It's Not All Halloween (But A Lot of It Is)

Package freighter Dean Richmond sometime prior to sinking on Lake Erie in 1893 (photo via Alpena County Public Library - collection also includes some interior views)

We are heading straight into the tell-tale heart of Halloween season on the Trails of History. But if Halloween (spooky and otherwise) isn't your thing, there are lots of other options. Don't forget to check out DCNR's foliage reports to see where the best fall color in the state can be found. Enjoy!

Up Next

Today, October 20

• Story Time with the Educator (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Designed for children ages 2 through preK and led by a Museum educator, Story Time features a reading of a specially selected children’s book and a hands-on activity, craft, song or poem. Included in regular admission (Railroad Museum October 20 story time).

• Artists Conversations (in-person); 5:30-7:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Admission to the Art of the State exhibit is free tonight as part of 3rd in the Burg. Artist Eddy López will be part of a conversation in the exhibit starting at 6 pm. Refreshments will be served (Art of the State artist conversation).

• Wreck of the Dean Richmond (in-person); 6-8 pm; Erie Maritime Museum
• This free lecture on the sinking of the freighter Dean Richmond on Lake Erie in 1893 is presented in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Archaeology Shipwreck Survey Team (PASST). It will take place in the Hirt Auditorium, just off the lobby the museum shares with Erie County Public Library (Erie shipwreck program info).

• A Walk Among the Graeme Ghosts (in-person); 7-9 pm; Graeme Park
• This immersive theater experience allows guests to visit the publicly accessible areas of the Keith House in any order and at their own pace. As of Thursday, tickets available for 9 pm tour only. Advance tickets are $20 via Eventbrite. Tickets at the door are $25, but may sell out before the event (Oct. 20 Graeme Ghosts info).

Saturday, October 21

• Trains and Treats (in-person); 10 am-4 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Children will have a chance to tour the museum's exhibits and some of the historic locomotives and railroad cars in Rolling Stock Hall. They will receive a treat bag to collect candy (nut-free) and small, non-food items at each stop along the way. Recommended for ages 3 to 12 and included in regular admission. Costumes are welcome but not required (Trains and Treats info).

• Storytime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Join us to read Dinosaur Bones by Bob Barner to find out fun facts about some favorite dinosaurs and create dinosaur art to take home. For ages 3 to 5 and included in regular admission. Space is limited (State Museum Storytime info).

• Revolutionary Speaker Series (in-person); Noon-2 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• Jim Christ, president of the Paoli Battlefield Preservation Fund, will present a program addressing common myths about the Battle of Paoli (Sept. 20, 1777) and exploring its influence on the remainder of the American Revolution. Tickets are $20 and include the lecture, light refreshments, and access to the museum's exhibit gallery and afternoon tours (Revolutionary Speaker Series info and tickets).

• Stargazing: Tonight's Sky (in-person); 3-4 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join the Planetarium Director for a live chat exploring what you can see in the sky tonight. Learn about the basic motions of the sky, visible constellations and planets, and any special celestial events that are coming up in the next month. Planetarium tickets must be obtained at ground floor desk at least five minutes before showtime (Oct. 21 Stargazing program info).

• Historical Halloween (in-person); 5-8 pm; Somerset Historical Center
• Safe, family-friendly trick-or-treating outdoors at the Somerset Historical Center, including tractor-drawn wagon rides, maple kettle corn, and fresh apple cider pressed on-site. Admission is $3 per child; adult chaperones are free. Costumes encouraged but not required (Somerset Halloween program info).

• Halloween Lantern Tours (in-person); 6-9:30 pm; Hope Lodge
• Explore Hope Lodge by lantern light and participate in an immersive tour of the grounds. Reservations required (Hope Lodge Lantern Tours info and tickets).

• Spooky Lantern Tours (in-person); 6:30-8:30 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• Join us for a walk through the site by lantern light. Listen to ghost stories and trick-or-treat along the way. Decorate pumpkins, make pinecone birdfeeders, and have some refreshments in the museum program room. Admission is $5 per person older than age 3. Costumes encouraged (Lumber Museum Lantern Tours info).

• Pottery Book Release and Lecture (in-person); 7-9 pm; Old Economy Village
• Author Michael Strezewski will present a talk at Old Economy Village to mark the release of his new book, Christoph Weber Redware Potter of the Harmony Society. There will be a small pottery exhibit and books will be available for purchase. Register online to reserve your spot (Harmonist pottery book lecture).

Sunday, October 22

• Living History Sunday and Fall Park Walk (in-person); Noon-4 pm; Conrad Weiser Homestead
• Learn about Conrad Weiser and the people of the Tulpehocken Valley. Guided walk of the park begins at 2 pm (Weiser Sunday event info).

• Heritage Day Fall Festival (in-person); Noon-4 pm; Daniel Boone Homestead
• This living history event features a variety of eighteenth-century demonstrations, trades, and hands-on activities. These include blacksmithing, hearth cooking, wool dyeing, candle dipping, colonial music, and more. The event will also feature craft and specialty food vendors as well as fall activities for children like pumpkin painting. Admission charged (Boone Fall Festival info).

• Haunted Story Time & Trick-or-Treating (in-person); 1-3 pm; Graeme Park
• Kids can trick-or-treat through each room of the Keith House while witches, ghosts, pirates, and goblins read parts of a story in each room. Costumes encouraged (Graeme Park Storytime and Trick-or-Treat event).

• Sunday programming (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Delaware Tribal members from Oklahoma will tell stories from their heritage, encourage audience participation for Native dances, have games for kids, and talk about where they are today. Visitors can also watch the brewers make pumpkin ale and check out the fall garden. All included in regular admission.

• Stargazing: Tonight's Sky (in-person); 3-4 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join the Planetarium Director for a live chat exploring what you can see in the sky tonight. Learn about the basic motions of the sky, visible constellations and planets, and any special celestial events that are coming up in the next month. Planetarium tickets must be obtained at ground floor desk at least five minutes before showtime (Oct. 22 Stargazing program info).

Wednesday, October 25

• WILD Illustration (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join us in Ecology Hall to explore a famous Pennsylvania naturalist and his wildlife art. Discover close looking and use your new knowledge to create your own art journal and wildlife illustration. Included in regular admission (wildlife art program info).

Friday, October 27

• Curiosity Kids (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join us in the First Floor Activity Room to learn about portraits. What are portraits and what can they tell us? Create your own self-portrait. For grades K to 2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited (Curiosity Kids program info).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Archaeology curator (retired) Janet Johnson will discuss how The State Museum's collections are used by archaeologists to understand and interpret the past and what science has contributed to our knowledge of these curated collections. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime registration).

• Harvest, Death & Renewal: Late October Traditions of the PA Germans (in-person); 6:30 and 8:30 pm; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
• This two-hour nighttime tour explores the museum grounds and adjacent cemetery. Recommended for adults and older teens. Dress for the weather and please bring a flashlight. Offered at 6:30 and 8:30; light refreshments will be served in the Landis Valley Hotel. Reservations required (info and tickets for Harvest, Death & Renewal).

• A Walk Among the Graeme Ghosts (in-person); 7-9 pm; Graeme Park
• This immersive theater experience allows guests to visit the publicly accessible areas of the Keith House in any order and at their own pace. Tours are at 7, 8, and 9 pm. Advance tickets are $20 via Eventbrite; as of last check, tickets available only for 7 pm tour. Tickets at the door are $25, but may sell out before the event (Oct. 27 Graeme Ghosts info).

• The Haunting of Duncan Campbell (in-person); Friday and Saturday, 7-10 pm; Bushy Run Battlefield
• This historical narrative program will present three ghost stories from the 18th century as visitors walk through the museum. Timed tickets for Friday and Saturday nights start at 7 pm, with time slots every half hour until 9:30 (Bushy Run Halloween program info and tickets).

• Old Economy After Dark (in-person); 7-11 pm; Old Economy Village
• OEV has partnered with Beaver County Paranormal for an evening of exploration in the Village. BCP will present two lectures on paranormal investigation, and attendees are welcome to bring hand-held investigation equipment (no large equipment or metal detectors). Please note that this is not a "haunted" event with costumed figures or scares. Advance tickets only: $20 general admission, $25 VIP ticket lets you stay later in the evening and access additional spaces (Oct. 27 OEV After Dark info and tickets).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Workshops in Archaeology 2023 (in-person); Saturday, Oct. 28, 9 am-5 pm; The State Museum of PA
• This year's theme is Discovering the Past: The Sciences of Archaeology. Sessions will feature experts in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), C14 dating, GPR survey, geoarchaeology, and more. Please join us as we explore how these specialized analyses are conducted and how the results enhance our understanding of the environmental and human past. Early registration by Oct. 20 is $25; discounts available. Registration at the door is $35 (no discounts). Bagged lunches, available for $8.50, must be ordered by Oct. 20 (Workshops in Archaeology info and registration).

• 1940s Swing Dance (in-person); Saturday, Nov. 4, 7-10 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Tickets are now available for this event that takes place during the museum's annual Trains and Troops event Nov. 4-5. Advance tickets for the dance are recommended; admission to the daytime programs is available at the door (Railroad Museum Swing Dance tickets).

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, Nov. 7, 3-5 pm, and Tuesday, Nov. 21, 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, sound, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be some quiet spots in the galleries to take a break. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. At 3:30 pm on Nov. 7, there will be a Story Time with the Educator aimed at kids age 2 to 5. Advance tickets required (tickets for Nov. 7 Sensory Hours and tickets for Nov. 21 Sensory Hours).

• Coffee or Tea with Louisa May Alcott (in-person); 10:30 am and 1:30 pm; Graeme Park
• It's 1868 and Louisa May Alcott, who was born not far from Graeme Park, returns to the area as part of a speaking tour in support of her most successful book to date, Little Women: or Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. She'll read from her various works, talk about her life and artistic influences, and welcome feedback on her upcoming sequel. After the presentation, enjoy coffee and pastries (10:30 event) or tea and sweets (1:30 event). Advance tickets are required (Louisa May Alcott event tickets).

• Bound by the Furnace: Iron Slavery in Early National Pennsylvania (virtual); Tuesday, Nov. 14, 7-8 pm; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• Historian Cory Young will present a program based on his research about the use of enslaved labor in the iron industry. The program is free, but you must register to receive the Zoom link (Cornwall Iron Furnace lecture registration).