Winter Sets In

Civilian Conservation Corps statue in front of a relocated cabin built by CCC members in Potter County (photo via PA Lumber Museum Facebook page)

We have lots of winter-themed and seasonal programs in the coming week. Please take a look at the listings to find something that you'd enjoy, either outdoors or indoors.

I am sad to share this post from Ephrata Cloister, but I'd also like to pay tribute to our colleague Michael Showalter, museum educator, who passed away January 15. Michael was a consummate educator, utterly devoted to telling Ephrata's stories to the public and to helping others share those stories as well. I never saw him happier than when he was connecting modern people to the historic people at Ephrata, sometimes through first-person interpretation, but often through well-crafted presentations in virtual classes, the site's popular Lantern Tour programs, or the annual Winter History Class. I am fortunate to have worked with him for so many years. We will all miss him.


[Image description: Screenshot of Jan. 25 Ephrata Cloister Facebook post with photo of Michael Showalter, a smiling man with brown hair and glasses, wearing the white robe used to interpret the celibate members of the Ephrata community. Text reads: "Today we say our final farewells to our colleague, friend, and mentor, Ephrata's Museum Educator, Michael Showalter. It's hard to come to terms with his sudden departure from this earth and the institutional and historical memory that is no longer available to us simply for the asking. Rest In Peace, Michael."]

Up Next

Saturday, January 28

• Winter in the Lumber Camp (in-person); 10 am-4 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• Outdoor fun in the snow (weather permitting) with sledding, snow men, and snow art activities. Try your hand at cross-country skis, snowshoes, and ice skates (conditions permitting) with the help of equipment provided by PA DCNR and volunteer instructors. At 1pm Jeremy Banfield, elk biologist for the PA Game Commission’s Deer and Elk Section, will provide an engaging overview of the Commonwealth’s elk management program (Winter in the Lumber Camp info).

• Seed to Bread (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am and 1:30-2:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Explore the exhibits in the Transportation & Industry gallery and learn how seeds can become flour to make bread. Take home some historic recipes to try. Included in regular admission (Seed to Bread info).

Tuesday, January 31

• Tour of the GP30 (virtual); 10-10:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• This interactive virtual program is geared to grades K-6 and will provide a behind-the-scenes view of spaces inside the locomotive. Admission is by donation (GP30 Tour info and tickets).

Thursday, February 2

• Winter History Class (in-person & virtual); 9 am-noon; Ephrata Cloister
• This 9-week winter course kicks off today and runs every Thursday through March 30. If you sign up for the full series, you can choose in-person or Zoom attendance. Single sessions will be available via Zoom only (Winter History Class registration options).

Friday, February 3

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Hear a reading of Over and Under in the Snow by Kate Messner to discover what is happening under the snow and create a winter landscape. For ages 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (StoryTime info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, Feb. 7, 3-5 pm, and Tuesday, Feb. 21, 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Noise, light, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be quiet spaces for breaks. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (Feb. 7 Sensory Hours or Feb. 21 Sensory Hours).

• Virtual Programs; Railroad Museum of PA
• Wednesday, Feb. 8, 7-8 pm - Train Tour: Mad for Consolidations (general audience)
• Tuesday, Feb. 14, 10-10:30 am - Simple Machines and the Railroad (Grades K-6)
• Tuesday, Feb. 28, 10-10:30 am - Train Tour: The H6SB (Grades K-6)

• Winter Academy (virtual); Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30-7:30 pm; Drake Well Museum & Park
• Photographer and retired biology teacher Jeffrey Hall will present a virtual program, "Birds of Venango County," sharing facts and stories about the birds we all know, highlighting some of the birds that are "specialties" of Venango County, and introducing some of the rare birds that visit the county only occasionally (Winter Academy 2/9 info and registration).

• Artists Conversation (virtual); Friday, Feb. 10, 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join fine arts curator Amy Hammond as she talks with artist Matthew Cote about his work "Full Circle," recipient of the Art of the State 2022 Purchase Award. The program will be presented via Zoom; please register to receive the link (Artists Conversation info and registration).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); Friday, Feb. 17, 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Brant Portner, environmental education specialist with the PA Game Commission, will talk about the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, a popular spot for birds and bird watchers. The program is free and will be offered via Zoom; please register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

• The Harmonist Connection: Gardens (virtual); Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7-8 pm; Old Economy Village
• The latest in a series of virtual programs sponsored by Harmony Society sites in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Tonight, Kent Schuette from Historic New Harmony (IN) and Joe Pulgini from Old Economy Village will talk about the work both carry out to maintain modern gardens that draw on the traditions of the Harmonists. Free and offered via Zoom (Harmonist Connection info and registration).

• Rails & Ales 2023 (in-person); Saturday, April 1, 5:30-9 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Taste craft beers among the museum's world-class collection of historic trains in Rolling Stock Hall. Must be age 21 or older to attend; photo ID required at the door. Advance tickets only; VIP tickets tend to sell out quickly (ticket options, including designated driver tickets).

• Colonial Camp Week (in-person); Monday-Friday, July 17-21, 9 am-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Campers 6 to 8 years old will spend the week exploring the entire site with a talented team of living history experts. Sessions run 9 am-4 pm each day; before- and after-care are available for an additional fee (registration info).

Museum Selfie Day 2023

Several Trails of History sites participated in this year's Museum Selfie Day, posting photos of staff in their natural habitats. It's a fun day and a chance to see some of the people who make our sites such great places to visit. Here are a few of our Trails of History selfies.

From left, Lauren, Dodie, and Juliette with the Tahoe steam engine in the Railroad Museum of PA's Rolling Stock Hall (photo via RMP Facebook page)

You can join Planetarium director Linda to learn more about the night sky next week (photo via State Museum of PA Facebook page)

PA Lumber Museum curator Josh took this selfie with original timbers from the U.S. Brig Niagara while he was helping with a collections move at the Erie Maritime Museum (photo via PA Lumber Museum Facebook page)

Up Next

Please note that Ephrata Cloister will be closed Saturday and Sunday, January 21 and 22.

Today, January 20

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join us as we talk to Jeff Jumper, Resiliency Program Manager with the Bureau of Recovery at the PA Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), to discuss some of our weather normal and some of our extremes. From tornadoes to floods, we’ll take a look through the Pennsylvania weather almanac. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime registration).

Saturday, January 21

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Read Supertruck by Stephen Savage and uncover how this truck saves the town from the big snowstorm. For ages 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (StoryTime info).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Jennifer Janofsky, director and public historian at Red Bank Battlefield, and Wade Catts, principal archaeologist with South River Heritage Consulting, will present a program on recent excavations at Fort Mercer and Red Bank Battlefield Park. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online (Rev Speaker Series tickets).

• Mapping Mammal Hall (in-person); 1-3 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Use the giant map of PA to find the real locations that inspired the Mammal Hall diorama scenes. Included in regular admission (Mapping Mammal Hall info).

• Anthracite Heritage Month Program (in-person); 2-3:30 pm; PA Anthracite Heritage Museum
• Presentations include "The Reopening of the Brooks Mine in Nay Aug Park, Scranton" and "Mine Equipment Restoration." Refreshments will be served (Anthracite Htge Month Pgm info).

Sunday, January 22

• Knox Mine Disaster Commemoration (virtual and in-person); 2-3:30 pm; PA Anthracite Heritage Museum
• Anthracite Heritage Museum staff and staff from several museums in Wales will discuss Welsh and American coal heritage. The program will also include music and a display of mining memorabilia. Attend in person (22 Bald Mountain Rd., Scranton), join via Zoom (link to join Zoom), or watch live on AHM's Facebook page (Knox Mine Disaster program info).

Tuesday, January 24

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Jan. 24, 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, noise, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be a few quiet spaces in the galleries if you need a break. Severl historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (Sensory Hours 1/24 tickets).

Wednesday, January 25

• Explore! (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn more about the groundhogs in Pennsylvania and their legendary role in predicting the weather. Build an aneroid barometer to make predictions at home. For grades 3-5 and included in regular admission. Space is limited; please sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Explore! info).

• Stargazing: Tonight's Sky (in-person); 2-3 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join the Planetarium director to explore the basic motions of the sky, visible constellations and planets, and any special celestial events coming up in the next month. Planetarium tickets are in addition to regular admission and may be purchased at the Ground Floor Info Desk (Stargazing program info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Tour of the GP30 (virtual); Tuesday, Jan. 31, 10-10:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• This interactive virtual program is geared to grades K-6 and will provide a behind-the-scenes view of spaces inside the locomotive. Admission is by donation (GP30 Tour info and tickets).

• Winter Academy (virtual); Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30-7:30 pm; Drake Well Museum & Park
• Photographer and retired biology teacher Jeffrey Hall will present a virtual program, "Birds of Venango County," sharing facts and stories about the birds we all know, highlighting some of the birds that are "specialties" of Venango County, and introducing some of the rare birds that visit the county only occasionally (Winter Academy 2/9 info and registration).

• Rails & Ales 2023 (in-person); Saturday, April 1, 5:30-9 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Taste craft beers among the museum's world-class collection of historic trains in Rolling Stock Hall. Must be age 21 or older to attend; photo ID required at the door. Advance tickets only; VIP tickets tend to sell out quickly (ticket options, including designated driver tickets).

Don't Miss Out!

PA Military Museum educator Emily shows some Farm Show visitors how civilians learned to spot enemy planes during World War II (via PMM's Facebook page)

There's still time (but not much) to catch the PA Military Museum's display at the 2023 PA Farm Show. All this week, they've been helping show-goers learn about life in Harrisburg during World War II, highlighting the Farm Show complex's role in wartime aviation and civilian homefront activities. Their Facebook page is a great place to see what they've been up to. You can find them in Booth 2310, which is in the GIANT Expo Hall, near the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs booth. The Farm Show runs through tomorrow (Saturday) at 5 pm. 

One of the civilian homefront activities that took place at the Farm Show complex was aircraft engine repair. According to a PA Farm Show history site created by PHMC in 2012, in 1942 the Main Exhibition Hall was used to train mechanics to repair military planes. "In early 1944, the mechanics' school was phased out and replaced by an Army Air Corps aircraft engine repair shop. When it was fully operational as part of a large aircraft overhaul center at Olmsted Field in nearby Middletown [now the site of Harrisburg International Airport] the shop employed sixteen hundred to twenty-three hundred workers."

This is also the last weekend to see the 2023 Art of the State juried exhibition at The State Museum of Pennsylvania. If you won't be able to visit in person, you can also check out the 360° Virtual Exhibition.

If you know a current undergraduate or graduate student interested in public history and/or historic preservation, there's still a little bit of time to apply for a 2023 Keystone Summer Internship with PHMC. Paid positions are open at numerous Trails of History sites around the state as well as at the State Historic Preservation Office in Harrisburg. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have at least a 2.5 GPA, and meet some other requirements depending on which position they apply for (successful applicants will need to pass a background check). Posting details and all requirements can be found at Pennsylvania's NEOGOV site.

Up Next

Today, January 13

• Family Gallery Tour: Geology Hall (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about the landforms and waterways found in Pennsylvania’s Physiographic Provinces and get hands-on with the common minerals and rocks found in Pennsylvania. Included in regular admission (Geology Hall tour info).

Saturday, January 14

• Black Bears (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about the history of black bears in PA and find out about their unique adaptations and what they are doing during the winter. Included in regular admission (Black Bears program info).

Tuesday, January 17

• Workin' on the Railroad (virtual); 10-10:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• This interactive virtual program is geared to grades K-6 and explores a variety of railroad jobs through artifacts, photographs, and activities. Admission is by donation (Workin' on the Railroad info and tickets).

Thursday, January 19

• Curiosity Kids (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about magnets, explore a series of hands-on experiment stations, and use critical thinking skills to complete various challenges. For 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).

Friday, January 20

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join us as we talk to Jeff Jumper, Resiliency Program Manager with the Bureau of Recovery at the PA Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), to discuss some of our weather normal and some of our extremes. From tornadoes to floods, we’ll take a look through the Pennsylvania weather almanac. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime registration).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Saturday, Jan. 21, Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Jennifer Janofsky, director and public historian at Red Bank Battlefield, and Wade Catts, principal archaeologist with South River Heritage Consulting, will present a program on recent excavations at Fort Mercer and Red Bank Battlefield Park. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online (Rev Speaker Series tickets).

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, Jan. 24, 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, noise, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be a few quiet spaces in the galleries if you need a break. Severl historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (Sensory Hours 1/24 tickets).

• Tour of the GP30 (virtual); Tuesday, Jan. 31, 10-10:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• This interactive virtual program is geared to grades K-6 and will provide a behind-the-scenes view of spaces inside the locomotive. Admission is by donation (GP30 Tour info and tickets).

• Winter Academy (virtual); Thursday, Feb. 9, 6:30-7:30 pm; Drake Well Museum & Park
• Photographer and retired biology teacher Jeffrey Hall will present a virtual program, "Birds of Venango County," sharing facts and stories about the birds we all know, highlighting some of the birds that are "specialties" of Venango County, and introducing some of the rare birds that visit the county only occasionally (Winter Academy 2/9 info and registration).

• Rails & Ales 2023 (in-person); Saturday, April 1, 5:30-9 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Taste craft beers among the museum's world-class collection of historic trains in Rolling Stock Hall. Must be age 21 or older to attend; photo ID required at the door. Advance tickets only; VIP tickets tend to sell out quickly (ticket options, including designated driver tickets).

Hello, 2023!

Well, we made it to another year. I hope you've started 2023 happy and healthy. Here's a few things to look forward to in the coming weeks.

Photo via The State Museum of PA Facebook page

Now through the end of January at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, you can view three gowns from three distinct historical eras currently on display on the first floor. The State Museum's collections include nearly 20 inaugural gowns worn by First Ladies of Pennsylvania when their husbands became governor. In the photo above, from left to right, are gowns worn by Mary McAllister Beaver in 1887, Huberta Potter Earle in 1935, and Muriel Matzkin Shapp in 1971. The display is available during the museum's regular operating hours and is included in regular admission.

Staff from the Pennsylvania Military Museum will be at the 2023 PA Farm Show starting tomorrow, January 7, through January 14. They're partnering with the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, the Secretary of Agriculture, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, and the Furious Fourth (4th ID) WWII Living History Association to tell war-front and home front stories of World War II. Wartime service was not just on the front line, but also included thousands of women such as those in Harrisburg, PA. Women from across the city, and much of the Commonwealth, provided critical mechanical services to aircraft engines prior to deployment overseas, and others provided security services at facilities such as the Farm Show Arena. Visit Booth 2310 (pictured above) in the GIANT Expo Hall for hands-on activities, displays of uniforms, gear, and photos, and examples of food and rations from World War II. You can find Farm Show info in the 2023 Visitors Guide.

PHMC is partnering with the PA Historical Association for the 2023 Scholars in Residence program, which will provide a stipend for up to four weeks of research in the PA State Archives during the period of Aug 1 thru Sept 30. Residency programs are open to all who are conducting research on Pennsylvania history, including academic scholars, public sector professionals, independent scholars, graduate students, educators, writers, filmmakers, and others. Applicants are encouraged to formulate their topic and consult with archives staff prior to submitting a proposal. Deadline for proposals is Feb. 15; applicants will be notified in April. For more info, visit the PHA website.

Please note that Fort Pitt Museum will close Jan. 9 for exhibit upgrades and maintenance, reopening to the public on Wed., Feb. 1. Kids receive free admission through Sunday, Jan. 8.

Up Next

Today, January 6

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Read Supertruck by Stephen Savage and uncover how this truck saves the town from the big snow storm. For ages 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission. This program will also be offered on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 10:30 am. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (StoryTime info).

Saturday, January 7

• PA Geography with the Giant Map (in-person); 1-3 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Discover the giant map of Pennsylvania as we walk across the state. Test your geography skills playing a game. Included in regular admission (Giant Map info).

Sunday, January 8

• Twelfth Night (in-person); 4-7 pm; Joseph Priestley House
• Enjoy a traditional English celebration with music, refreshments, and lantern light. Dr. Priestley will conduct chemistry demos in the Pond Building at 4:30 and 5:30. Admission is free (Twelfth Night info and updates).

Wednesday, January 11

• Homeschool Program (in-person); 10-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Curators Dr. Curt Miner and Bob Hill will talk about the early 20th-century transition from "Horse Power to Gas Power" and how it's similar and different from current changes in transportation energy. Experiment with power sources by making a wind-powered car. Registration and pre-payment are required (Homeschool Program registration).

Friday, January 13

• Family Gallery Tour: Geology Hall (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about the landforms and waterways found in Pennsylvania’s Physiographic Provinces and get hands-on with the common minerals and rocks found in Pennsylvania. Included in regular admission (Geology Hall tour info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Workin' on the Railroad (virtual); Tuesday, Jan. 17, 10-10:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• This interactive virtual program is geared to grades K-6 and explores a variety of railroad jobs through artifacts, photographs, and activities. Admission is by donation (Workin' on the Railroad info and tickets).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); Friday, Jan. 20, 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join us as we talk to Jeff Jumper, Resiliency Program Manager with the Bureau of Recovery at the PA Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), to discuss some of our weather normal and some of our extremes. From tornadoes to floods, we’ll take a look through the Pennsylvania weather almanac. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime registration).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Saturday, Jan. 21, Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Jennifer Janofsky, director and public historian at Red Bank Battlefield, and Wade Catts, principal archaeologist with South River Heritage Consulting, will present a program on recent excavations at Fort Mercer and Red Bank Battlefield Park. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online (Rev Speaker Series tickets).

• Tour of the GP30 (virtual); Tuesday, Jan. 31, 10-10:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• This interactive virtual program is geared to grades K-6 and will provide a behind-the-scenes view of spaces inside the locomotive. Admission is by donation (GP30 Tour info and tickets).