What Now?

Please be sure to check the PHMC Events Calendar for information on upcoming programs (in-person and virtual). I've included highlights 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.

You can tour buildings at Ephrata Cloister by candlelight tomorrow night, Nov. 27 (photo via Ephrata Facebook page)

I hope that you had a pleasant and safe Thanksgiving with plenty of whatever you needed from the occasion. If you are looking for things to do today (Nov. 26), please note that most Trails of History sites are closed. Bushy Run Battlefield, Fort Pitt Museum, and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania are open today. Other sites on the trails will resume their normal seasonal hours tomorrow (except the Erie Maritime Museum, which will be closed). As I always say, please be sure to check ahead to be sure the site you want to visit will be open when you plan to be there. I've noted some events below that take place this weekend.

As you probably know Nov. 27 is Small Business Saturday, and Nov. 28 is Museum Store Sunday. Historic sites and museums can always use your support, so please consider visiting and shopping on the Trails of History this weekend. Bushy Run Battlefield is holding a Used Book Sale today through Sunday, and Somerset Historical Center's Christmas Craft Shoppe, featuring handmade items by local vendors, will be open Wednesday to Saturday (starting tomorrow) through December 23. Our other museum stores have loads of themed and seasonal merchandise for your gift-giving needs (no one will tell if you keep them for yourself, either).

Do your interests run more to the spirit of #OptOutside? Many sites have beautiful grounds and/or trails that can provide plenty of fresh air; others are adjacent to or very close to state parks and forests (please note this safety reminder from the Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources).

If family history (in PA) was a topic of history around your Thanksgiving table, you can follow-up with some research using resources digitized by the Pennsylvania State Archives. From birth and death records indices to military service records and more, plus links to other digital records collections, the Archives is a great place to start your search(Digital Collections page).

The Week Ahead

Saturday, Nov. 27

• Christmas in the Colonies (in-person): explore different traditions as you tour the Keith House and watch the Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble; Graeme Park; 3-5 pm; tickets are $10 for ages 13 and up, $7 for members and ages 6-12 (Graeme Park info)
• Candlelight Open House (in-person): stroll the grounds, visit with craftspeople, and enjoy music performed by the Ephrata Cloister Chorus; Ephrata Cloister; 5:30-8 pm; tickets are $7 (Open House info)

Sunday, Nov. 28

• Sunday Sewing Circle (in-person): bring your projects and spend time with other stitchers; Bushy Run Battlefield; 1-4 pm (Sewing Circle info)

Monday, Nov. 29

• Deadline to order Gingerbread Cookie Kits for pick-up at the Railroad Museum of PA on Dec. 4, 10, or 11 (Gingerbread Cookie Kit orders)
• Deadline for reservations for Christmas with the Conductor, Dec. 4 and 11 (11 am story time is sold out), Railroad Museum of PA (Christmas with the Conductor tickets via Eventbrite)

Wednesday, Dec. 1

• Explore! (in-person): learn about Pennsylvania owls and their habits; The State Museum of PA; 11:30 am-12:30 pm; for kids in grades 3-5 and included in regular admission (Explore! info)
• Deadline for required advance tickets for Pennsbury Manor's Holly Nights, which takes place Dec. 2 and 3, 6-9 pm (Holly Nights info and tickets)

Thursday, Dec. 2

• Curiosity Kids (in-person): visit the Art of the State exhibition to learn about how artists use color; 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)

On Sale Now (as of 11/24; some programs will sell out)

• Ethnic Traditions: on Dec. 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, Somerset Historical Center will partner with local families for a program on cultural traditions, food, and music of Japan, Italy, and Bangladesh; cost is $20 per person (Ethnic Traditions ticket info)
• Christmas at the Cloister: Ephrata Cloister presents a program of lessons and carols in the historic Meetinghouse on Dec. 13 and 14, with performances at 6:30 and 8 pm each evening. Tickets available online via Ticketleap (Christmas at the Cloister info and tickets).
• Lantern Tours: Dec. 27-30 at Ephrata Cloister learn about the site's history through living history tours and performances; advance tickets required, on sale starting Dec. 1 (Lantern Tour info)
• Winter Day Camp: on Dec. 29 from 9 am to 4:30 pm Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum will present a day camp for kids in grades 5-11; the focus is Christmas Around the World and includes a themed escape room; cost is $60 per camper ($54 for members) (Day Camp info and registration)

What to Do When the Turkey's Gone

Please check the PHMC Events Calendar for info on upcoming events on the Trails of History. The Trailheads Rec Room pages to the right of your screen have examples of online stuff that you can access anytime you like.

Scene from 2017 Candlelight Tours at Conrad Weiser Homestead (photo via Facebook)

Opportunities for Support and Shopping

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Museum Store Sunday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday all lie ahead of us as I write this. (Okay, it's true that every Monday feels like Cyber Monday for those of us working from home.) Everything looks different this year, but these are all opportunities to support your favorite sites. Donations are always welcome, if you can afford it, and memberships provide you (or your "giftees") with direct benefits in return. You can find links to all the Trails of History sites on the PHMC website.

Many of our sites offer online shopping or mail order options for at least some of their museum store inventory. The links below will make it all so easy:

• Anthracite Heritage Museum
• Bushy Run Battlefield
• Eckley Miners' Village

Ephrata Cloister Christmas Card 2020 (photo via Facebook)

• Ephrata Cloister
• Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara
• Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
• Pennsylvania Military Museum

Gingerbread cookies shaped like locomotives. What's not to like? (photo via Facebook)

• Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
• Adopt a Train Program
• Gingerbread Cookie Kits
• Whistle Stop Shop Holiday Items
• Somerset Historical Center

Other ways to support Trails of History sites include following them on social media (if you don't already), sharing their posts with your friends and followers or commenting to let sites know you support them, attending a virtual program (most are free or by donation), or watching a recorded program on YouTube or Facebook. Everything helps.

In the Coming Week or So

• Nov. 28 - Ephrata Cloister virtual program, Candlelight Chat, 7 pm (link for Facebook Live event)
• Dec. 1 - deadline to submit nominations for new state historical markers (details on PHMC website)
• Dec. 2 - deadline to register for Bushy Run Battlefield Dec. 12 virtual program, Children's Christmas Party (Facebook event)
• Dec. 3-4 - Pennsbury Manor virtual program, Holly Nights at Home (streaming info available on Facebook). Pennsbury has extended the deadline for ordering a Take-Home Craft Bag to Nov. 27 (for pick-up Nov. 29).
• Dec. 5 - Railroad Museum of PA, Virtual Visit with Santa and Telegram to the North Pole, 10 am-3 pm (details and registration on Facebook)
• Dec. 5 - Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara virtual program, Christmas Tree Ship Lighting, 5-8 pm (check Facebook for updates)

On the PA Trails of History, Nov. 16-29

All Trails of History sites will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22; sites open on the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 23) are noted below. The info is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You may want to check with the site you plan to visit to be sure of their schedule (seasonal schedule changes may be in effect as well).

Please remember the museum stores at historic sites and museums on Small Business Saturday (11/24) and Museum Store Sunday (11/25). Heck, some of them sell online, so you can visit them on Cyber Monday (11/26), too. And don't even get me started on Giving Tuesday (11/27)!

If you're interested in submitting a nomination for a state historical marker, December 1 is the next deadline. Find details here.

Through December 31, the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation (PHF) and The State Museum of Pennsylvania are excited to offer a "Buy One Get One Free" membership offer. Renew, rejoin, or join, and you can gift a free membership of equal or lesser value to a friend, family member, or co-worker. Memberships included in this offer are Heritage, Individual, and Family (visit PHF website for details or to purchase online). All categories of membership include free regular admission to sites on the Pennsylvania Trails of History. (Please note, the gift membership must be for individuals or families who have never held a membership with PHF or The State Museum previously.)

See Ephrata Cloister by candlelight on Nov. 24, details below (photo from 2017 via Facebook)

Brandywine Battlefield Park
Nov. 24: Patriot’s Day—living history demonstrations, musket drills, blacksmith, house tours, and 18th-century medical "experts"--lots of activities for all ages. 10 am-4 pm.

Bushy Run Battlefield
Nov. 17: Harvest Ball—kids ages 4 to 12 are invited to dance the minuet (we'll teach you), decorate masks and hats to wear, play colonial games, and join in a storytelling session. A light snack will be served. Come in costume if you like, but you don't have to. Cost is $5 per child. Space is limited, and reservations are a must: contact Marlene Sawayda at secretary@bushyrunbattlefield.com to register. 2-4 pm.

Conrad Weiser Homestead
Nov. 17: Candlelight Tours—this annual program features living history, 18th-century music, and a chance to see the site by night. 5:30-8 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
Nov. 18: Lecture—Les Stark will present "Hemp in the 18th Century." Suggested donation of $2 per person for talk. 2 pm.
Nov. 23: Day After Thanksgiving—site open 10 am-4 pm.

Drake Well Museum and Park
Nov. 24: Something More Saturday—members of the Venango County ARES/RACES ham radio club will be on hand to help visitors speak with Santa at the North Pole. There will also be holiday craft projects and other family-friendly activities (details on Facebook). Included in regular admission (special group admission: buy 2 full-price adult tickets and get 3 youth tickets free). Site open 9 am-5 pm; special programming, 10 am-3 pm.

Ephrata Cloister
Nov. 16: Extraordinary Give—Ephrata Cloister will once again participate in the Lancaster County Community Foundation's one-day, online giving campaign. Visit their page anytime between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm to donate.
Nov. 24: Candlelight Open House—spend a lovely evening exploring the Ephrata Cloister, with music, craftspeople, and more (info on website). Cost is $6 per person. 5-8:30 pm.

Fort Pitt Museum
Please visit the Fort Pitt Museum website for information on schedules and programs.

Graeme Park
Nov. 18: Colonial Beer Brewing—visit the summer kitchen, where the brewer will be making a batch of house beer and talking about 18th-century beers and brewing (more info). Beer demo is free; admission charged for tours of the Keith House. 11 am-2 pm.
Nov. 24: Christmas in the Colonies—candlelight tours of the Keith House, where the Tapestry Dancers and costumed interpreters will illustrate Christmas and other winter holidays as the Graemes might have known them. Refreshments will be served. Tours will start approximately every 20 minutes from 4 to 6:40 pm (details on the website). Cost is $5 per person, free for members. 4-7 pm.

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
Nov. 16: Extraordinary Give—Landis Valley will once again participate in the Lancaster County Community Foundation's one-day, online giving campaign. Visit their page anytime between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm to donate.
Nov. 17, 24: Fall Workshops Continue—check the website for course descriptions and registration info.
Nov. 24-25: Museum Store Shop Local Open House and Museum Store Sunday—shop for locally handmade art, crafts and heirloom-quality gifts and enjoy holiday decorations in the museum store. Museum Store events are free; regular rates apply for museum admission. Sat., 9 am-5 pm; Sun., noon-5 pm.

Old Economy Village
Nov. 17: Honey Bees with BABA—watch the website for updates on this program. 10 am-1 pm.

Pennsbury Manor
Nov. 18: Cooking Demonstration—join the cooks as they revel in the extravagant use of sugar and spices, using 17th-century confectionary recipes. Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.

Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
Nov. 17: Holiday Craft Faire and Cooking Demo—locally made, hand-crafted, and/or holiday-themed items will be featured by a variety of vendors in the museum program room. Out in the Lumber Camp, they'll be firing up the cook stove around 1 pm for a demonstration of how logging camp cooks met the prodigious caloric needs of woodhicks and barkpeelers. You can visit the craft fair for free; museum admission applies to view the indoor and outdoor exhibits and the cooking demo. Museum open 9 am-5 pm.

Pennsylvania Military Museum
Nov. 17: Kids Day - Dress Up and Discover!!—Kids of all ages get to try on military gear from the museum education collection. Visit the education stations in the galleries for more discoveries throughout the day. Parents must remain on-site while their kids participate in the activities. Included in regular admission. 10:00 am-3:00 pm.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Nov. 16: Extraordinary Give—the Railroad Museum is participating in the Lancaster County Community Foundation's one-day, online giving campaign. Visit their page (listed as "Friends of the Railroad Museum") anytime between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm to donate.
Nov. 23: Day After Thanksgiving—site open 9 am-5 pm.
Nov. 23: Last Day for Reservations—advance registration is required for the museum's Christmas with the Conductor parties, scheduled for Dec. 1 and 8 (see flyer for details).

State Museum of Pennsylvania
Please visit the Planetarium page for a full schedule of shows.
Nov. 16: Holiday Marketplace, Day 2—shop the Trails of History with representatives from The State Museum of PA, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, Ephrata Cloister, Somerset Historical Center, and Daniel Boone Homestead (details). Museum admission will be free for shoppers. Hours on Thursday are 10 am-3 pm. Friday opens at 10 am and runs until 7:30 pm for 3rd in the Burg.

Washington Crossing Historic Park
Please visit the Washington Crossing website for details on this month's schedule and programs.

Thanksgiving Week at a Glance

First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for and try to have the good sense never to take any of it for granted. I hope that you and yours are warm, safe, and well fed. And I hope that we all find ways in the coming weeks and months to help people who aren't as fortunate.

Fall garden scene at Pennsbury Manor (via Facebook)

All PA Trails of History sites will be closed tomorrow, Nov. 23, for Thanksgiving Day. If you still want some history, how about participating in The Great Thanksgiving Listen? This is an initiative developed by Story Corps (#TheGreatListen) to help teachers and students conduct oral history interviews with family members, but the app and questions (and the ability to save interviews in the Story Corps Archive) are available to everyone. There's even a printable placemat that might make a great addition to the kids' table. Whether you're recording interviews or not, the placemat provides some conversation starters that can help any gathering along or keep it from going off the rails.

Some sites will be open on Friday, Nov. 24, and I've indicated that in the schedule below. The info is accurate to the best of my knowledge, but as always, it's a good idea to check with specific sites if you're making a special trip to visit them. Friday is also a good day to #OptOutside and visit one of Pennsylvania's many state parks.

Stoneware mugs at Cornwall Iron Furnace Museum Store (via Sunset Hill Stoneware's Facebook page)

That brings us to Saturday, Nov. 25. Trails of History sites will be back to their regular schedules - please note that some sites are now on winter seasonal schedules. As noted above, be sure to check that the site you want to visit will be open when you plan to be there. I've noted special events below. If you want to participate in Small Business Saturday and #shopsmall, remember that our museum stores are great places to buy locally made crafts and art. Not to mention regional and local food specialties or one-of-a-kind gifts.

Redware plates and other traditional items at Ephrata Cloister Museum Store (via Facebook)

If your Saturday is full, why not spend Sunday, Nov. 26, on the Trails of History supporting #MuseumStoreSunday? This is a new program from the Museum Store Association, and many PHMC sites will be taking part (at least informally). Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum has been updating an album on their Facebook page with beautiful stuff from their Museum Store. (I wanted to share, but I couldn't pick just one - please visit the album and the site to see for yourself.) You can read about deals at Landis Valley and the Railroad Museum of PA in this article from LancasterOnline.

On #CyberMonday, Nov. 27, visit the Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara website to book your 2018 Day Sails (actually that deal is going on Nov. 24 through Nov. 27, but I'm trying to work a theme here). Save $10 per member or non-member ticket and beat the spring rush. Gift cards are also available online.

Day sailors on board U.S. Brig Niagara, 2010 (AKF photo)

Tuesday, Nov. 28, brings an opportunity to follow-up all that holiday eating and shopping with donations to good causes of your choosing. One such cause on the Trails of History is the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation (PHF) #GivingTuesday project. PHF is the PHMC's support organization and this year has a #GivingTuesday goal of $3,000 to assist school visits to PHMC's sites and museums. PHF will post more specific info on Tuesday, but they'll use their Annual Fund page to receive #GivingTuesday donations. UPDATE: info posted today, Monday, Nov. 27.

It seems to me that we need a hashtag for the Wednesday after Thanksgiving to round out the week, but I haven't found one. #WhateverWednesday to denote our exhaustion and apathy might be a possibility but maybe that's too cynical. C'mon Trailheads nation, let's start a trend - post your suggestions in the comments.

Holiday weekend schedule...

Brandywine Battlefield Park
Nov. 25: Patriot’s Day—living history demonstrations, musket drills, blacksmith, house tours, and 18th-century medical "experts"--lots of activities for all ages. At 2 pm, Dr. Robert Selig will present "The Politics of Arming America: The Vallière 4-lb Cannon at Brandywine," which will help answer questions on how/why this piece came to America during the Revolution and will also discuss its importance in assisting the American cause of liberty. 10 am-4 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
Nov. 24: Day After Thanksgiving—site open 10 am-4 pm.

Drake Well Museum and Park
Nov. 25: Something More Saturday—members of the Venango County ARES/RACES ham radio club will be on hand to help visitors speak with Santa at the North Pole. There will also be holiday craft projects using recycled materials and other family-friendly activities (details on Facebook). Included in regular admission (special group admission: buy 2 full-price adult tickets and get 3 youth tickets free). Site open 9 am-5 pm; special programming, 10 am-3 pm.

Ephrata Cloister
Nov. 25: Candlelight Open House—spend a lovely evening exploring the Ephrata Cloister, with music, craftspeople, and more. Cost is $6 per person. 5-8:30 pm.

Fort Pitt Museum
Nov. 24: Day After Thanksgiving—site open 10 am-5 pm.

Graeme Park
Nov. 25: A Continental Christmas—more than 2,000 men of the Continental Army were encamped around Graeme Park from December 1777 through January 1778. Learn about what Christmas was like that year for the soldiers and the residents of Graeme Park. Suggested donation, $2 (free for members). 10 am-3 pm.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Nov. 24: Day After Thanksgiving—site open 9 am-5 pm.
Nov. 24: Last Day for Reservations—advance registration is required for the museum's Christmas with the Conductor parties, scheduled for Dec. 2 and 9 (see flyer for details).

Washington Crossing Historic Park
Please check the website for details on this weekend's schedule.