Happy Fall!

Please be sure to check the PHMC Events Calendar for information on upcoming programs (in-person and virtual). I've included highlights for the coming week below. The Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen offer an array of online content generated by Trails of History sites. Also, if you're looking for a Covid vaccine provider, check out Vaccines.gov and enter your zip code.

Please note that staff and volunteers at Commonwealth of PA worksites, including the PA Trails of History, are wearing masks while indoors. Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to do so as well.

The crabapple trees at Old Economy Village are starting to bear fruit (photo via OEV Facebook)

It is now officially Fall, so I hope you'll have a chance to enjoy cooler weather as you visit our sites along the PA Trails of History. If you want to keep an eye on fall colors around the state, be sure to check out DCNR's foliage map (not updated for 2021 just yet, but it should be soon).

Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum's curator, Jennifer Royer, participated in last week's worldwide Twitter event, Ask a Curator Day, working with PHMC's digital director, Sean Adkins. Sean posted some highlights on the PA Trails of History Facebook page.


Last fall, PHMC received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to fund "PA History to Go," a project to produce video tours and highlights at each of the Trails of History sites. Working with Mark Polonia Productions, site staff and volunteers are sharing the essential stories of their sites. Filming took place at Daniel Boone Homestead last week, and they shared some views of the project.



Since July, PHMC has been collaborating with the State Library of PA on a monthly lunchtime series called "PA History: Read It, See It." The programs include a presentation about one of our Trails of History sites paired with related info available from local libraries or found in the State Library's rare book collection. September's program featured Cornwall Iron Furnace, and you can watch the video on YouTube if you missed it.

I'll leave you with some atmospheric images and ambient sound as we enter the weekend. This was posted to the PA Military Museum's Facebook page by the NGP (National Guard of PA) History Project last week. There is no narration, but the ambient sound includes water rushing in the creekbed on the museum grounds, wind blowing against the microphone, and towards the end the sound of vehicles on nearby roads. Enjoy!

On Sale Now

Tickets for the following in-person Fall programs are currently on sale (as of 9/22 - supplies may be limited):

• Garden Railways Tour, Railroad Museum of PA, Oct. 3 (Tour tickets)
• Children's Tea, Bushy Run Battlefield, Oct. 3 (Tea program tickets)
• Old Economy Village After Dark Ghost Tours, Oct. 15 and 30 (Oct. 15 tickets and Oct. 30 tickets)

Upcoming Events (virtual and in-person)

Today, Sept. 24

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual): curators Amy Hammond and Carol Buck will talk with museum director Beth Hager about this year's Art of the State exhibit. The conversation will be pre-recorded and released today (SMOP info)

Saturday, Sept. 25

• Fall Nature Walk (in-person): learn about plants and animals of western PA with naturalist Lindsey Praksti, Bushy Run Battlefield, 10 am-noon, $5 includes admission and tour of battlefield, pre-registration not required but appreciated (Nature Walk details)

Sunday, Sept. 26

• An Afternoon with the Graemes (in-person): dancing, tea, and living history, Graeme Park, noon-3 pm, outdoor activities are free, tours of the Keith House will be available at discounted admission rate (Afternoon info)
• Last Sunday Sewing Circle (in-person): bring your projects and join in the company, Bushy Run Battlefield, 1-4 pm, no charge to participate (Sewing Circle info)
• Beer Brewing and Garden Highlights (in-person): explore some of the recipes and plants that fed Pennsbury's residents, Pennsbury Manor, 1-4 pm, included in regular admission (Highlights info)
• Art of the State exhibit (in-person): a juried exhibition of works by artists and craftspeople from around the state, The State Museum of PA, noon-5 pm, included in regular admission and open during operating hours today through Jan. 2, 2022 (AOS21 info)

Wednesday, Sept. 29

• Explore! (in-person): kids in grades 3-5 are invited to learn how reducing, reusing, and recycling can improve the lives of all living things in PA, The State Museum of PA, 11:30 am-12:30 pm (Explore! info)

Thursday, Sept. 30

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): use your senses to learn about ways that rocks can be used, The State Museum of PA, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, for kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission (Curiosity Kids info)

Twenty Years Ago

Please be sure to check the PHMC Events Calendar for information on upcoming programs (in-person and virtual). I've included highlights for the coming week below. The Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen offer an array of online content generated by Trails of History sites. Also, if you're looking for a Covid vaccine provider, check out Vaccines.gov and enter your zip code.

Please note that staff and volunteers at Commonwealth of PA worksites, including the PA Trails of History, are wearing masks while indoors. Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to do so as well.

Tributes at the Temporary Memorial to the passengers and crew of Flight 93 in Somerset County, PA (PHMC staff photo)

I was with my family at Ocean City, Maryland - my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, my nephew and niece (their brother was born a month later). My brother had gone back to Baltimore for meetings the night before. He called that morning to tell us we should turn on the tv. Those of you old enough to remember know what we saw. My mom and sister-in-law and I took the kids, who were nearly 4 and 2-and-a-half, to Assateague to see the horses and get them away from the tv. My retired journalist dad, ever the news junkie, remained at the house to watch things unfold. We heard reports of one tower collapsing on the car radio, which I think we then turned off. While we got the kids a snack, we spoke with a Secret Service agent who was cutting his family vacation short to return to work. My brother, his meetings now cancelled, made his way back to Ocean City later in the day. We learned that a family friend, a flight attendant who regularly flew the route that crashed into the Pentagon, had flown to Los Angeles the day before. She was safe, although she'd lost colleagues and friends and didn't return home to Virginia until flights resumed a few days later. We tried to balance keeping the news on with sheltering the little ones from it. At the time, my nephew was going through a period of worrying about monsters. As we all sat on the porch that night, he asked "Are there monsters in the world?" We tried our best to reassure him, and ourselves, that we would keep him safe.

Remembering September 11 on the Trails of History

The State Museum of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Archives opened an exhibit this week featuring the handwritten field notes of Col. Paul J. Evanko, who was head of the Pennsylvania State Police on September 11, 2001. These notes document the response to the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 outside of Shanksville, Somerset County. In 2016, Evanko donated his notes to the Archives, and they are on public display for the first time. In August, archivist Richard Saylor spoke with the State Museum's program director, Brad Smith, about the Paul Evanko Collection and the exhibit (Witness to History on YouTube). The exhibit will be on view at The State Museum during regular operating hours through January 2, 2022.

The summer issue of Pennsylvania Heritage magazine includes a piece by Rich Saylor about the Evanko collection, an article by Peter Durantine titled "The Man for the Moment: Tom Ridge and the 9/11 Inflection Point," and a Trailheads piece about the role of the Somerset Historical Center in collecting and preserving tribute items left at the temporary memorial to Flight 93 that quickly sprang up near the crash site.

The Pennsylvania Military Museum is hosting a series of talks this weekend related to the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001. Tomorrow (Saturday, 9/11), Jennifer Bennie, who served as a combat aviator, will present "Naval Aviation in the Greater War on Terror" at noon, and MG John Gronski (Ret.), former Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe, and Commanding General of the 28th Division, PA National Guard, will present "The 28th Division, Combatting Terrorism" at 2 pm. Saturday's talks are in-person at the museum. On Sunday, Sept. 12, SW2 Charles Johnson, currently a Naval Reservist and museum educator at the Erie Maritime Museum, will present an online talk, "Seabees in the War on Terror" at 2 pm. Seating for Saturday's events is first come, first served. You can register for Sunday's event via Zoom. Visit the museum's website for additional information.

Brandywine Battlefield will hold their traditional Remembrance Ceremony tomorrow (Saturday) on-site starting at 6 pm. The event commemorates the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, and the events of September 11, 2001. Please visit Brandywine's website for details.

Other Upcoming Events (in-person and virtual)

Today, September 10

• Mountain Craft Days (in-person): Somerset Historical Center, 10 am-5 pm today through Sunday, tickets $9 for adults (SHC Facebook page for details)
• Learn at Lunchtime (in-person and virtual): Pennsylvania black bears, The State Museum of PA, 12:15-12:45 pm, included in regular admission or join via Zoom (info and SMOP Zoom registration)
• Commemoration of the Battle of Lake Erie (virtual): Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara, events throughout the day on social media, wreath-laying ceremony beginning at 5:30 pm (EMM Facebook event).
• Battlefield Paranormal Tour (in-person): Bushy Run Battlefield, 6:30 pm-1 am, tickets (advance sales only) are $20 (BRB Facebook event for info and tickets)

Sunday, September 12

• Online bidding starts (virtual): Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, now through Sept. 18 (online auction to preview and bid)
• Living History Sunday (in-person): Conrad Weiser Homestead, noon-4 pm (CWH website for details)
• Gallery Walk (in-person): The State Museum of Pennsylvania will be one of the stops, noon-5 pm (SMOP website for info).
• Living History Theater (in-person): Pennsbury Manor, presented at 12:15, 1:45, and 3:15 (site open noon-5 pm), included in regular admission (Pennsbury website for details)

Tuesday, September 14

• Cornwall Oral History Project 1980-1982 (virtual): Cornwall Iron Furnace lecture series, 7-8 pm (CIF info and Zoom registration)

Wednesday, September 15

• Ask A Curator (virtual): Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum curator Jennifer Royer will take your questions via PHMC's Twitter account as part of this worldwide social media event, 10 am
• Explore! (in-person): PA industrial towns, The State Museum of PA, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission (Explore! info)
• What's in a theme? PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase (virtual): this month's theme is music, 7-8 pm (VCS link for Zoom registration)

Thursday, September 16

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): kids in grades K-2 are invited to learn about structures, The State Museum of PA, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, included in regular admission (Curiosity Kids info)
• PA History: Read It, See It (virtual): make a virtual visit to Cornwall Iron Furnace, hosted by State Library of PA, noon-1 pm (Read It, See It link for Zoom registration)

It's What We Do

Please check out the September program page for online events (I've highlighted a few below). Online offerings ranging from coloring pages to jigsaw puzzles to videos are available 24/7 in the Trailheads Rec Room (to the right on your screen).

Drake Well Museum and Park and the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum co-hosted a live event for Ask A Curator Day on Wednesday (screenshot from Facebook video)

This has been a busy week. I've spent a lot of time talking with colleagues about the work we do, which is what inspired the title and brief content for this week's post. Much of the discussion has been around the work we are doing (with much more to be done) to foster and support inclusive work environments and to make sure that we are truly welcoming and inclusive places to visit (both in person and online). At a meeting of PHMC's Equity and Inclusion Team, we explored how issues of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion (DEAI) should inform the agency's latest strategic plan.

I met with colleagues from the Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums and the PA State Archives to discuss an upcoming conversation about inclusive collecting (part of a new monthly series of staff conversations on topics related to museum work in the 21st century). And I attended a DEAI training led by Cecile Shellman, who has an extensive background working at a range of museums and now consults on equity and inclusion for museums around the country. I also spent time with my colleague at Pennsbury Manor, Mary Ellyn Kunz, recording a short session on virtual programs for teachers and students that we'll be presenting for a meeting of Trails of History site administrators and educators next week. To say that my brain is full is an understatement. But I'm also feeling optimistic about the energy of so many PHMC staff and volunteers to do the hard work of making our sites, programs, and collections a true reflection of Pennsylvania's diversity and complex history.

My colleagues were also (in addition to attending these meetings) showing the public what they do and what it means to preserve and interpret Pennsylvania's history:

• For Ask a Curator Day (Sept. 16), staff from Drake Well Museum and Park and the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum took part in a conversation about museum collecting via Zoom and Facebook Live (that's what the photo at the top of the post is from). If you'd like to catch a replay, you'll find the video on Facebook.
• For Welcoming Week (Sept. 12-20), an annual series of events where neighbors, immigrants, and long-term residents come together in a spirit of unity, staff at Ephrata Cloister have been sharing stories and letters of immigrants who helped start the town of Ephrata - highlighting the history of immigrants and Ephrata's collections (you can check the first post of the week on Facebook and then find the rest).
• In tribute to Civil War historian Ed Bearss, who passed away earlier this week, PA Military Museum site administrator Tyler Gum wrote a blog post reflecting on "What Makes a Professional."
• After having to cancel their signature Mountain Craft Days event this year, Somerset Historical Center filled the weekend with posts about the history of the event and scenes from the past (Facebook photo album)
• This year's Art of the State exhibit at The State Museum of Pennsylvania is online. You can find a 360 degree view and take a virtual tour by visiting the museum's exhibit page.

P&R Shopmen Baseball team 1922 (via Railroad Museum Facebook page)

The Week Ahead

• Sept. 20-27, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum Online Auction Preview--this fundraiser supports the Farm Program and Heirloom Seed Project (animals and gardens need ongoing care even if the site is closed to the public). Online bidding will take place Sept. 28-Oct. 5. Visit the Facebook event for details.
  
• Sept. 23, Virtual Happy Hour: Sports--join staff from the Railroad Museum, Anthracite Heritage Museum, Eckley Miners' Village, and the Pennsylvania Military Museum for a live chat about sports-related objects in their collections. Offered via Zoom. Tickets for this event are by donation (drink recipe included with ticket). Visit Facebook event page for details and ticket link. 7-8 pm.

Thank You for Your Support

Please be sure to visit the September program page for info on virtual programs (I've highlighted some below as well). The Trailheads Rec Room, to the right on your screen, has examples of online offerings that are available all the time.

Revolutionary War reenactors at Brandywine Battlefield (photo via Facebook)

Today marks the 19th anniversary of the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. To commemorate those events and the 243rd anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine, Brandywine Battlefield is presenting their annual Remembrance Day program tonight at 6 pm. This year, it will be via Zoom and includes first-hand accounts of the Sept. 11, 1777 battle read by period interpreters. The Facebook event has details and a link to join the program online.

Next Wednesday, September 16, is Ask a Curator Day, a social media initiative engaging museum professionals all over the world. Curators at Drake Well Museum and Park and the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum are planning a Zoom/Facebook Live collaborative event at 4 pm (check the Facebook event for details). As I hear about other plans on the Trails of History, I'll add them here as well.

Facebook event graphic for Drake Well Museum and PA Lumber Museum Ask A Curator Day event, Sept. 16 at 4 pm EDT (via FB)

Other events in the coming week include:

• Sept. 12, 10 am-4pm, Railroad Museum of PA: "Railroad Heritage Day" features presentations and virtual tours focused on the history of railroad stations (check the Facebook event for details and registration link)
• Sept. 13, 2 pm, The State Museum of Pennsylvania: "53rd Annual Art of the State Exhibit" will be launched in its online form and the award winners chosen from among participating artists will be announced (check the Art of the State landing page for details)
• Sept. 14-18, noon-1:30 pm, Pennsylvania State Archives: "Community History Dialog," a series of lunchtime discussions (via Zoom) to help community-based organizations learn how to collect and preserve their history (session details and registration)
• Sept. 15, 7 pm, Cornwall Iron Furnace: "Cornwall's Pre-History," presented by Mike Weber via Zoom (link for registration)

You can help...

With the COVID-19 closures continuing on the Trails of History, the nonprofit support groups at our sites are facing very tough times. All of our sites are working hard to continue to meet their missions of preserving and sharing Pennsylvania's rich heritage with the public. Over the past six months (geez, it's been six months already), they have shown a great deal of creativity in moving programs and content online. That creativity will only increase in the months to come, and you'll be seeing more programs that involve multiple sites working together. But the loss of major summer events and fundraisers (not to mention peak summer visitation) is being felt everywhere. If you have a favorite site and can afford to do so, please consider a donation (most can accept these via their websites) or an online museum store purchase. Or check out one of these fundraisers:

• Bushy Run Battlefield: you have until 11:59 pm tonight (sorry) to purchase a raffle ticket to win one of 30 prize baskets (link to purchase tickets). Winners will be announced tomorrow at 1 pm.
• Ephrata Cloister: this year's Apple Dumpling Sale is mostly virtual, but the dumplings are still very real. Proceeds support the site's educational programs. Pre-orders only for pickup Oct. 9 or 10 (see Facebook event for details).
• Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum: the annual benefit auction was canceled in April, but now it's happening online. Proceeds support the Farm Program and Heirloom Seed Project. Auction items available for preview Sept. 20-27, with online bidding taking place Sept. 28-Oct. 5. Visit their Facebook page for details.
• Old Economy Village: the "Fill the Vault" campaign was inspired by museum educator David Miller's post about the Harmonists' money vaults (read more here). The site is making progress toward their goal of $70,000, but you could help them get there quicker (Facebook post with campaign info)
• Pennsbury Manor: donate to support Pennsbury's educational programs by Oct. 31 and your donation will be matched, up to a total of $17,500 (Facebook post has the details)
• Somerset Historical Center: Mountain Craft Days, a signature event in southwestern PA, had to be canceled, but you may still get a taste of some of the wonderful foods, if you can pick them up on Sept. 26. The Everything Apple Grab-n-Go package includes apple and pear butter, dried apples and dried corn, a variety of apples, and maple popped kettle corn. And you'll be helping replace some of the lost revenue from the event. Pre-order on SHC's website (ticket link here) to ensure you get your package; a very limited supply of unreserved packages will be available on the 26th for drive-through pickup.

Dig up your questions for Ask A Curator

The September program page shows lots of great stuff happening on the PHMC's Trails of History this weekend and the rest of the month.

From 10:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday Sept.13, take part in Ask A Curator Day by tweeting your questions to Johnson @PHMC via Twitter. Make sure to include the #AskACurator hashtag. 

From Howard Carter to William F. Albright, archaeologists and the captivating artifacts they uncover have fascinated the public for years. Often, people conjure up romanticized images of fedora hat-wearing archaeologists who grip fiery torches as they explore shadowy tombs. Tombs and torches really don’t define modern archaeologists; however, many do wear hats…just not fedoras. Not convinced? Here’s your chance to quiz an expert. Next week, dig deep into the working lives of Pennsylvania archaeologists via Janet R. Johnson, a curator with The State Museum of Pennsylvania’s Section of Archaeology.

Johnson, who curates and manages roughly eight million artifacts uncovered throughout the Commonwealth representing 14,000 years of occupation, has volunteered to take part in Ask A Curator Day from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Sept. 13 on Twitter via @PHMC. To date, more than 1,400 museums from 57 countries have signed up for Ask A Curator Day (#AskACurator), a world-wide social media event that engages the public and connects them with museum curators.

Janet R. Johnson

Essentially, Ask A Curator is a Twitter-based Q & A that serves as a venue where curators can chat with the public about nearly anything that piques their curiosity. Questions may range from the silly (“Are all archaeologists afraid of snakes?") to the more serious (“How do you know where to dig?”). From 10:30 a.m. to noon on Sept.13, take part in Ask A Curator Day by tweeting your questions to Johnson @PHMC via Twitter. Make sure to include the #AskACurator hashtag.

On Sept. 13, you can also share with us your photos and videos. Often, people relate stories about how and where they found a specific rock or artifact. Curators want to learn those histories and, in the process, might be able to offer a few previously unknown facts and interpretations.

This month, Johnson and her crew from The State Museum are excavating the Fort Hunter Mansion & Park near Harrisburg. The overall goal is to locate the remains of a French and Indian War-era supply fort occupied between 1757 and 1763.

The public is welcome to visit and archaeologists will be on site weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. until Friday, Oct. 6. In addition, the site will be open on Sunday, Sept. 17, for Fort Hunter Day.

This year, archaeologists from The State Museum will focus on two areas of Fort Hunter. The first is an area west of the milk house that was encountered in 2008 and again in 2016. It consists of two layers of artifacts dating to the late 18th and/or early 19thcenturies, based on previously uncovered ceramics.

Another area archaeologists will investigate is a rock foundation that has been interpreted as the octagonal smokehouse described in the 1820s in a farming magazine.

For more details on this year's Fort Hunter excavations or other news, please follow PHMC's "This Week in Pennsylvania Archaeology" blog.

Happy New Year!

Taking a little break this week, except to remind you to check site schedules before visiting - some sites will probably close early today (12/30) and/or tomorrow (12/31) for New Year's Eve and all sites will be closed on New Year's Day.

The January program page is available now, if you're planning ahead.

Since this is a good time to look back at the year that is about to end, I've compiled a list of the top 5 most-viewed Trailheads posts from 2016 (as of Dec. 20). Enjoy and I'll see you next year!

#1 - Jumping on the [Hamilton] Bandwagon, July 8

#2 - Cool Stuff at which to Look, June 10

#3 - Happy Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 2

#4 - PHMC curators log in for Ask a Curator, guest post by PHMC Social Media Manager Sean Adkins, Sept. 8

#5 - Stuff You May Have Missed, Aug. 19

PHMC curators log in for Ask A Curator

Many thanks to PHMC Social Media Manager Sean Adkins for this post on the upcoming #AskACurator Day. If you're looking for PA Trails of History activities, the September program page will help you decide.

Next week, three curators stationed at historic sites across Pennsylvania are taking off the gloves. Well, only if they’re wearing gloves will they need to take them off. Sometimes, curators don’t wear…the point is that Sue Beates, Bruce Bomberger and Sue Hanna have graciously volunteered to take part in Ask A Curator Day on Wednesday, Sept. 14. So far, more than 1,000 museums and historic sites from all corners of the world have signed on for Ask A Curator Day, a social media event geared toward engaging the public and connecting them with museum staff.

Essentially, Ask A Curator is a Twitter-based Q&A that serves as a venue where curators and people can chat about nearly anything that piques their curiosity. Questions may range from the silly (“Do exhibits really come alive at night, after the museum is closed?") to the more serious (“Where do get your ideas for exhibits?”). Last year, our curators had fun answering a host of great questions.

And don’t be shy about sharing photos and videos. Often, residents share with us their Pennsylvania stories ranging from how their relatives toiled in the mines near Pittsburgh to the Native American pottery that’s been passed down from one generation to the next. Curators want to learn those histories and, in the process, might be able to offer a few previously unknown facts and interpretations. Just remember to submit your questions via Twitter with the #AskACurator hashtag. Have questions now that you want to ask? No problem. Send your questions now to info@patrailsofhistory.com and our curators will supply the answers on Ask A Curator Day.

At this point, you’re likely wondering which Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission curators will be taking off their gloves long enough to field your questions. Well, we’ve put together a strong lineup packed with the most knowledgable curators.

Here’s the who, where and when you’ll be speaking with on Sept. 14:

Drake Well curator Sue Beates (front) and collections volunteer Toni Urey

Who: Please join Susan Beates, curator at the Drake Well Museum and Park in Titusville, Pa., as she shares her knowledge of the History of the Pennsylvania Oil Industry. Susan has a Master of Arts in Public History from West Virginia University and Bachelor of Arts in History & Folk Arts from the same university.  She's been floating in oil since February 1998. She will be joined by collections volunteer Toni Urey.

Where: @DrakeWellMuseum

When: 11 to 11:45 a.m.

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum curator Bruce Bomberger

Who: Join Bruce Bomberger, curator at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Lancaster, Pa., as he answers questions about the Landis brothers, their lives, motivations and the collection preserved at the historic site. Bomberger, who has worked for PHMC since 1984, holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Lebanon Valley College, a Master of Arts in American History from Penn State University and a doctorate in American history from Lehigh University. He has prepared museum exhibits on agricultural technology, local inventors, African-American history, Pennsylvania German traditions, the Landis family and the Pennsylvania long rifle.

Where: @LandisValley

When: 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

PHMC regional curator Sue Hanna

Who: Join Sue Hanna, regional curator for PHMC’s Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums, who will discuss the recently installed core exhibit at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum. The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) selected “Challenges and Choices in Pennsylvania’s Forests” as a 2016 Leadership in History award winner. This exhibit explores six time periods, from 800 BCE through the present, with the goal of illustrating the intended and unintended consequences of human interaction with the forest. Sue, who was part of the team that developed “Challenges and Choices in Pennsylvania’s Forests,” holds a graduate degree in American Civilization (Material Culture) from the University of Pennsylvania.   

Where: @PHMC

When: 3 to 3:45 p.m.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Many PA Trails of History sites will be open on Monday, Sept. 5, for Labor Day (list of open sites).

The full September program line-up is now available (I'll try to update as I get more info throughout the month). So much to do as fall approaches.

Intro Gallery, "Challenges and Choices in Pennsylvania's Forests" (photo by David Fox, Hilferty & Associates)

I am pleased and proud to announce that the new core exhibit at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum will receive a Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History at its annual meeting later this month. The official press release provides more details. Site administrator Josh Roth will represent the museum and the exhibit team in Detroit. Earlier this year, the exhibit and building expansion/renovation received was recognized by PA Museums. The exhibit will be a focus of discussion on Sept. 13 during PHMC's participation in #AskACurator day 2016 (stay tuned for more details on that next week).

If you live in the Lancaster area and are a public, private, or homeschool student age 14 or older, you might want to bring a parent or guardian to historic Ephrata Cloister Thursday evening, Sept. 8, to learn more about the Student Historian program. Volunteer student historians meet weekly after school to learn about site and regional history and prepare to share it with the public, primarily during the annual Lantern Tour program in late December. Work with primary research sources and material culture, hone your public speaking skills, and make a significant contribution to education in your community. Students or parents/guardians who want to know more may contact Michael Showalter, mishowalter@pa.gov or 717/733-6600.

Student Historian Jeremy talks with visitors during Ephrata Cloister Lantern Tours program

This weekend:

• on Sat. (9/3), the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum will host a community yard sale in their parking lot (and did I mention we have an award-winning exhibit that you ought to stop in to see as well?)
• on Sun. (9/4), Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum will offer make-your-own ice cream sundaes and loads of other fun stuff included in regular admission
• on Labor Day (9/5), the Pennsylvania Military Museum will include a guided tour in regular admission at 11 am and 1 pm

However you choose to spend this weekend, please be safe and responsible. That is all.

Catching Up

This summer was marked by an unprecedented (in Trailheads history anyway) run of guest bloggers. I would like to thank Friends of Joseph Priestley House board member John L. Moore; Keystone interns Ryan Zsifkov (2 posts), Corine Lehigh (2 posts), and Kendra Ressler; Collections Advancement Project curator Rachel Yerger; PHMC director of strategic initiatives Beth Hager; and PHMC information specialist Sean Adkins. While I thoroughly enjoy writing weekly posts, it has been a very pleasant experience to share other people's work and a broad range of topics with Trailheads readers. I hope you've enjoyed it too. But now it's time for one of my patented "roundup" posts, gathering items of interest (I hope) that you may have missed (but probably didn't). In other words, fun's over. Winter, as they say, is coming. *wink*

John Fielding ready to answer questions (courtesy Anthracite Heritage Museum)

This past Wednesday was #AskACurator day. 2015 was the second year for PHMC's participation in this international Twitter-based initiative. Curators and social media folks from Anthracite Heritage Museum, Ephrata Cloister, and Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum took part at various times throughout the day, working with PHMC's information specialist. We had some good back and forth among the sites and other non-PHMC museums, with retweeting going on by site followers. (You can find a summary for all three sites on PHMC's Storify or for Ephrata and Landis Valley on Erin Negley's (Lancaster Newspapers) Storify.) Look for us next year on Sept. 14and join in the conversation!

Ephrata Cloister curator Kerry Mohn tweeting (photo by Rebecca Lawrence)

In anticipation of Pope Francis's visit to Philadelphia next weekend, Visit PA compiled a list of "sacred spaces" in Pennsylvania, reflecting the Commonwealth's significant history of religious diversity and freedom (PHMC's annual theme in 2011). Three Trails of History sites are on the list: Pennsbury Manor, home to Pennsylvania's founder, and two sites that embody Pennsylvania's diversity of religious practice and belief, Ephrata Cloister and Old Economy Village. (You can hear more about it on witf's Smart Talk broadcast from Sept. 11, about 35 minutes in.)

On a related note, PennDOT and the PA Turnpike Commission have created a website with info about traffic and road closures during the papal visit. If you're planning to go to Philly or want to be sure to avoid the traffic, this looks like a useful resource. Please be aware that many museums in downtown Philadelphia will be closed next weekend, but Graeme Park, Pennsbury Manor, and Washington Crossing Historic Park will be open. Just sayin'.

The September programs listing ended up being a separate page instead of a regular post, so if you're looking for something to do THIS weekend, please check it out. Look for the October listings to arrive next Friday, so that you can plan ahead.

Curious? #AskACurator!

As you know from Friday's post by Sean Adkins, PHMC's information specialist, tomorrow (Sept. 16) is #AskACurator day. This is an international, social media initiative designed to connect museum curators and collections to the public. The event runs all day, but at many museums, curators are available at specific times to answer questions via Twitter. This year, curators from the Anthracite Heritage Museum, Ephrata Cloister, and Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum will join hundreds of museum professionals from more than 1,000 museums all over the world. Not too shabby.

Flyer for exhibit curated by Jennifer Royer, 2013-14

First up is Jennifer Royer, who has has been a curator at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Lancaster since 2011 (she was coordinator of living history and director of exhibits and collections for the York County Heritage Trust, 2004-2011). At Landis Valley she works primarily with the Pennsylvania German decorative arts but has also dealt with farm equipment, tools, rifles, and a wide array of other artifacts. She is responsible for the research library at the Museum and is currently working on a weathervane exhibit to be installed in 2016. Jennifer and Landis Valley's media assistant, Shayla Carey, will field questions from 10 to 11 am EDT @LandisValley.

Kerry Mohn helps members of winter history class explore The Martyrs' Mirror

Next on the Trails of History is Kerry Mohn, a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and the former Kutztown State College with 30 years service at PHMC. Kerry has spent the past 15 years overseeing the collections at Ephrata Cloister. He has a special interest in Pennsylvania history and Pennsylvania German studies; other interests include immigration, labor, and baseball history. He lives in Berks County and served on the boards of the Historical Society of Berks County and the Governor Mifflin Area Historical Society. You can tweet questions to Kerry and volunteer coordinator Rebecca Lawrence from 11 am to noon @EphrataCloister.

John Fielding with a cache of bobbins at Eckley Miners' Village

Rounding out our day is John Fielding, curator for the Anthracite Museum Complex, which consists of the Anthracite Heritage Museum, Scranton Iron Furnaces, and Eckley Miners’ Village, since 2004. During his tenure, John has led numerous collections management and collections care projects and has assisted with projects at several other PHMC sites including the Museum of Anthracite Mining, Old Mill Village, PA Lumber Museum, and Washington Crossing Historic Park. He has been the lead worker for eight exhibits at the Anthracite Heritage Museum and Eckley Miners’ Village. His areas of interest are 19th- and 20th-century anthracite mining processes and the cultural significance of the many ethnic groups that came to the anthracite region of Pennsylvania. John will be available for questions from 2 to 3 pm @AnthraciteMuse (I will be attempting to assist with the tweeting, so please be patient).

If you're interested in participating but aren't sure what to ask, last Friday's post included some suggestions. So please join us for the conversation!

Mark your calendars & join us for #AskACurator on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Next week, you’ll have the opportunity to chat with a few of the experts who care for many of Pennsylvania’s most-prized artifacts and you won't have to leave your house or office.

On Wednesday, curators from three historic sites along the Pennsylvania Trails of History will participate in #AskACurator Day, a Twitter-based event that connects curators with the public.  Everyone is invited, so remember to create a Twitter account if you haven’t already. 

Launched in 2010, #AskACurator is coordinated by Mar Dixon, a social media consultant.  Essentially, #AskACurator is a way for visitors and other professionals to engage with curators, often receiving immediate answers to questions about collections, education…just about anything. 

This year, more than 900 museums from 47 countries have signed on to participate, including Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, the Anthracite Heritage Museum and The Historic Ephrata Cloister.

How do I participate? 

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, start by tweeting your questions to @LandisValley using the #AskACurator hashtag.  For the next hour, curator Jennifer Royer will pull herself away from her daily tasks to field your questions on everything Landis Valley. And, don’t be afraid to throw a few hardballs.  Royer works primarily with Pennsylvania German decorative arts, but has also dealt with farm equipment, tools, rifles and an array of other artifacts.  She is responsible for the research library at Landis Valley and is currently working on a weathervane exhibit to be installed next year. 

Kerry Mohn will pull double duty from 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday as he juggles answering your questions while handling the collections management at the Ephrata Cloister. Tweet Mohn @EphrataCloister using #AskACurator.  A graduate of Pennsylvania State University and the former Kutztown State College, Mohn has a special interest in Commonwealth history and Pennsylvania German studies. Other interests  include immigration, labor and baseball history. A resident of Berks County, Kerry served as a trustee of the Historical Society of Berks County and as president of the Governor Mifflin Area Historical Society.

Between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday, remember to clear out a good block of time to chat with John Fielding, the curator for the Anthracite Museum Complex, which includes the Anthracite Heritage Museum, Scranton Iron Furnaces and Eckley Miners’ Village.  Tweet Fielding @AnthraciteMuse using #AskACurator.  During his tenure at the complex, Fielding has served as the lead worker for eight exhibits at the Anthracite Heritage Museum and Eckley Miners’ Village. His interests range from the 19^th-and 20^th-century anthracite mining processes to the cultural significance of the many ethnic groups who moved to the anthracite region of Pennsylvania.

What should I ask? 

Well…that’s entirely up to you.  Last year, #AskACurator questions ranged from "Which artifacts require the most attention?" to "What's the story behind the green tiles around the fireplaces at Pennsbury Manor?".  See our Storify of the conservations had between the public and curators at Pennsbury Manor, Old Economy Village and Drake Well Museum andPark.

Still not sure what to ask?  Here's a short list of questions visitors often ask curators: 

-- What is it like to be a curator?

-- What is your favorite artifact?

-- What is the oldest piece in your collection?

-- Which artifact has the best story?

-- Which artifact makes you laugh and/or cry?

-- How do you know when to wear gloves?

-- How do you decide which artifacts go on display. 

*Please refrain from asking for item appraisals or artifact identification. 

More Updates from the Trails of History

Activities continue apace as the summer doldrums make their appearance. (Well, lah-di-dah.) Why not enjoy a nice air-conditioned museum or a walk through a shaded garden? The July program listings have it all.

A special, short-term exhibit has opened at the Ephrata Cloister and will continue through mid-September. You may know that the religious community at Ephrata was known for, among other things, its printing press. One of the books printed there (in 1748-49) was The Bloody Theater (more commonly known by its subtitle, The Martyrs' Mirror), an important book of faith for Anabaptists. The new Visitor Center exhibit showcases ten copies of the Martyrs' Mirror and is open during regular hours, Monday-Saturday, 9 am-5 pm, and Sunday, noon-5 pm. (You can learn more about the book in a Trailheads post from 2012.)

A copy of The Martyrs' Mirror from Ephrata Cloister

In other Ephrata news, the Ephrata Cloister Associates are offering a day-long bus trip to New York City on Saturday, August 1, to explore the immigrant experience. Tour Ellis Island and the Tenement Museum, with stops at Chelsea Market and the High Line in between. Cost includes bus, entrance fees, guides, and an after-hours reception at the Tenement Museum. Find out more on Ephrata's website or register for the trip via Eventbrite.

Somerset Historical Center just opened a new exhibit, "The Barn: Icon of Somerset County Rural Life." The exhibit, which runs through October, explores the design, construction, and use of barns throughout county history. This is particularly timely, since the PA General Assembly has designated 2015 as The Year of the Pennsylvania Barn.

Earlier this year, museum staff installed a Somerset County barn star outside the changing exhibit gallery.

Three new behind-the-scenes tours have debuted at the Railroad Museum of PA. Available by advance reservation only, these tours provide guided access to areas that are generally off-limits to visitors. They require an additional fee beyond general admission; proceeds help to support the museum's preservation efforts. More info and instructions on how to book your spot are on the website.

Interior of Lotos Club, a Pullman-built car (Railroad Museum Facebook page)

For those of you who enjoy the Twitter, please mark your calendars for this year's #AskACurator day, Sept. 16. PHMC curators participated for the first time last year and we hope to have an even more stellar line-up this year. We'll provide more info as plans are formulated. In the meantime, be thinking about what you want to know about our sites, especially the numerous and varied collections we care for.

5 Reasons to Look Forward to Fall on the Trails of History

It's been busy here, what with Ask A Curator Day falling in the middle of the week. Whether you were able to participate or missed it this year, Storify has a recap of the Q & A with three PHMC curators, Todd Galle (Pennsbury Manor), Sarah Buffington (Old Economy Village), and Susan Beates (Drake Well Museum), moderated by PHMC's information specialist for social media, Sean Adkins.

We still have two weekends of September to go, so the program listings for this month are posted under "About Us."

Fall harvest goodies at Landis Valley via Facebook

So, it's almost officially fall, my favorite season. We had a blissfully mild summer in my part of the state, but I still welcome that almost imperceptible change in the coolness of the air, followed by the need for a jacket or sweater. And while I'm not really a big fan of pumpkin spice (fill-in-the-blank), any season that involves more apples and cinnamon has my vote.

There are many more than 5 reasons to look forward to fall at our historic sites and museums, but 5 is a good start:

• Reason #1: enjoying the smell of wood smoke without having to clean up the ashes. You can find open-hearth cooking at our sites throughout the year, but it takes on a different aspect when the weather starts to cool - Autumnfest, Old Economy Village (this weekend, Sept. 20 & 21); Harvest Days, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum (Oct. 11 & 12); The 17th-century Confectioner, Pennsbury Manor (Nov. 16)
• Reason #2: seeing Trails of History sites in a new light. Generally, our sites are open during the day; in the fall (okay, and some other times too, humor me) evening programs give you another perspective - Drake Well by Moonlight, Drake Well Museum (Oct. 4); Bonfire Harvest Festival, Scranton Iron Furnaces (Oct. 18); Candlelight Tours, Conrad Weiser Homestead (Nov. 22)
• Reason #3: Halloween!! This is not an exhaustive list - Haunted Halloween Lantern Tours, Eckley Miners' Village (Oct. 10-11, 17-18, 24-25); Haunted Halloween Tours, Graeme Park (Oct. 24); Historical Halloween, Somerset Historical Center (Oct. 25)
• Reason #4: Autumn Colors. Pennsylvania is beautiful in the fall, so take a road trip or enjoy an outdoor program - Garden Railways Tour, Railroad Museum of PA (Oct. 5); Fall Antiques and Collectibles Show, PA Lumber Museum (Oct. 11-12); Heritage Day, Daniel Boone Homestead (Oct. 19)
• Reason #5: Whatever interests you most. Watch for the October program listings next week (or Oct. 3 if I don't get it pulled together in time).

Have a question? #AskaCurator

Sarah Buffington, curator of Old Economy Village, cleans a historic quilt in storage.  Buffington is one of three curators who will take part in #AskaCurator Day on Wednesday.  (Photo courtesy of Old Economy Village) 

Nearly every guest who strolls through a museum has questions beyond what the exhibits and volunteers can answer.  

Here's your chance to dig deep and quell your curiosity.



On Wednesday, curators from three stops along the Pennsylvania Trails of History will break free from their jobs and log on to Twitter for International Ask a Curator Day.  

From 11 a.m. to noon, Todd Galle, a curator at Pennsbury Manor in Bucks County, will field questions on military history, specifically World War I and the American Civil War. 

Previously, Todd served as assistant curator of military, political and industrial history at The State Museum of Pennsylvania. 


Do you have questions about historic clothing and textiles? Between 1 and 2 p.m., Sarah Buffington, curator at Old Economy Village in Ambridge, Pa., will offer insights on furniture, pottery, communalism, archival arrangement and exhibit production.  


Next, join Susan Beates, curator at Drake Well Museum in Titusville, Pa., between 2:15 and 3:15 p.m. as she answers questions regarding historic photographs, archives and oil technology.  

Susan received a Master of Arts in Public History from West Virginia University and Bachelor of Arts in History & Folk Arts from the same university.  She's been floating in oil since February 1998.  

Want to participate in the Q&As? 
Tweet your questions to @PHMC using the hashtag #AskaCurator . 
Not sure what to ask?  Here's a short list of questions visitors often ask of curators: 
-- What is it like to be a curator?
-- What is your favorite artifact?
-- What is the oldest piece in your collection?
-- Which artifact has the best story?
-- Which artifact makes you laugh and/or cry?
-- How do you know when to wear gloves?
-- How do you decide which artifacts go on display. 
*Please refrain from asking for item appraisals or artifact identification.