Winding Down April

Posted by Amy Killpatrick Fox on Friday, April 29, 2022
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Winding Down April
A table set outdoors with a plain woven cloth holds clay pots, wooden bowls, and pewter porringers with various green herbs growing or harvested.
Photo via Conrad Weiser Homestead Facebook page

Well, it's almost the end of April, so I'm just going to wrap the month by sharing a few photos from Trails of History programs. As is often the case, Pennsylvania's weather is making us play guessing games, but outdoor events are definitely ramping up. Last weekend, Conrad Weiser Homestead hosted "A Sense of History," where visitors were encouraged to use their senses to learn more about life in 18th-century Berks County. The photo above shows a variety of herbs that visitors could experience by touch, smell, and sight. This Sunday, May 1, from noon to 4 pm, they'll host a living history event focused on trade goods (see details below). If you're in the area, it's a beautiful place to spend some outdoor time.

Two large horses--one mostly white, the other mostly brown--are in harness to pull a wheeled trailer with logs. A bearded man in brown overalls and a burgundy sweatshirt is leaning against one of the wheels.
Photo via PA Lumber Museum Facebook page

Last weekend was the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum's annual spring antique show and sawmill demo. You can't run a sawmill without logs, so they also had folks on hand to show how logs get moved around. There was a loader with a forklift, but also some horses who help with log skidding. The picture above is from Saturday; on Wednesday, it was snowing lightly. You just never know.

Image shows the parking lot, wooden barn (museum store), and entry walkway at Ephrata Cloister. Adults in casual clothes and teens dressed in formal wear are standing around waiting to take photos.
Photo via Ephrata Cloister Facebook page

It's prom season already? Yes, it is. It's become something of a local tradition in Ephrata to take prom pictures at Ephrata Cloister, another of our Trails of History beauties. While history is why our sites are preserved, our communities value us for lots of different reasons. Helping people make lasting memories is important, too.

Rows and rows of small parsley plants in square black starter pots. White and yellow id tags are stuck into the soil of each.
Photo via Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum Facebook page

We started with herbs, we'll end with herbs. After a two-year hiatus, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum's Herb & Garden Faire is back next weekend. You can support the Heirloom Seed Project by purchasing plants such as those pictured above. A wide variety of vendors will have plants and garden-related stuff, plus there will be food trucks and stands. If you're closer to western PA, Old Economy Village's Garden Mart is also a great source of heirloom varieties and garden beauty. See below for details of both events.

Onward to May!

Up Next

Sunday, May 1

  • Living History Sunday (in-person) noon-4 pm, Conrad Weiser Homestead
    • Enjoy an afternoon in the park and learn about life 18th-century trade goods exchanged by Native Americans and European settlers. Donations welcome (Weiser Homestead info).

Monday, May 2

  • Unlock Your History (in-person), 9 am-4 pm, Old Economy Village
    • Learn how to preserve, decipher, and research your family history documents. Offered in association with the Heinz History Center. Cost is $15, which includes a box lunch (Unlock Your History info and registration).

Tuesday, May 3

  • Sensory Hours, 3-5 pm, Railroad Museum of PA
    • Light and sound levels will be lowered and several historic trains will be open with staff on-hand to answer questions. Cost is $7 per person; please register in advance (Sensory Hours info and registration).

Friday, May 6

  • Herb & Garden Faire (in-person), 9 am-5 pm Friday and Saturday, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
    • Shop for plants from the Heirloom Seed Project and other garden-related vendors. Event runs 9 am-5 pm both days. Several community food trucks and vendors will be on-site as well. Advance tickets are available online (Herb & Garden Faire info & tickets).
  • JUST ADDED - Stargazing at the Homestead (in-person), 8 pm-?, Daniel Boone Homestead
    • Join members of the Berks County Amateur Astronomical Society to view planets and constellations. Visitors are encouraged to dress warmly and to bring their own telescopes, flashlights, and chairs (Stargazing info).

Saturday, May 7

  • Garden Mart (in-person), 9 am-1 pm, Old Economy Village
    • Heirloom varieties of plants raised in OEV's greenhouse will be for sale, along with other plants and garden-related items. Admission is free all weekend (Garden Mart info).
  • Spring Gas Up (in-person), 9 am-3 pm, Drake Well Museum & Park
    • The museum hosts the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society, with displays of antique engines, farm and oil equipment, cars, trucks, and models. Included in regular admision; Hydetown Fire Dept. Auxiliary will have food and beverages for sale (Spring Gas Up info).
  • Spring Nature Walk (in-person), 10 am-noon, Bushy Run Battlefield
    • Learn about the flora and fauna of western PA and explore the grounds. Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. Pre-registration is required, but you can pay when you arrive (Spring Nature Walk info and tickets).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

  • The Pennsylvania Military Museum will offer a Sensory Friendly Visit day on Wednesday, May 11, from 10 am to 3 pm. Background sound effects in the gallery will be turned off and the volume on the orientation video will be reduced (captions always enabled). Please register in advance; standard admission rates apply and you can pay when you arrive (Sensory Friendly visit info).
  • The next PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11, at 7 pm. Staff from five Trails of History sites will present objects on the theme "Health & Medical Devices" and then the audience will vote on their favorite or the one they thought best illustrated the theme. The program is free; register to receive the Zoom link (Collections Showcase registration).
  • Railroad Museum of PA's STEAM on the Rails educational experience takes place May 19 from 10 am to 1 pm. The program is for school group students in grades K-6 and features learning stations throughout the Museum - interactive behind-the-scenes tours, a live steam demo, hands-on art activities, and presentations on historic railroading jobs. Ticket sales end May 17 (STEAM on the Rails 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.

Summer Camps & Activities on the Trails of History

I'll add to this as I get more info.
  • Bushy Run Battlefield
    • Summer History Club; activity boxes for Ages 8-12 (pick-up to use at home with an accompanying YouTube video); June 19, July 10 & 24, Aug. 7

Volunteers of the Year 2022

Posted by Amy Killpatrick Fox on Friday, April 22, 2022
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White background with small white longstemmed flowers. A blue box contains text in white letters: "Thank you, PHMC Volunteers! National Volunteer Week 2022"

As National Volunteer Week draws to a close (tomorrow, April 23), let's take a few moments to thank all of PHMC's volunteers, who support the agency's programs and behind-the-scenes efforts in so many ways. It's been a rough couple of years (just call me the queen of understatement), and our volunteers have been patient and flexible, adapting to changes in how we work and how we serve the public. Because of the disruptions caused by being closed to the public for most of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, we expanded the timeframe for honoring volunteer service this year to include 2020 and 2021.

The 2020-21 honorees, including four recipients of the Outstanding Service Award, are pictured below, and there is a link for each so that you can read more about their volunteer activities (thank you to all the sites for providing this information). Please join me in congratulating them and thanking them for their support of the Pennsylvania Trails of History.

A quick note: Looking for the coming week's events? Up Next, April 22-29

Outstanding Service Awards


White man in a dark suit with white shirt and striped tie. He has white hair and wears glasses. He's standing in front of a large stone wall with a fireplace and a Christmas wreath.
Alan Mochnick, Bushy Run Battlefield (citation)
White man portraying a historic oilfield worker in a plaid shirt, dark pants, suspenders and a cap holds a wrench in his left hand. He is looking toward a piece of historic oil field equipment.
David Weber (in memoriam), Drake Well Museum & Park (citation)

White woman with short dark hair and glasses stands in front of a large fireplace wearing a dark green colonial-style dress with white edging, white gloves and a white cap. She is talking to a visitor wearing a dark gray jacket.
Jo Ann Long, Joseph Priestley House (citation)

White man in a blue sweater and brown pants stands in front of collections storage shelves. Next to him is a faceless mannequin with a WWI-era olive drab uniform jacket and hat.
Norman Oelschlegel, The State Museum of Pennsylvania (citation)

Volunteers of the Year for Service in 2020-21


White man with dark hair wearing a brown t-shirt and standing in front of a window with white vertical blinds.
Justin Skavery, Anthracite Heritage Museum & Scranton Iron Furnaces (citation)

Black man with glasses and graying goatee in Rev War uniform with black tricorn hat, white breeches, red stockings, blue coat with red and yellow edging. He's standing in the courtyard of a stone military barracks with red railings on balcony and stairs and holding a musket.
Noah Lewis, Brandywine Battlefield Park (citation)

White man with white hair wearing a blue and white check shirt stands in front of a stone fireplace next to a white man with brown hair wearing a gray patterned sweater.
Joe Ramus (left) and Larry Gesner, Bushy Run Battlefield (citation)

White man with dark hair and glasses wearing a sweater with ornate black and white pattern
David Sonnen, Conrad Weiser Homestead (citation)

White man with graying hair stands in front of a brown stone wall. He's wearing a blue button-down shirt with the words "Cornwall Iron Furnace" in the right of the photo.
White woman with blond hair and glasses wearing a red embroidered suede vest over a black top
(Top) Mike Weber - 2020; (bottom) Kathy Donaldson - 2021, Cornwall Iron Furnace (citation)

White man with gray beard wearing a black tricorn hat and ringing a small bell, wearing a red collared 18th-century style shirt under a brown waistcoat with silver buttons. Two stone buildings are in the background along with a stand of bare trees.
William Jewell, Daniel Boone Homestead (citation)

White man wearing white coveralls and green cap is in a garage-type space standing next to a large piece of oil field equipment with a large wheel on each side connected by multiple gears
White woman with shoulder-length white hair and glasses, wearing a black top with a red collar. A framed painting is partially visible behind her.
(Top) Richard Paul - 2020; (bottom) Jean Riddle - 2021, Drake Well Museum & Park (citation)

White man with dark hair wearing brown boots, khakis, a white shirt with sleeves rolled up, a dark tie and a black vest. He is seated and playing a small stringed instrument (lute or mandolin?) and the neck of a guitar played by someone else is visible.
Dave Matsinko, Eckley Miners' Village (citation)

Whitel woman with slightly graying short hair and glasses wearing an ivory cowl-necked sweater. She is in a living room and an evergreen branch is visible behind her.
Bonnie Martin, Ephrata Cloister (citation)

White man in a navy blue cap with the site logo. He is wearing a light blue collared shirt under a burgundy vest with his name "Bruce" and a silhouette of a two-masted ship in white with the words "U.S. Brig Niagara, Erie, PA." A scale model of the brig is behind him in a glass case.
Bruce Miller, Erie Maritime Museum & U.S. Brig Niagara (citation)

Profile view of a white woman with dark hair pulled into a ponytail outdoors at a table. She is wearing a pink 18th-century style gown with ruffled edging over a white petticoat and stomacher.
Melissa Kurek, Graeme Park (citation)

White man with white beard and mustache stands on snowy ground with evergreens behind him. He is wearing a brimmed brown hat with an orange and brown jacket and sunglasses hanging from a cord. He is holding a paper cup.
Mark Matt, Hope Lodge (citation)

White woman with dark hair wearing a 19th-century style dress with wide sleeves in light and dark blue shades with a matching bonnet tied with a dark blue bow beneath her chin. She is standing in front of a light colored stone wall. She is wearing black gloves and standing with her elbows at her sides, hands held with the palms toward the camera and the thumbs and index fingers pointing upward.
Laurie McCants, Joseph Priestley House (citation)

White man with slightly graying hair and glasses. He is wearing a plaid collared shirt with shades of white, gray, and black and standing in front of a dark green curtain.
White woman with brown hair and glasses sits in a collections workspace wearing a cream-colored cardigan over a white top. She's holding a pencil to fill out some forms in front of her as she examines two stereograph cards.
(Top) Bob Haas - 2020; (bottom) Sharon Koziar - 2021, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum (citation)

Three white men stand together with snow on the ground, there is snow on the roof of the rear porch of the house behind them. Man on left has gray hair and a gray goatee and mustache and is wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt under a gray zippered vest. Man in middle has brown hair and is wearing sunglasses and a white checked shirt. Man on right has graying hair and mustache and is wearing a blue denim shirt with "Old Economy Village" over the left pocket.
(From left) Ted McAuley, Joe Pulgini, and Warren Kinneer, Old Economy Village (citation)

White man with sunglasses sits on a wooden bench petting a small white dog. He is wearing a yellow cap, blue pants, and a long-sleeved top with thin blue and white stripes. There is a canal behind him with palm trees and buildings visible on the other side of it.
James Pagliaro, Pennsbury Manor (citation)

White man with a gray mustache and glasses holds 3 large wooden disks and is wearing brown pants with suspenders, an orange t-shirt, and a beige cap. Behind him is a mud pit, a grassy field, and rows of spectators behind an orange plastic fence.
Michael Callahan, Pennsylvania Lumber Museum (citation)

White man with short gray hair and glasses looks just left of camera. He is wearing a black collared shirt with a PA Military Museum lanyard visible around his neck.
Victor Campbell, Pennsylvania Military Museum (citation)

White man with gray hair and glasses wearing a bright green t-shirt with "Rails & Ales" program logo. A pile of blue wristbands are in front of him ready to be put on attendees.
James Cleveland, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (citation)

White man with short dark hair, close-cropped beard and mustache. He is wearing a black t-shirt.
White man with light brown hair wearing a blue polo shirt that says "Cisco". There is a light brown curtain behind him as well as some white balloons visible in the upper left corner of the photo.
(Top) Jeffrey Shaffer; (bottom) Michael Rhoades, Somerset Historical Center (citation)

The Week Ahead

Posted by Amy Killpatrick Fox on Friday, April 15, 2022
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It's a sunny day. A two-story stone building is in the background. A mass of green plants with pink and purple flowers are in front and there is a fuzzy bumblebee on one of the stalks.
Daniel Boone Homestead shared this lovely photo of the Boone House (photo via DBH Facebook page)

There's a lot on the events calendar, so I'll keep it brief. Please note that sites on the PA Trails of History will be closed on Sunday, April 17, for Easter. They'll resume their regular schedules on Monday (most are closed on Monday, too, as a rule).

Sunday is also the start of National Volunteer Week, which runs through April 23. Watch for next week's post with info on our Volunteer of the Year honorees and Outstanding Service Award winners for this year. They're an impressive bunch. Until then, I hope that you can enjoy whatever the week brings. I hope it's more of the photo above than the photo below, but spring in Pennsylvania can be unpredictable. You just have to roll with it.

Wooden decking with wooden railing behind the Lumber Museum Sawmill. The deck is covered in snow and so are the trees nearby and the hills in the distance.
Sometimes winter isn't through with us (photo via PA Lumber Museum Facebook page)

Up Next

Saturday, April 16

  • StoryTime (in-person), 10:30-11:30 am, The State Museum of PA
    • Read Ten Seeds by Ruth Brown and plant a seed to take home. For kids age 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (StoryTime info).

Sunday, April 17

Tuesday, April 19

  • Sensory Hours (in-person), 3-5 pm, Railroad Museum of PA
    • Light and sound levels will be lowered in the galleries and there will be fewer visitors. Several historic trains will be open, with museum staff on hand to answer questions. Please purchase tickets in advance (Eventbrite link for ticket options).

Wednesday, April 20

  • Explore! (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Earth Day is Friday, so what better time to learn about reducing, reusing, and recycling? For kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission. Space is limited; sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Explore! info)

Thursday, April 21

  • Family Gallery Tour: Paleontology (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Museum educators will be in the gallery with hands-on fossils of plants and animals from the Carboniferous Period to the present. Included in regular admission (Gallery Tour info).

Friday, April 22

  • Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), 12:15-12:45 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Senior curator Dr. Curt Miner will present a talk on Levittown (Bucks County), which is marking its 70th anniversary this year. The program is free; register to receive the Zoom link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

Saturday, April 23

  • Spring Antique Show & Sawmill Run (in-person), 10 am-4 pm Saturday and Sunday, PA Lumber Museum
    • Antique vendors will be selling a wide variety of items. Historical demos and the birch still will take place both days. On Saturday only, the steam-powered sawmill will be running. Food available for purchase in the community room (Spring Show info).
  • Falconry Demonstration (in-person), 2-3 pm, Joseph Priestley House
    • Falconer Mike Dupuy will present an educational program and demo, followed by a Q&A session (Falconry demo info).
  • National Water Dance Festival - Erie, 4-6 pm, Erie Maritime Museum
    • This event merges dance, art, music, and science. Weather permitting, participants will start at the front of the museum and make their way around to the water side before heading indoors for an event in the Hirt Auditorium (Water Dance info).
  • Annual Benefit Auction (in-person), 5-8 pm, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
  • Art and Wine with Henry! (in-person), 7-9 pm, Bushy Run Battlefield
    • An evening of art displays, refreshments, and history. Regional artists and students from Seton Hill will display their work. Cost is $25 per person; includes hors d'oeuvres and two drink tickets (Art and Wine ticket info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

  • On April 24, the PA Military Museum will offer sensory friendly visits, with background noises in the galleries turned off and volume on the orientation video reduced (captions always enabled). Reserve a time slot on the hour between 10 am and noon. Standard admission rates apply (Sensory Visits info and reservations).
  • 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).
  • On Saturday, May 2, Old Economy Village will host "Unlock Your History," a program on researching your family history and deciphering clues in old documents. Cost is $15, which includes a box lunch (Unlock Your History info and registration).
  • The next PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11, at 7 pm. Staff from five Trails of History sites will present objects on the theme "Health & Medical Devices" and then the audience will vote on their favorite or the one they thought best illustrated the theme. The program is free; register to receive the Zoom link (Collections Showcase registration).
  • Railroad Museum of PA's STEAM on the Rails educational experience takes place May 19 from 10 am to 1 pm. The program is for school group students in grades K-6 and features learning stations throughout the Museum - interactive behind-the-scenes tours, a live steam demo, hands-on art activities, and presentations on historic railroading jobs (STEAM on the Rails 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.

Summer Camps & Activities on the Trails of History

I'll add to this as I get more info.
  • Bushy Run Battlefield
    • Summer History Club; activity boxes for Ages 8-12 (pick-up to use at home with an accompanying YouTube video); June 19, July 10 & 24, Aug. 7

What's Up?

Posted by Amy Killpatrick Fox on Friday, April 8, 2022
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A white man in knee breeches and long waistcoat talks with a group of homeschool students. He is standing in front of a large fallen tree with some of the bark shaved off and is hold a long-handled tool to demonstrate.
Pennsbury Manor shared this photo of site administrator Doug Miller during a recent homeschool visitation day at the site (photo via Pennsbury's Facebook page)


We know it's spring when the school groups return to the Trails of History. Although school visits haven't entirely recovered to pre-pandemic levels, most sites are expecting to once again help young visitors explore the history of Pennsylvania and the people who have lived here. Do you have fond memories of a field trip to one of our sites? Drop a note in the comments!

PA Museums, our statewide museum organization, recently announced the winners of their 2022 Special Achievement Awards. Among the awardees are two PA Trails of History sites. Ephrata Cloister was honored for their successful effort in 2020 to move their long-standing Christmas events online during the Covid-19 site closures (this effort was also honored in 2021 by the American Association for State and Local History). Receiving an S.K. Stevens Award for 2022 was Fort Pitt Museum's exhibit, Pittsburgh, Virginia. Congratulations to Ephrata Cloister, Fort Pitt Museum, and all the PA Museums award winners for 2022.

Speaking of sharing history with the public, June 1 is the deadline for nominations to the state historical marker program. New criteria were approved in September 2020, and the nomination process is now online through the PA-SHARE portal. The info you need is on the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) historical marker nomination page. The nomination page includes a link to a PA-SHARE tutorial if you haven't used the new site yet; please allow yourself time to navigate the process.


Up Next

Today, April 8

  • Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), 12:15-12:45 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Bert Myers from the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection will talk about PA's successful peregrine falcon reintroduction efforts. The program is free; register to receive the Zoom link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

Saturday, April 9

  • Pennsbury Manor and Bushy Run Battlefield will both be closed to the public April 9 and 10.
  • Common Threads Fiber Arts Celebration (in-person), 9 am-4 pm, Somerset Historical Center
    • Fiber artists and guest speakers will be set up throughout the museum, demonstrating specific techniques, providing hands-on activities, and educating visitors about a wide variety of fiber arts. Offered in partnership with Laurel Arts. Admission is $5; a local food truck will be on site with lunch options for purchase (Common Threads info).
  • Rails & Ales (in-person), 6:30-9 pm, Railroad Museum of PA
    • Craft breweries, food vendors (separate charge), and a world-class collection of trains. Ticket options include designated driver tickets. You must be age 21 or older to attend; valid ID required at the door. Advance tickets only (Rails & Ales info and tickets).

Sunday, April 10

  • Online Benefit Auction Preview (virtual), Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
    • Today through April 16, preview items for Landis Valley's silent virtual auction. Bidding will take place online April 17-22. The LIVE benefit auction takes place April 23, starting at 5 pm (LVM Auction info).

Tuesday, April 12

  • The Story of Telling the Cornwall Story (virtual), 7-8 pm, Cornwall Iron Furnace
    • James Polcynski will present a history of Cornwall as a museum; 2022 marks the 90th anniversary of Margaret Buckingham's gift of the Furnace complex to the people of PA. The program is free; please register to receive the Zoom link (Story of Cornwall info and registration).

Wednesday, April 13

  • Sensory Friendly Visit (in-person), 10 am-3 pm, PA Military Museum
    • Background sound effects in the galleries will be turned off and volume on the orientation film will be reduced (captions always enabled). Reserved timeslots available on the hour between 10 am and 3 pm; payment can be made when you arrive (Sensory Visit info and reservations). Check PMM's event calendar for additional dates for sensory friendly visits.
  • Family Gallery Tour: Mammal Hall (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • A museum educator will help families learn more about the animals in the dioramas using hands-on objects. Included in regular admission (Gallery Tour info).

Thursday, April 14

  • Curiosity Kids (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • PA is the largest producer of pretzels in the U.S.; learn about the history of this snack food and test your pretzel twisting skills. For kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited, so sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Curiosity Kids info).
  • Ephrata Virtual Academy, 7-8 pm, Ephrata Cloister
    • Tonight's program is "Easter Among the Pennsylvania Germans," exploring traditions of early German settlers in PA. The program is free; register to receive the Zoom link (Virtual Academy info and registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

  • Somerset Historical Center's Coopering School for 2022 is fully booked, but there is a waiting list for 2023, or in the event of cancellations this year (Coopering School info and waiting list).
  • 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).
  • On Saturday, May 2, Old Economy Village will host "Unlock Your History," a program on researching your family history and deciphering clues in old documents. Cost is $15, which includes lunch (Unlock Your History info and registration).
  • Railroad Museum of PA's STEAM on the Rails educational experience takes place May 19 from 10 am to 1 pm. The program is for school group students in grades K-6 and features learning stations throughout the Museum - interactive behind-the-scenes tours, a live steam deom, hands-on art activities, and presentations on historic railroading jobs (STEAM on the Rails 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.

Summer Camps & Activities on the Trails of History

I'll add to this as I get more info.
  • Bushy Run Battlefield
    • Summer History Club; activity boxes for Ages 8-12 (pick-up to use at home with an accompanying YouTube video); June 19, July 10 & 24, Aug. 7

Trailheads to Be First Blog on Mars

Posted by Amy Killpatrick Fox on Friday, April 1, 2022
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A tree filled with small white blossoms stands on a grassy area next to a pond with 3 geese floating in it. The sun casts a shadow on the ground beneath the tree.
Spring has sprung at Conrad Weiser Homestead, which will be open from noon to 4 this Sunday, April 3 (photo via CWH Facebook page)


As of this weekend, all Trails of History sites have reopened for the season, so it must really be spring! Schedules vary, so please be sure to check websites before heading out for a visit. Guided tours are generally on a set schedule, so it's helpful to know what to expect. Enjoy!

Over the past month, we asked you to vote for Erie Maritime Museum in USA Today's Top 10 History Museums poll. The results were announced last week (after my posting deadline), and Erie came in at number 7! Thank you to everyone who voted. Congratulations to the staff and volunteers who make it a great place to visit.

Up Next

Today, April 1

  • StoryTime (in-person), 10:30-11:30 am, The State Museum of PA
    • Read Ten Seeds by Ruth Brown and plant a seed to take home and watch it grow. For kids age 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk (StoryTime info)

Saturday, April 2

  • Pysanky Egg Decorating Workshop (in-person), 9 am-4 pm, Somerset Historical Center
    • This is a beginner-level class teaching the basic skills of Ukrainian decorated eggs. Open to anyone age 12 and up (age 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult). As of Wednesday, there appeared to still be tickets available. Cost is $45, which includes materials (Pysanky workshop info and registration)
  • National Water Dance Art Preview (in-person), 10 am-noon, Erie Maritime Museum
    • Posters and infographics by Mercyhurst Univ. artists spotlighting plastics pollution and threats to the world's coral reefs will be on display in the Orientation Theater. This is a preview for the National Water Dance event on April 23 (EMM info).
  • The Great War Remembered: World War I (in-person), 10:00 am-3 pm Saturday and Sunday, PA Military Museum
    • Lectures and temporary exhibits mark the 104th anniversary of American combat troops in France and the end of WWI. Included in regular admission (Great War info). At noon on Saturday, author Tom Schalata will present "The Bloody Bucket," detailing his grandfather's service in the 28th Division. On Sunday at 1 pm, Robert Potter will present "Discovering WWI: From Boalsburg to France and Back," based on his travels in rural regions of France. The lectures are free (donations welcome); seating is first come, first served.

Wednesday, April 6

  • Explore! (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Learn about PA industries using T.M. Fowler's bird's-eye views of industrial towns. For kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission. Space is limited; sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Explore! info).

Thursday, April 7

  • Family Gallery Tour: Paleontology (in-person), 11:30 am-12:30 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Museum educators will be in the gallery with hands-on fossils of plants and animals from the Carboniferous Period to the present. Included in regular admission (Gallery Tour info).

Friday, April 8

  • Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), 12:15-12:45 pm, The State Museum of PA
    • Bert Myers from the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection will talk about PA's successful peregrine falcon reintroduction efforts. The program is free; register to receive the Zoom link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

  • Somerset Historical Center's Coopering School for 2022 is fully booked, but there is a waiting list for 2023, or in the event of cancellations this year (Coopering School info and waiting list).
  • 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).
  • On Saturday, May 2, Old Economy Village will host "Unlock Your History," a program on researching your family history and deciphering clues in old documents. Cost is $15, which includes lunch (Unlock Your History info and registration).
  • 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.

Summer Camps & Activities on the Trails of History

I'll add to this as I get more info.
  • Bushy Run Battlefield
    • Summer History Club; activity boxes for Ages 8-12 (pick-up to use at home with an accompanying YouTube video); June 19, July 10 & 24, Aug. 7