New Things to See

This month marks the 90th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), part of what became know as The New Deal during the Great Depression. A new temporary exhibit at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum commemorates this event and supplements the CCC section of the museum's core exhibit, Choices and Challenges in Pennsylvania's Forests. Curator Josh Fox notes in a recent issue of the PA Lumber Museum Associates newsletter that Pennsylvania was home to the second CCC camp, ANF-1, which opened on April 24, 1933, in the Allegheny National Forest. Eventually, Fox writes, "Pennsylvania would have 153 CCC camps, second only to California, and almost 200,000 Pennsylvanians would serve as CCC enrollees." The program ended in 1942.

In addition to the permanent exhibit component on CCC, the Lumber Museum is home to a chestnut cabin built by CCC enrollees of the Dyer Farm CCC camp for a state park project and a CCC Legacy bronze statue of a CCC enrollee. Here are a couple of exhibit photos to entice you.

View from the permanent exhibit's CCC section into the temporary exhibit gallery (photo courtesy PA Lumber Museum)

Cases in the temporary exhibit feature artifacts and images donated since the permanent exhibit opened in 2015 (photo courtesy PA Lumber Museum)

Back in February I shared some information about an ice boat donated to the Erie Maritime Museum that was being readied for exhibit. Well, it's ready. Earlier this week, the museum held a reception to open the new exhibit, Snipe...to Black Ice, which refers to the boat's original name and the name it came into the museum with. Worth a visit, I think.

The ice boat is on display on the museum's mezzanine level (photo via Erie Maritime Museum's Facebook page)

Up Next

Saturday, April 29

• Behind the Scenes with the Heirloom Seed Project (in-person); 9 am and 1 pm; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
• Heirloom Seed Project staff and volunteers will offer a glimpse into preparations for the annual Herb & Garden Faire and lead a tour of gardens on the site. Two tour times: 9 am or 1 pm. The tour is two hours of walking around the museum grounds, rain or shine; please dress for the weather with comfortable footwear. Tickets are $40, $35 for members (Heirloom Seed Project tour tickets).

• Discover PA with the Giant Map (in-person); 10 am-Noon; 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 program info).

• POSTPONED to May 6 - Art in the Garden (in-person); 10 am-1 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Take a tour of Pennsbury's gardens and grounds, then settle into your favorite spot and paint. All skill levels welcome; materials provided. Cost is $35, $30 for members. Registration required (Pennsbury Manor contact info).

• Spring Nature Walk (in-person); 10 am-?; Bushy Run Battlefield
• Learn about historical and modern uses for the wide variety of plant life that grows at Bushy Run. Bring some sturdy hiking boots and dress for the weather. Tickets (available at the door) are $5, free for members (Spring Nature Walk info).

• Arbor Day Book Talk (in-person); 1-2 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• In honor of Arbor Day, Dolores Parsil will talk about her book, Lancaster's Good Man: John Piersol McCaskey, A Biography. Among other things, McCaskey organized the first Arbor Day celebration in Pennsylvania in 1884 (Arbor Day book talk info).

Sunday, April 30

• EVENT POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER, but site will be open Noon to 4 pm - A "Sense" of History (in-person); Noon-4 pm; Conrad Weiser Homestead
• This living history event features activities to engage all the senses in learning about life in the Tulpehocken in the 18th century. All ages welcome (Sense of History program info).

• Animals at Pennsbury (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Meet the furry, fuzzy, and feathered inhabitants of Pennsbury and discover the important roles their 17th-century counterparts played in daily life. Included in regular admission (Animals at Pennsbury program info).

Tuesday, May 2

• Sensory Hours (in-person); 3-5 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, sound, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be some quiet spaces in the galleries to take a break. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (May 2 Sensory Hours tickets).

Friday, May 5

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Read What Grandma Did by Erin Miller with illustrations by Randall Harmon, the story of a little girl who learns her grandmother was a pilot during World War II. Learn about the role the museum’s Piper aircraft played in training pilots and try creating your own plane. 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

• Presentation and Book Signing (hybrid); Wednesday, May 10, 11 am-Noon; Railroad Museum of PA
• J. Craig Thorpe will give a free presentation based on his book, Railroads, Art, and American Life: An Artist's Memoir. You can attend the presentation in person at the museum or virtually via Zoom. In-person attendees can also get copies of the book signed by the author. Admission will be charged to tour the museum's exhibits and can be purchased on the day at the admissions desk (register for the Zoom presentation).

• Herb & Garden Faire (in-person); Friday and Saturday, May 12-13, 9 am-5 pm; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
• The Faire, featuring plants from Landis Valley Museum’s Heirloom Seed Project, will also offer heirlooms, natives, and other hard-to-find varieties to purchase from vendors spread out over the historic village area of the site. The 2023 Herb & Garden Faire is the 35th year of this high-profile regional event. Food and drink will be available onsite. Tickets are available at the door or in advance online (Herb & Garden Faire online tickets).

• Mother's Day Breakfast and Cake Walk (in-person); Sunday, May 14, 10 am-Noon; Graeme Park
• Treat Mom to a Mother’s Day breakfast in the large event tent at Graeme Park! After your meal, enjoy a tour of the Keith House or participate in our cake walk (separate $10 ticket to be sold on site) to win a cake to take home with you. Tickets must be purchased in advance (tickets for Mother's Day breakfast).

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, May 16, 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, sound, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be some quiet spaces in the galleries to take a break. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (May 16 Sensory Hours tickets).

• Brews at the Battlefield (in-person); Saturday, June 17, 5-8 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Taste beers from local and regional breweries, listen to music, and enjoy food from Burgers by Wildwich (separate purchase from event tickets). You must be at least age 21 to attend, and photo ID will be required at the door. All tickets must be purchased in advance; designated driver tickets available (Brews at the Battlefield tickets).

• OEV Music Weekend (in-person); Saturday and Sunday, June 17-18, Noon-8 pm both days; Old Economy Village
• Enjoy a wide array of bands at a beautiful historic site. Event is rain or shine (will move indoors if the weather is bad); bring chairs and blankets for outdoor seating. There will be a variety of food trucks onsite (separate purchase). Advance tickets only; choose one day or the whole weekend (OEV Music Weekend line-up and tickets).

Summer Camp Programs (camps are in-person unless marked otherwise)

• Brandywine Battlefield Park (Brandywine camp info)
• Live the Battle Week (grades 3-4), June 27-30, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 3-4), July 11-14, 9 am-2 pm
• Live the Battle Week (grades 5-6), July 18-21, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 5-6), July 25-28, 9 am-2 pm

• Bushy Run Battlefield (Bushy Run camp info)
• Colonial Life (grades 1-5), June 19-21, 10 am-3 pm

• Drake Well Museum & Park (Drake Well camp info)
• Discovery Days Camp (ages 8-12), July 6, 13, 20 & 27, 9 am-4 pm

• Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum (LVVFM camp info)
• A Child's Life in the Civil War (ages 5-11), July 18-21, 9 am-12:30 pm

• Old Economy Village (OEV camp info)
• July 17-21, Summer History Camp (ages 6-12), 9 am-Noon, and Summer Art Camp (ages 6-12), 12:30-3:30 pm
• July 24-28, Summer Art Camp (ages 6-12), 9 am-Noon, and Summer History Camp (ages 6-12), 12:30-3:30 pm

• Pennsbury Manor (Pennsbury camp info)
• Colonial Camp Week (ages 6-8), July 17-21, 9 am-4 pm

• PA Lumber Museum (Lumber Museum camp info)
• History Camp (ages 10-18), August 4-5, 9 am-2 pm

• Railroad Museum of PA (RMP camp info)
• Barons & Builders Summer Day Camp (ages 9-10), July 11-14
• SOLD OUT Barons & Builders Summer Day Camp (ages 11-12), July 25-28