Trailheads: #VirtualPACharter

Please check the PHMC Events Calendar if you're looking for virtual programs. I've highlighted events below, but there's more to see in the weeks ahead. The Trailheads Rec Room to the right of your screen has all kinds of online offerings--available 24/7.

Two-story brick manor house at Pennsbury Manor in background with a purple crocus up close to camera. Text reads "Happy Charter Day!"

Pennsbury Manor celebrates Charter Day (photo via Pennsbury Facebook page)

Before we take another look at Charter Day (last week's post started things off), I have to acknowledge the one-year anniversary of Covid-19, officially declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Each of us has had our own Covid journey. Things seem to be looking more hopeful now, with vaccines more widely distributed. But that doesn't change any of the losses that have been part of the past year for many. I have no eloquence to offer here, I just want to acknowledge this milestone that comes with so many mixed emotions.

PHMC's Virtual Charter Day celebration continues with online programs and resources. Visit the Charter Day 2021 landing page to find videos, puzzles, and links to all kinds of info on Pennsylvania's 1681 Charter.

Usually when we talk about the charter, we use an image of the first page. One of the videos featured on the landing page is a look at pages 2 and 3 with Joshua Stahlman, archivist with the Pennsylvania State Archives.

This Sunday, March 14, at 4 pm, Pennsbury Manor and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania will "Dive into the PA Charter" with a look at various drafts of the document. The event is free, but you'll need to register in advance to get the Zoom link (Pennsbury Manor's Facebook page has details).

During the past week, the folks at Conrad Weiser Homestead have posted birthday greetings from members of reenactment groups and volunteers who make the site's programming possible. I'm sharing one below and you can find more on the Conrad Weiser Homestead Facebook page.

At Ephrata Cloister, March doesn't just bring Charter Day, it's also the birthday of founder Conrad Beissel (March 1, 1691). The site posted a 10-minute video in honor of both. You can find it on Ephrata's YouTube channel.

On Tuesday evening, we presented a special edition of the PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase in honor of Charter Day. The theme (we always have a theme) was birthdays and other celebrations. One of the contenders was the Pennsylvania Military Museum, highlighting people in military service celebrating birthdays away from home. The post below shows 1st Lieutenant Peggy Finn Reno, US Army, whose family sent her a birthday cake in Vietnam to help her celebrate.

1st Lieutenant Peggy Finn Reno, US Army, Vietnam War "Peggy (Finn) Reno (1945-2019) was born and raised in Harrisburg,...
Posted by Pennsylvania Military Museum on Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, March 12

Learn at Lunchtime, The State Museum of PA, learn about Pennsylvania songbirds, 12:15 pm (State Museum Facebook to register)

Saturday, March 13

Virtual Armor Tour, PA Military Museum, see inside military vehicles, 2 pm (PMM Facebook page to register)

Sunday, March 14

Tonight's Sky: Live Chat with the Planetarium Director, The State Museum, 2 pm (SMP Facebook page for link)
Dive into the PA Charter, Pennsbury Manor, 4 pm (Facebook event for link)

Thursday, March 18

Winter History Class Week 7, Ephrata Cloister, 9 am (Ephrata website for details)
Workin' on the Railroad, Railroad Museum of PA, program for grades K-6, 4 pm (Eventbrite for tickets)
History of the U.S. Life-Saving Service and Early U.S. Coast Guard, Erie Maritime Museum, 7 pm (EMM Facebook for details)

Please check the PHMC Events Calendar if you're looking for virtual programs. Charter Day related events are highlighted below, but there's plenty of others on the calendar. The Trailheads Rec Room to the right of your screen has all kinds of online offerings--check it out when you're looking for something interesting.

Original Charter of PA: rectangular document with drawing of King Charles II in upper left corner. Other drawings decorate and text of document, all in iron gall ink.

First page of the 1681 Charter (photo via PA Trails of History Facebook page)

Fans of the Pennsylvania Trails of History are no doubt familiar with Charter Day, our annual celebration of Pennsylvania's birthday. In 1681, King Charles II, in payment of debts owed to Admiral William Penn, conveyed the land we call Pennsylvania to the admiral's son. Of course the story is far more complicated and includes lots of other people already living on this land. Still, it is a good day for us to highlight the history of the commonwealth and encourage people to learn more about it. This year, we'll celebrate online, since we can't yet gather in person. Starting on Sunday, March 7, and continuing through Friday, March 12, PHMC's website will have a special Charter Day 2021 landing page with links to planned activities (link added ~~I'll add the link here when it's available~~, in the meantime the official press release has info).

Sunday, March 7

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania will debut 5 new videos that highlight each of the platforms in the museum's Rolling Stock Hall. The videos will feature rail cars and locomotives, new exhibit elements, popular features, and behind-the-scenes info.

Track 1: Tahoe locomotive No. 20, Reading locomotive No. 1251, and TrainWorks interactive area
Track 2: H&BT cabin car No. 16, John Bull locomotive, GP30 locomotive No. 2233, and Innovation Giants exhibit section
Track 3: GG1 locomotive No. 4935, P58 coach No. 1651, Lotos Club Pullman car, and Track Workers exhibit
Track 4: Shay locomotive No. 1, Snow Plow, H6sb locomotive No. 2846, and Railway Post Office/Mail Sorting exhibit
Video 5: Restoration Shop and Pennsylvania Middle Division operating HO layout

Videos will be posted on social media and the Railroad Museum's YouTube channel, with a new video each hour from 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday, March 7. Once they premiere, you'll be able to find the videos on YouTube and the Railroad Museum's Facebook page.

The Anthracite Heritage Museum is offering a unique look at Pennsylvania history through stamps, with Tom Bowman, vice president of the Wyoming Valley Stamp Club and ambassador to the American Philatelic Society. The program will be live at 2 pm on Sunday, March 7, via Zoom (Anthracite's Facebook page has details).

Joseph Priestley House will post birthday greetings for Pennsylvania and Dr. Priestley, whose birthday is March 24, with video tours of several rooms in the house and a celebratory toast with Dr. Priestley's fizzy water.

The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum will open part two of "Then & Now," a virtual exhibit featuring archival photographs from the museum's collections alongside modern views of the same locations.

UPDATE: I'll list more site links here as I get more info. Check these out for Charter Day-related videos and more.

photos of birthday balloons, a glass slipper, and a silver pen and ink set. Main text reads "What's in a theme? PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase in Honor of Charter Day, Tuesday, March 9 at 7 pm EST"

Tuesday, March 9

In keeping with the theme for Charter Day, the March edition of "What's in a theme? PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase" will focus on birthdays and other celebrations. Folks from Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, Erie Maritime Museum, the Pennsylvania Military Museum, and the Railroad Museum of PA will do 5-minute presentations about objects and stories in their collections. Then the audience will get to vote on their favorite or the one they think best exemplifies the theme. The event will be live at 7 pm via Zoom (the Facebook event has details for signing up). A recording will be available later on PHMC's YouTube channel, along with recordings of previous Showcases (Showcase playlist).