel Boone Homestead their home.

As I mentioned in last week's post, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum opened their new changing exhibit for 2022, Pennsylvania Germans: Their Lives Through Color. The colorful pieces on display, including textiles, fraktur, ceramics, and furniture, support the notion that Pennsylvania Germans led lives that were not monochrome but were woven with color.

On Sunday, as part of their celebration of Dr. Joseph Priestley's birthday, the Friends of Joseph Priestley unveiled a new temporary exhibit exploring Dr. Priestley's friendship with Benjamin Franklin. The two met in London around 1765 and became long-time friends. Franklin is credited with encouraging Priestley's interest in science, including the study of electricity. The exhibit includes timelines of their lives, showing where they overlapped, as well as excerpts from their letters. During Sunday's festivities, WVIA, the local PBS station, visited the site to conduct interviews and filming to be used as part of a preview screening of Ken Burns's new documentary on Franklin, which will debut in April. The Daily Item posted an article on Saturday that provides a nice overview of Sunday's event and the new exhibit.

What's Old?

As part of its ongoing project to create a baseline survey of older and historic places all across Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), part of PHMC, is reaching out to people who live and work in the following counties: Berks, Bucks, Butler, Carbon, Crawford, Delaware, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Lehigh, Luzerne, McKean, Montgomery, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, and Westmoreland. SHPO is working to find properties that have not previously been included in the Pennsylvania Historic Places Inventory. This includes places of local significance, such as recreational properties, fraternal buildings, industrial resources, African American churches and cemeteries, ethnic communities, and properties that represent local building styles and traditions. Survey teams will be in these counties starting in April and continuing through early 2023. If you know of places that should be considered for inclusion, please submit the information to the Baseline Survey on Survey Monkey or email it to ra-bhpmail@pa.gov. To learn more about the larger baseline survey project visit Baseline Survey Effort, 2020-2024.

Up Next

Today, March 18

  • Charter Chat (virtual), noon, PA State Archives
    • Archivist Josh Stahlman will explore the story of Pennsylvania's Charter in honor of our 341st birthday. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Charter Chat info and registration).

Saturday, March 19

  • StoryTime (in-person), 10:30-11:30 am, The State Museum of PA
    • This month's book is Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket by Sue Fliess with illustrations by Annabel Tempest; learn about Earth's solar system and make a rocket picture to take home. For kids age 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission; sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk (StoryTime info).
  • Exploring the Armor (in-person), 2-4 pm, Pennsylvania Military Museum
    • Take a tour of the tracked vehicles on the museum grounds and get a look inside some of the crew compartments. Space is limited, and reservations are required; as of Wednesday, there were still some tickets available (Armor tour info and registration).

Sunday, March 20

  • Open-Hearth Cooking (in-person), 1-4 pm, Pennsbury Manor
    • It's spring, and the cooks will demonstrate some seasonal recipes that would have been prepared for William Penn and his family. Included in regular admission (Open-Hearth Cooking info).

Tuesday, March 22

  • Sensory Hours (in-person), 3-5 pm, Railroad Museum of PA
    • Light and noise levels will be lowered and the museum will be less crowded. There will also be some quiet spaces for breaks. Pre-registration is required (Sensory Hours info and tickets).

Wednesday, March 23

  • Games & Puzzle Challenge (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Test your knowledge and skills with a variety of games and puzzles. Included in regular admission (Challenge info).

Thursday, March 24

  • Winter History Class (virtual), 9 am-noon, Ephrata Cloister
    • Today's topic is "The Moravians: A Fresh Look at their Origin." If you did not register for the full course, you can attend today's session via Zoom for $10 (History Class info and registration).
  • Curiosity Kids (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Learn how artists use line as an element in their work and make your own artwork. For kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited, so please sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Curiosity Kids info).
  • Wisdom & Wine Series (in-person), 6:30-8 pm, Drake Well Museum & Park
    • Historian and retired pastor Dr. Barry Cressman will present "The Sometimes Unholy Entanglement of Church and Oil. Tickets are $5 (free for members). At 5:30 pm there will be a wine-tasting happy hour for a separate $5 fee. Registration is required (Wisdom & Wine info and registration).
  • Virtual Lecture Series, 7 pm, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
    • Abby Baer, executive director of the Demuth Foundation, will present "The Demuths of Lancaster City: Moravians, Merchants, and a Modern Artist," exploring the history of the Demuth family from businessman Christopher Demuth to artist Charles Demuth. The program is free, but you must register to receive the Zoom link (Virtual Lecture info and registration).

Friday, March 25

  • Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), 12:15-12:45 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Nevin Welte from the PA Fish and Boat Commission will talk about freshwater mussels and efforts to improve their populations in PA's rivers and streams. Offered via Zoom; registration is required (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).
  • Ritchie Boy Secrets (in-person and virtual), 1:30 pm, Pennsylvania Military Museum
    • Dr. Beverley Driver Eddy will discuss her book, Ritchie Boy Secrets, which explores the history of the Military Intelligence Training Center in northern Maryland during World War II. The program is presented in cooperation with Penn State's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and will be offered in-person and via Zoom. Registration is required for both. In-person tickets are $20 and include admission to the museum; Zoom tickets are $15 (PMM Lecture info and registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

  • Somerset Historical Center has rescheduled their Pysanky Egg Decorating Workshop to Saturday, April 2. This class is geared to beginners and the fee includes materials. Adults and kids age 12 and up welcome; ages 12 to 15 must be accompanied by an adult (Pysanky workshop 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, 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)
  • Tickets are on sale now for Bushy Run Battlefield's Art and Wine with Henry! event on Saturday, April 23. Enjoy some history and view the work of local artists (Art and Wine info and tickets).
  • On Wednesday, April 27, Graeme Park will host a lunch and learn program, "Forgotten Heroes - Women and the Fight for the Right to Vote." The program includes continental breakfast, a lecture, and a buffet lunch; tours of the Keith House will be available after lunch. Tickets are $35; reservations are required (Forgotten Heroes info and tickets).
  • Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum will offer living history tours on Saturday, May 21, based on the life and work of local inventor William Chester Ruth. Ruth was born in 1882 in Chester County; his father had been enslaved in South Carolina and his mother was a free woman of color. Ruth will be portrayed by actor Keith Henley of American Historical Theater. Tour times are 9:30, 12:30, and 3; advance tickets are required (William Chester Ruth Tour info and tickets)
  • On May 22, Daniel Boone Homestead will host the Trails of History Run, which includes a 5K, 10K, and 1/2-mile fun run. There will be awards for 5K and 10K races, plus special awards for the best-dressed representation of the 1770s era. Advance registration is required (DBH trail runs info). Training runs for new runners start at 10:30 am every Sunday at the DeTurk House (near the front entrance gate off of Daniel Boone Rd).
  • Drake Well Marathon, August 14 - this race is a Boston Marathon qualifier. Registration for a variety of categories is now open.

Celebrating Pennsylvania's Birthday

Celebrating Pennsylvania's Birthday
PA's 1681 Charter - a large handwritten document on parchment with text toward the center and drawings in the margins as embellishment. In upper left corner is a drawing of King Charles II with his distinctive long black wig
The original 1681 Charter - Pennsylvania's Birth Certificate

PHMC traditionally offers free admission to Pennsylvania Trails of History sites as part of Pennsylvania's birthday celebration. This year, that free admission day will be on Saturday, September 24 (watch PHMC social media and this space in September for list of participating sites). There are virtual activities and on-site programs this weekend exploring multiple themes in Pennsylvania's history, so why not celebrate with us?

Don't forget that Daylight Saving Time starts Sunday at 2 am. If you have clocks that don't reset themselves, turn them ahead one hour so that you don't miss the fun. And if the weather is iffy, please check ahead with the site you plan to visit (social media is usually the most up-to-date). PLEASE NOTE: Saturday's forecast is affecting some site schedules. Be extra careful and check before you go.

Monday, March 14, at noon EDT is the last chance to cast your vote in USA Today's Top 10 History Museums poll. You can vote once a day until then. Twenty museums are on the ballot, and our own Erie Maritime Museum has been sitting in the Top 10 (during the last days of voting, USA Today stops showing the leaderboard). Please take a few minutes to cast your votes (vote for Erie Maritime Museum). Thank you for your support.

Objects from the exhibit include: a wooden blanket chest with initials "SAC 1793," a white porcelain coffee pot with floral decoration, a very large pottery jug with a stylized face and blue flowers, and a light pink child's dress displayed on a dress form
Photo via Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum website

Up Next

Today, March 11

  • Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), 12:15-12:45 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Linda Ries, retired archivist with the PA State Archives, will discuss "Pennsylvania's Birth Certificate," the 1681 Charter given to William Penn by England's King Charles II. The program is free, but you must register to get the link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

Saturday, March 12

  • Reading on the Rails (in-person), 10 am-4 pm, Railroad Museum of PA
    • Story readings for kids will take place every 45 minutes (1st one at 10:15 am, last at 3:15 pm). Lots of activities as well, including travel stickers, Catcher the Cow, and KPETS therapy dogs. An American Sign Language interpreter will be part of each story reading. Included in regular admission (Reading on the Rails info).
  • Maple Taste and Tour Weekend (in-person), 10 am-4 pm Saturday and Sunday, Somerset Historical Center
    • SHC is one of 20 stops on this year's tour, offered in cooperation with the Somerset County Maple Producers Assn. Admission is free and there will be maple-related activities both days (Maple Taste info).
  • Friends Lecture Series (in-person) 2-3:05 pm, PA Military Museum
    • Today's talk explores the Truman Doctrine, marking the 70th anniversary of a pivotal policy that impacted two periods of conflict. Donations welcome (Friends Lecture info).

Sunday, March 13

  • Pennsylvania Day (in-person), 10 am-4 pm, Bushy Run Battlefield
    • Celebrate Pennsylvania's birthday and learn about Bushy Run's place in state history. Children's activities will be offered, and William Penn will make an appearance (PA Day info)
  • Living History! (in-person), noon-4 pm, Conrad Weiser Homestead
    • Today is the site's biggest living history event of the year. Learn about the French and Indian War and the skills of 18th-century life from demonstrators and volunteers. Donations welcome (Living History! info)
  • Community Day (in-person), noon-4 pm, Daniel Boone Homestead
    • Tour the Boone House and other structures, watch the Amity Colonial Dancers (and join in if you like), and take part in kids' activities and games (Community Day info).
  • Exhibit opening (in-person), noon-4 pm, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
    • Enjoy the museum's latest changing exhibit, Pennsylvania Germans: Their Lives in Color, which includes painted furniture, textiles, clothing, fraktur, ceramics, and more. Included in regular admission and open during regular business hours until the end of the year (exhibit info on LVM website).
  • Founder's Day (in-person), 1-4 pm, Pennsbury Manor
    • Celebrate Pennsylvania's birthday at William Penn's country estate. Craft demonstrations, including beer brewing, tours of the Manor House, and more. Admission is $3 at the door (Founder's Day info).
  • Joseph Priestley's Birthday Celebration (in-person), 1-4 pm, Joseph Priestley House
    • Costumed docents will be on hand throughout the house as you tour on your own. Dr. Priestley will offer chemistry demos in the Pond Building at 1:30 and 2:30. A new exhibit on Dr. Priestley's friendship with Ben Franklin will be unveiled (Priestley's Birthday info).
  • Charter Chats (virtual), 1 and 2 pm, PA State Archives
    • Archivist Josh Stahlman will explore the story of Pennsylvania's Charter in honor of our 341st birthday. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Charter Chat info and registration).

Wednesday, March 16

  • Charter Chat (virtual), noon, PA State Archives
    • Archivist Josh Stahlman will explore the story of Pennsylvania's Charter in honor of our 341st birthday. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Charter Chat info and registration).

Thursday, March 17

  • Winter History Class (virtual), 9 am-noon, Ephrata Cloister
    • Today's topics are "Then and Now: The Ephrata Cloister in Photos" and "Identifying and Preserving Nineteenth-Century Photos." If you did not register for the 9-week course, you can attend today's session via Zoom for $10 (Winter History Class registration).
  • Wisdom & Wine Series (in-person), 6:30-8 pm, Drake Well Museum & Park
    • Tonight's topic is "Dressmaking: Civil War Fashions and Sewing Machines in the 1860s. Cost for the lecture is $5. There will be a wine-tasting happy hour at 5:30 (separate $5 fee). Registration is required (Wisdom & Wine info and registration).

Friday, March 18

  • Charter Chat (virtual), noon, PA State Archives
    • Archivist Josh Stahlman will explore the story of Pennsylvania's Charter in honor of our 341st birthday. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Charter Chat info and registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

  • On Saturday, March 19, 2-4 pm, the Pennsylvania Military Museum will offer their popular history tour of the tracked vehicles on the grounds, including a look inside the crew compartments. Space is limited (in more ways than one), and reservations are required (Exploring the Armor info and registration).
  • Also, on March 19, Bushy Run Battlefield will host a one-day in-person symposium on Pontiac's War. Presentations will explore causes, events, and effects from different military and cultural perspectives. Tickets are $35 for students (with ID), $60 for BRBHS members, and $75 for non-members; deadline to purchase tickets online is March 12 (Symposium info and ticket link).
  • 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)
  • Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum will offer living history tours on Saturday, May 21, based on the life and work of local inventor William Chester Ruth. Ruth was born in 1882 in Chester County; his father had been enslaved in South Carolina and his mother was a free woman of color. Ruth will be portrayed by actor Keith Henley of American Historical Theater. Tour times are 9:30, 12:30, and 3; advance tickets are required (William Chester Ruth Tour info and tickets)
  • On May 22, Daniel Boone Homestead will host the Trails of History Run, which includes a 5K, 10K, and 1/2-mile fun run. There will be awards for 5K and 10K races, plus special awards for the best-dressed representation of the 1770s era. Advance registration is required (DBH trail runs info). Training runs for new runners start at 10:30 am every Sunday at the DeTurk House (near the front entrance gate off of Daniel Boone Rd).
  • Drake Well Marathon, August 14 - this race is a Boston Marathon qualifier. Registration for a variety of categories is now open.

It's March Already!

It's March Already!
Close-up of a coil of rope in Erie Maritime Museum exhibit. Blue banner with white letters in background says "Don't Give Up the Ship"
Photo via Erie Maritime Museum Facebook page

Voting is still open for USA Today's Top 10 History Museums poll. Twenty museums are on the ballot, and our own Erie Maritime Museum is currently in the running to make the Top 10. You can vote once a day, with the poll closing at noon ET on March 14. Please take a few minutes to cast your vote, early and often (vote for Erie Maritime Museum). Thank you for your support.

For those of you wondering, Charter Day, a free admission day usually held in mid-March on the Trails of History, has been postponed until later in the year. Next week's post will include info on PHMC activities in celebration of Pennsylvania's 341st birthday as well as spring season kickoff events that are slated for next weekend.

Event graphic with multicolored background in blues and greens. White text on green says "What's in a theme? PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase, March 10, 7 pm"

Up Next

Today, March 4

  • StoryTime (in-person), 10:30-11:30 am, The State Museum of PA
    • Explore our solar system and read Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket by Sue Fliess with illustrations by Annabel Tempest. For kids ages 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission (StoryTime info)
  • Conservationist Gardener Workshop (in-person), 11 am-12:30 pm, Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
    • Staff from the Potter County Conservation District will present about garden and backyard conservation. Free rain barrels and soil test kits will be offered to attendees. The workshop is free; call 814/320-4017 to reserve your spot (Garden workshop info)

Saturday, March 5

  • Kids Day: Revolution! (in-person), 10 am-3 pm, PA Military Museum
    • Learn about the roles of families and kids during the American Revolution through hands-on activities. Included in regular admission (Kids Day info).

Sunday, March 6

  • Closed for spring cleaning, Drake Well Museum and Park

Tuesday, March 8

  • Sensory Hours (in-person), 3-5 pm, Railroad Museum of PA
    • Light and noise levels will be lowered during these less-crowded hours. Several historic railcars will be open, and museum staff will be on hand to answer questions. Admission is $7 for ages 3 and up (some discounts available); reservations are required by 1 pm (Sensory Hours info and tickets).
  • Iron Age Evolved (virtual), 7-8 pm, Cornwall Iron Furnace
    • Mike Weber will present an overview of 5,000 years of iron-making technology that led to the Cornwall Iron Furnace. Program is free, but you must register to get the link (Lecture registration).

Wednesday, March 9

  • Giant PA Map (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Test your geography skills as you explore a Giant Map of our state. Included in regular admission (Giant Map info)

Thursday, March 10

  • Winter History Class (virtual), 9 am-noon, Ephrata Cloister
    • Today's class is "The Martyr's Mirror: Historic Background and Contemporary Reception." If you did not register for the full 9-week course, you can attend today's session via Zoom for $10 (History Class registration for 3/10). Classes continue on Thursday mornings through March 31 (info on additional classes).
  • Curiosity Kids (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Learn about specialized beaks birds have to eat different types of foods, make your own bird feeder to take home. For kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited; sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Curiosity Kids info)
  • Wisdom & Wine Series (in-person), 6:30-8 pm, Drake Well Museum & Park
  • PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase (virtual), 7-8 pm
    • Staff from 5 Trails of History sites will present objects on the theme "Mystery/Oddities/What is It?" and then the audience will vote. Program is free, but you must register to get the link (Virtual Showcase registration)

Friday, March 11

  • Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), 12:15-12:45 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Linda Ries, retired archivist with the PA State Archives, will discuss "Pennsylvania's Birth Certificate," the 1681 Charter given to William Penn by England's King Charles II. The program is free, but you must register to get the link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

  • Somerset Historical Center is hosting a Pysanky Egg Decorating Workshop on Saturday, March 12. This class is geared to beginners and the fee includes materials. Adults and kids age 12 and up welcome; ages 12 to 15 must be accompanied by an adult (Pysanky workshop info and registration).
  • On Saturday, March 19, 2-4 pm, the Pennsylvania Military Museum will offer their popular history tour of the tracked vehicles on the grounds, including a look inside the crew compartments. Space is limited (in more ways than one), and reservations are required (Exploring the Armor info and registration).
  • Also, on March 19, Bushy Run Battlefield will host a one-day in-person symposium on Pontiac's War. Presentations will explore causes, events, and effects from different military and cultural perspectives. Tickets are $35 for students (with ID), $60 for BRBHS members, and $75 for non-members; deadline to purchase tickets online is March 12 (Symposium info and ticket link).
  • 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)
  • Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum will offer living history tours on Saturday, May 21, based on the life and work of local inventor William Chester Ruth. Ruth was born in 1882 in Chester County; his father had been enslaved in South Carolina and his mother was a free woman of color. Ruth will be portrayed by actor Keith Henley of American Historical Theater. Tour times are 9:30, 12:30, and 3; advance tickets are required (William Chester Ruth Tour info and tickets)
  • On May 22, Daniel Boone Homestead will host the Trails of History Run, which includes a 5K, 10K, and 1/2-mile fun run. There will be awards for 5K and 10K races, plus special awards for the best-dressed representation of the 1770s era. Advance registration is required (DBH trail runs info). Training runs for new runners start at 10:30 am every Sunday at the DeTurk House (near the front entrance gate off of Daniel Boone Rd).
  • Drake Well Marathon, August 14 - this race is a Boston Marathon qualifier. Registration for a variety of categories is now open.