Signs of Life

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. Enjoy!

A beautiful day at Old Economy Village (photo via OEV Facebook page)

I hope you're enjoying the beautiful spring weather. I'm always afraid that summer heat is just around the corner, because I love moderate temps. But life is short, so I'm trying to just embrace it while it lasts. I'm always happy to see photos (like the ones above and below) from our Trails of History sites.

Lilies of the Valley at Ephrata Cloister (photo via EC Facebook page)

Life on the Trails of History is forever changed by the past year. As I've tried to chronicle in this blog, staff and volunteers moved quickly to respond to the closures brought by Covid-19 back in March 2020. Maintenance staff kept up with seasonal work through the summer and winter to make sure that buildings and grounds would be in good shape for reopening. Administrative staff adjusted to telework and online meetings (oh, so many Zoom and Skype and Teams meetings, but they helped us stay in touch). Staff and volunteers created a wide array of virtual programs over the past year, and those will remain an option as staff time permits, even as we reopen to the public.

If you're visiting our sites, please be aware that CDC and PA Dept. of Health guidance is changing rapidly. Our primary goal at all times is the safety and health of our staff, volunteers, and visitors. Your patience and support and, in my opinion, your vaccination will help us all get through this transition smoothly. (If you're still looking for a vaccine appointment, visit Vaccines.gov.)

Speaking of vaccinations, members of the 28th Division medical and transportation team recently paid a visit to the Pennsylvania Military Museum. They were assisting with a mass vaccination site on the Penn State University campus and used some downtime for a tour with museum staff. They enjoyed it so much they recommended it to PA Emergency Management Agency staff, who will be stopping by next week when they take some time off from the clinic.

Military Unit Visit During COVID Ops On the 6th of May, members of the 28th Division medical and transportation team...

Posted by Pennsylvania Military Museum on Friday, May 7, 2021

Cornwall Iron Furnace posted an interesting image this week, evidence of the people who worked in the casting room of the furnace. You can also catch a recording of the latest Cornwall lecture, "Gold in Them Hills," by geologist Mike Weber.

Cornwall Iron Furnace operated 24 hours a day 7 days a week for much of the year. All of that foot traffic on the charging room floor wore away the softer wood and left the harder knots.

Posted by Cornwall Iron Furnace on Saturday, May 8, 2021

Have you met Tansy, Eleanor, and Peppercorn? Be sure to say hello to these lovely sheep if you're visiting Pennsbury Manor. EDIT 5/14/21: I've replaced the post I initially shared below with one from today showing before and after shearing.


Folks at Graeme Park noticed a familiar face on the set of the new TV show "Rutherford Falls." Among the many treasures in the Rutherford Falls Museum, right next to the diorama of the early town, is an 18th-century portrait of a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson. I don't usually make viewing recommendations that aren't for things on the Trails of History, but if you're interested in history, museums, heritage and memory, Native American heritage, small town life (and many other topics) and don't mind some profanity, you might want to check it out (see a clip on YouTube).

Anyone recognize the lady in the portrait to the right of Ed Helms on the set of Rutherford Falls on Peacock TV? Hmmmm, she looks a bit familiar! Thanks to the Brunners for letting us know about this!

Posted by Graeme Park on Friday, May 7, 2021

Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, May 14

• Learn at Lunchtime, botanist Andrew Rohrbaugh will talk about native plants in your landscape plans, The State Museum of PA, 12:15-12:45 pm (SMP link to register)

Tuesday, May 18

• A Brief Intro to Wooden Shipbuilding (Part 3 of 4), Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara, 6-7 pm (EMM Facebook event to register)
• Preserving the Kaufman Farm: 250 Years of PA German Agriculture, with speaker Jim Lewars, former site administrator at Landis Valley, Daniel Boone Homestead, and Conrad Weiser Homestead, presented by Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, 7-8 pm (5/18 Zoom link to register)

Wednesday, May 19

• History Speaks Series, "The Braddock and Forbes Campaigns to Take Fort Duquesne," Bushy Run Battlefield, 7-8:30 pm (link for tickets, $7.50 for nonmembers)
• Amtrak: The 50th Anniversary, a virtual tour about the life, death, and rebirth of the American passenger train, Railroad Museum of PA, 7-8 pm (tickets by donation)

Thursday, May 20

• The Heirloom Seed Project: Preserving Our Agriculture Heritage, with speaker Joanne Ranck-Dirks, director of the Heirloom Seed Project, presented by Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, 7-8 pm (5/20 Zoom link to register)

Memorial Day 2020

The May program page has information on the status of Trails of History sites and lists some virtual programs. It also contains a full list of links to Trails of History Facebook pages so that you can continue to enjoy our digital offerings. You'll also find some of those offerings in the Trailheads Rec Room (see links in the sidebar to the right of your screen); new material is added weekly so that you can see the most recent examples.

A single wreath placed at the 28th Division Shrine to honor those who gave their lives in service (photo: Pennsylvania Military Museum)

The annual 28th Division Celebration of Service (scheduled for May 17 at the Pennsylvania Military Museum) and most Memorial Day events have been canceled or seriously curtailed due to COVID-19. But that doesn't mean we can't honor those who gave their lives in military service. The staff of the Pennsylvania Military Museum have provided the material for this week's post, and I thank them for their help.

In an article published earlier this week, site administrator Tyler Gum suggested several alternatives for marking Memorial Day this year (excerpts are below - you can find the full text on the museum's blog):

• "Perhaps the simplest way to mark this day is to take five minutes and silently reflect on the meaning of the day and to consider the profound sacrifice and responsibility of an all-volunteer military force....Our military members voluntarily join and serve their communities and nation. Consider the many layers of such reality, as a society and as citizens."
• "...Visit your local library digitally or find an online book or journal...that recounts the harrowing details of brave men and women going into harm's way to preserve our way of life here on the homefront. The greatest way to honor those now gone is to never forget them - what better way than to learn their story?"
• "Annual events at town centers, parks, shrines, and cemeteries may be canceled. However, visiting a local cemetery or shrine on your own time, or visiting the grave of a loved one that served (perhaps not even on Memorial Day itself) and taking a stroll through its grounds is a great option."
• "For veterans quickly aging, like those from World War II and the Korean War, their battle-buddies may no longer be alive or well enough to lend a hand....Step in for their friends by calling them, writing them a card or letter or arranging for groceries or meals to be delivered. With precautions and safety in mind, if you're at a store, offer to reach something on the shelf or to load their car."

The museum blog is a great source of stories about military service. Museum curator Jennifer Gleim has added a number of posts exploring the museum's collections and sharing the personal stories they convey. The blog is indexed to make it easier to browse. You won't be sorry.

Tomorrow (May 23) at 2 pm, the museum will host an online lecture by historian Jared Frederick, on the topic "Operation Overlord (D-Day)." Tyler Gum will moderate a brief Q & A session after the lecture. The presentation is free (donations are welcome). It will be offered via Zoom, so you must register to get the link (visit the museum's calendar page for more info).

(A past Trailheads post (way back in 2013) introduced us to several Medal of Honor recipients from Erie; this seems like a good time to revisit that post. Or to take a look at last year's Memorial Day weekend post, from the before times.)

I will leave you with a Facebook post from the 28th Division. I hope that your Memorial Day is meaningful, in whatever ways you need it to be. Be good to each other.

Memorial Day

Please check the May program listings to see which Trails of History sites will be open on Monday, May 28, and for info on events coming up this weekend. The June program listings are also now available for those of you who like to plan ahead (you know who you are).

Members of the PA National Guard line the 28th Division Shrine at the Pennsylvania Military Museum (via Facebook)

The annual Celebration of Service organized by the Pennsylvania National Guard took place Sunday, May 20, on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Military Museum. The event is a vibrant combination of family reunion, military equipment show, and solemn memorial service. You can get a good sense of the day by browsing the extensive photo album posted on PMM's Facebook page or see how WTAJ-TV covered the event. This weekend the museum will be offering its annual World War II Revisited living history program on Saturday and Sunday.

Remembering fallen soldiers (via Facebook)

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) is working to find a photo of every Pennsylvania service member who died as a result of the Vietnam War. The photos are needed to complete the Vietnam Memorial Wall of Faces for Pennsylvania. As of this week, they are missing 30 photos from 8 counties. For a list of names still needing photos and to find out how to submit a photo, visit DMVA's Wall of Faces page.

This is also a good time to note that sites on PHMC's Trails of History participate in the Blue Star Museums program, which provides free regular admission to active duty military members and their immediate families. The Blue Star Museums program runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but the admission offer is good all year on the Trails of History.

Get your Questions Ready: Join us for Ask An Archivist Day

Join us on Wednesday, October 4 for Ask An Archivist 

Archivists, by nature and profession, are some of the most patient people on the planet.  They're accustomed to being peppered with questions from researchers and visitors determined to track down everything from land records to genealogical histories.  

On Wednesday, you will have the undivided attention of four archivists from the Pennsylvania State Archives.  Kurt Bell, Rich Saylor, Aaron McWilliams and Josh Stahlman will take part in Ask An Archivist Day.

Sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, Ask An Archivist offers the public the opportunity to connect directly to archivists in their community — and around the country — through asking questions, gathering information, or just satisfying curiosity.

#AskAnArchivist Day is open to everyone - all you need is a Twitter account. To participate, just tweet a question to @PHMC and include the hashtag #AskAnArchivist in your tweet. Our archivists will see your question instantly. 

Here’s our schedule for Ask An Archivist Day:

Kurt Bell

10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.: Kurt Bell will start us off with his vast knowledge of the history of railroading in Pennsylvania, specifically the records held by the Pennsylvania State Archives and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.  

Rich Saylor

11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.: Join Pennsylvania State Archives' Rich Saylor for a World War I-themed Twitter Q&A. Earlier this year, Rich debuted an exhibit at The State Museum of Pennsylvania which spotlights an historic collection of World War I-era posters. Pennsylvania At War: World War I Posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives commemorates the anniversary of the U.S. involvement in World War I . Rich will also take questions relating to Pennsylvania military records from other historical eras preserved by the Archives.  

Aaron McWilliams

1 p.m to 1:45 p.m.: Aaron McWilliams will kick off our afternoon segment of Ask An Archivist. McWilliams will answer your questions regarding genealogy and family histories.  To date, more than 14 million records preserved by the Pennsylvania State Archives have been digitized by Ancestry.com and are available to commonwealth residents, free of charge.  These documents include birth and death certificates and marriage records.  Some of the more unusual documents include a 1909 birth certificate from a Pottstown resident named "Batman."  Ask Aaron about the celebrities, such as Katy Segal and Steve Buscemi, who visited the Archives.

Josh Stahlman

3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.: Rounding out Ask An Archivist Day will be Josh Stahlman.  Ask Josh for tips and techniques regarding disaster planning and response.  

The Extraordinary Heroism of Ordinary People

Today’s post, based on a collection at the PA Military Museum (PMM), is from guest blogger Rachel Yerger, one of the Collections Advancement Project curators in the PHMC’s Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums. Rachel’s other posts for Trailheads include the story of a collection of WWI letters also held at PMM.

As a curator, one of my responsibilities is to catalog donated objects. This often requires research into the objects, as well as the person to whom they belonged. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to work on an impressive collection of World War I military medals belonging to 2nd Lt. Tali Esen Waters. Since we are in the middle of WWI centennial commemorations, I thought now would be the perfect time to share this man’s story of service and heroism.

Members of 107th Field Artillery who received the Distinguished Service Cross
Tali Esen Waters is in the top right corner (excuse the wonky AKF photo of page 652, Pennsylvania in the World War)

Tali Esen (sometimes written as Taliesen) Waters was born in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, on March 19, 1894, and was the youngest son of two Welsh immigrants. At the time of his enlistment on August 15, 1916, his occupation is shown as “medical student.” Tali, as he was affectionately known, served as a private in the Hospital Corps of the PA National Guard’s 9th Regiment. He served with the Pennsylvania National Guard on the Mexican Border from September 1916 through March 1917, and when the United States entered World War I, Waters re-enlisted with the 28th Division.

Distinguished Service Cross awarded to Tali Esen Waters (MM2013.13.1A)

As a 2nd Lieutenant deployed with the 107th Field Artillery Unit, Waters earned five battle stars and multiple service awards. He earned the Distinguished Service Cross (photo above) while in action on September 6, 1918, near Baslieux-lès-Fismes, France. The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest award given by the US Army and is awarded for “extraordinary heroism.” According to military records, “Lieutenant Waters voluntarily went to the assistance of a large number of wounded soldiers, who were in an exposed position awaiting aid, and continued for several hours to dress their wounds throughout a severe bombardment of gas and high-explosive shells, while hostile airplanes flew low and swept with machine-gun fire the line of litters bearing the wounded. After administering aid to 36 wounded men, Lieutenant Waters helped carry them to a place of safety.” The DSC is usually awarded for combat service; this is a rare occasion of a DSC awarded for humanitarian actions. (For more information, see "The 107th Field Artillery" in Pennsylvania in the World War: An Illustrated History of the Twenty-eighth Division, Vol. 2, 1921.)

French Croix de Guerre (MM2013.13.2)

Less than a year later, on January 24, 1919, 2nd Lt. Waters would prove himself yet again, this time taking charge of a first aid station 1,000 meters from the German trenches and providing essential medical aid to 46 soldiers, all while under extreme enemy fire. For this act of heroism, Waters was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with a gilt star (photo above).

Inter-Allied Games Badge (MM2013.13.5)

Waters also earned a Silver Star, a United States Victory Medal (service medal), and a New Jersey Medal for Distinguished Service (he moved to New Jersey after the war). He also received a badge (photo above) for his role as a medical assistant at the Inter-Allied Games, an international military athletic event held in 1919 at the newly built Pershing Stadium just outside Paris. Participating athletes were active duty military personnel and those who had served in the armed forces during the First World War. (For more information see Joseph Mills Hanson and George Wythe’s Inter-Allied Games, 1919.)

Purple Heart (MM2013.13.4A)

In 1932, the War Department reinstated the Purple Heart and authorized its presentation to WWI veterans who had received General Pershing’s certificate for meritorious service or those who had been wounded in action. Tali Esen Waters’s Purple Heart is now part of the PMM collection. (For more on the history of the Purple Heart medal, see Fred Borch’s article, "A Heart of Purple: The Story of America's Oldest Military Decoration and Some of its Recipients," in the Winter 2012 issue of Prologue Magazine from the National Archives.)

Without a doubt, the war had taken a toll on Waters’s medical ambitions. He and his wife, Isabelle, moved to West Orange, New Jersey, where they lived a quiet and happy life; Tali managed a carpet factory in New York City. It was in West Orange where Tali and Isabelle would befriend the Heselton family. The Heselton and Waters households became so close that upon Tali’s death in 1959, Isabelle gave the Heseltons his military medals. The Heseltons, honoring Tali Esen Waters’s contributions and sacrifices, donated the medal collection to the Pennsylvania Military Museum in 2013. These medals, along with other World War I artifacts and stories preserved at the museum, provide us a with a glimpse into the sacrifices ordinary Pennsylvanian men and women made during The Great War.

That Reminds Me...

The July program page has everything you need to know (well, maybe not everything) about events on the Trails of History this weekend and in the month to come. We also have a list of sites that will be open on July 4.

This week marks the centennial of the arrival of American troops in Europe following U.S. entry into World War I two months before (read more about it on the Library of Congress website). In honor of the Army's birthday, the U.S. Army Center of Military History shared a rousing rendition of George M. Cohan's 1917 hit, "Over There," by the U.S. Army Chorus. Seems appropriate here.

Which reminds me - In the summer of 2015, Rachel Yerger, PHMC Collections Advancement Project (CAP) curator in the Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums, provided a guest post for Trailheads, "Stories from the Great War." In the post, she describes a collection of WWI letters at the PA Military Museum written by and about Harry Campbell and Reuben "Shorty" Rakestraw, two young men from Somerset County who served in Company C, 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division. It provides a bit of reality to balance the patriotic optimism of "Over There."

The Anthracite Heritage Museum posted about their summer intern Amber Kelly, who is a student at Misericordia University in Scranton. The university hosts a blog where students can share their internship experiences, and Amber has already written several times about her experience at Anthracite, learning to give tours and working with curator John Fielding.

Which reminds me - We frequently have guest posts by PHMC interns here on Trailheads (that's a big and not-at-all-subtle hint to this summer's interns). Two years ago, State Archives intern Ryan Zsifkov guest blogged about "The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal" and Corine Lehigh (who is now on staff) wrote "A Walk Through the Past" about a walking tour for the interns led by historic preservation staffer Pamela Reilly.

Summer 2015 PHMC Keystone Interns take a walking tour of Harrisburg (photo by Amy Jukus)

Tuesday morning, NPR ran a story by contributor Susan Stamberg, who went behind the scenes with painting conservators at the National Gallery of Art (read text of the piece (with photos) and/or listen to the audio below).

Which reminds me (you knew that was coming) - We've had a number of posts sharing info on how we take care of PHMC's many and varied collections. Here are several you may want to revisit: "Freezing History," by Lauren Jaeger, who at the time was a CAP curator and is now overseeing PHMC's transition to a new collections management database; "Textile Adventures Part Deux," by Rachel Yerger; and "Brushing Up on Industrial History," by Linda Bolla, Erie Maritime Museum.

Memorials and Monuments

The May program page has info for the upcoming weekend and remaining days of the month. Please note that most, but not all, Trails of History sites will be open on May 29 for Memorial Day. The May listings indicate which sites are open (to the best of my knowledge). (The June program page is now available as well.)

Although it often falls outside of Memorial Day weekend, the 28th Infantry Division's annual "Celebration of Service" held on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Military Museum embodies the spirit of the holiday. The museum grounds include the 28th Division Shrine memorial wall, which honors soldiers who died in World War I and World War II, as well as later monuments to those killed in subsequent military conflicts. The May event brings together military personnel and civilians to commemorate those who have died in service to their country and to recognize all who served and who are currently serving. This year's event also honored Gold Star Families, who have lost loved ones in service. You'll find photos on Facebook posted by museum staff (photo album of event), and Gov. Tom Wolf, who attended with First Lady Frances Wolf, posted images on his official page (see below).


Currently, we are working on new exhibits for the Military Museum that we hope will reflect the broad range of service and sacrifice by Pennsylvanians in military service and on the home front, from the French and Indian War forward. This is, we recognize, a story that does not have a conclusion, as we are not likely to see an end to war. The history of who fights and who stays home is not the same for every conflict and has changed over time. It is my hope that we can engage with visitors in an exploration of what this means for us as communities, as a state, and as a nation.

And if I may add, on the subject of monuments and strictly on my own behalf, if you have not read or watched New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu's speech on the removal of Confederate monuments from prominent public venues in his city, I recommend it. Not everyone will agree on his conclusions, but in my opinion, he eloquently explores complicated issues of public history and memory and the impact of our choices that we may not think about. (Text and video can be found on the City of New Orleans website.)

In other news...

Bushy Run Battlefield has geared up for the season and recently held their annual spring tea. Their spring and fall tea events have become very popular and generally sell out. The tables were themed to represent the Native American, Highlander, British, and Colonial participants in the Battle of Bushy Run, and volunteers provided short presentations on the history to those in attendance. The folks at the site also took the opportunity to promote other programs and activities planned for the summer and fall.

Highland-themed table at Bushy Run's Spring Tea (more images on Facebook)

The 2017 PHMC Keystone Interns have started their summer with us. This year, Keystone interns can be found at the State Museum, the State Archives, the State Historic Preservation Office, and Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum. I'm hoping that, as in past summers, some of the interns will be guest blogging on Trailheads to share their projects and interests with us.

2017 PHMC Keystone Interns (photo Amy Jukus)

Monday, May 22, was National Maritime Day, which we celebrate even in mostly land-locked Pennsylvania. I'll leave you with two posts from the Trails of History and wish you a safe and meaningful holiday weekend.

Tradition holds that this fife, a gift to @FNLNiagara , was played on the U.S. Brig Lawrence. #NationalMaritimeDay https://t.co/43QhRp07y0 pic.twitter.com/jLJmP7llws

— PHMC (@PHMC) May 22, 2017

U.S. World War I Centennial

The April program page has info on events of all kinds coming up this weekend and the rest of the month.

"The Great War Remembered" program at PA Military Museum 2016 (via Facebook)

Trailheads is a day early this week to mark the centennial of U.S. entry into World War I on April 6, 1917. This important anniversary is being commemorated in numerous places along the Pennsylvania Trails of History, not to mention the rest of the state, country, and world.

Throughout this month the Pennsylvania Military Museum will offer lectures and interpretive programming focused on World War I (see brochure). If you aren't able to be there in person, you have some options. The museum's (newly redesigned) website provides background information on the history of the site (home to the Boal Machine Gun Troop) and the 28th Division Shrine, which honors Pennsylvanians who died in World War I and later conflicts. (There is also a photo gallery of previous programs.)

In addition, site administrator Tyler Gum will take part in the National Museum of American History's World War I Social Media Day on Tuesday, April 11. From 1 to 2 pm that day, he will be "Facebook Live" representing the PHMC and talking about the role of the citizen soldier in WWI and Pennsylvania's legacy of military service.

PMM educator Joe Horvath shows a visitor how a trench periscope works at "The Great War Remembered" in 2016. This year's event is slated for April 22-23 at the PA Military Museum (photo via Facebook)

Last weekend, The State Museum of PA opened an exhibit of World War I posters from the collections of the Pennsylvania State Archives. PHMC's Twitter account has a recap of the opening reception, which featured a tour by archivist Rich Saylor. The exhibit is open to the public during regular operating hours and is included in museum admission; it will remain on view through Nov. 12.

An article from the Erie Times-News earlier this week explored the World War I centennial. The Erie Maritime Museum's Linda Bolla spoke with reporter Ron Leonardi about the crew of USS Wolverine and their service in World War I. Wolverine had been decommissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1912 and turned over to the Pennsylvania Naval Militia, based in Erie. When word of U.S. entry into World War I reached Erie on the night of April 6, the crew of Wolverine were put on alert. On April 11, most of them marched from Erie's Public Dock to Union Station to board troop trains bound for Philadelphia. From there they were deployed for wartime. The ship itself, and some of the crew, remained on the Great Lakes during the war, recruiting sailors for the U.S. Navy and serving as a training vessel. Bolla, a regular contributor to Trailheads, has been researching Wolverine's crew, their service, and their post-war histories.

Crew of USS Wolverine, 1913 (photo Erie Maritime Museum)

Other items of interest...

We'll try to keep you apprised of other WWI-related activities on the Trails of History as the centennial commemorations continue through the end of 2018. In the meantime:

• PBS's American Experience will air The Great War on April 10, 11, and 12 at 9 pm
• You can follow the United States World War One Centennial Commission on Facebook or on Twitter @WW1CC UPDATE: You can watch video of the official centennial kickoff on 4/16/17 on YouTube.
• On Twitter, #WW1 or #WWI (or any number of variations) will get you to commemorative activities, documentary projects, and archival collections all over the world

Moving into April

As we get ready to move forward into April, we can look back at a few events and announcements that we missed on the blog.

L to R: Tyler Gum, Janice Mullin, and Brenda Reigle at the PA Military Museum (photo John Stevens)

We've noted in the program listings that the PA Military Museum has started a new Monday and Friday program called PT in the PM, that mixes typical military physical training activities with a history of the grounds and some of the heavy equipment. Many people use the pathways on the museum grounds for walking and jogging, so it seemed like a good way to reach out. Last week, Janice Mullin, chief of partner and placed properties, and bureau director Brenda Reigle were at the Military Museum and joined site administrator Tyler Gum for a tour (photo above). If you're in the area on a Monday or Friday afternoon, meet at the flagpoles at 4 pm and give it a go.

Somerset Historical Center hosted a class last weekend for participants to create a 1700s-style women's ensemble of a shift, short gown, and petticoat. They shared some photos on Facebook. Upcoming sewing classes include May 6 (for kids and moms to create period clothing for an 18" doll) and July 15-16 (to create 1700s-style men's clothing). Visit the website for more details and to register.

WITF (Harrisburg's public media organization) took their "Smart Talk" program on the road to the Railroad Museum of PA last week. Museum educator Patrick Morrison spoke with host Scott LaMar and there were some other guests as well. If you missed it, you can listen via WITF's website.

Some students from Allegheny College in Meadville spent their spring break at the Erie Maritime Museum volunteering with the crew of the U.S. Brig Niagara. They assisted with the ongoing work of getting the ship ready for the coming sailing season. Photos on Facebook show happy, smiling people hard at work.

The Univ. of Maryland is recruiting for its archaeology and historic preservation field school to be held at Eckley Miners' Village this summer. For-credit participants as well as local volunteers are welcome. See below for details from their Facebook page.



This weekend...

Conrad Weiser Homestead
April 2: Spring Lecture—Scott Wert, a teacher in the Conrad Weiser School District, will present a talk entitled "'The Calamett, a Sure Bond and Seal of Peace': Native-Pennsylvania Treaties as Religious Discourse." Site is open noon-4 pm, the lecture is at 2.

Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara
April 2: Erie Maritime Museum Lecture Series—Richard E. Buys (Lt. Col, US Air Force, Ret.) will present "The Naval History of World War One and Erie's Contribution." Takes place in the H.O. Hirt Auditorium. Lecture is free. 2 pm.

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
April 1: Museum Store Class—"Tin Punching" is this week's class. Check the brochure for details and registration info.

Old Economy Village
April 1-2: Village reopens for the season—check the website for special activities planned, including the grand opening of the newly renovated blacksmith shop.

Pennsbury Manor
April 2: Sunday programming starts for the season—this week is historic trades and cooking demos. Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.

Pennsylvania Military Museum
April 1: Kids Day I: Dress Up and Discover!!—kids of all ages can try on field gear and head gear from the museum education collection. Photo backdrops will be set up in the museum theater and there will be learning stations throughout the galleries. Included in regular admission. 10 am-3 pm.

State Museum of Pennsylvania
April 2: Exhibit opening—"Pennsylvania at War: World War I Posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives" features a sampling of the nearly 500 WWI posters in the State Archives. Archivist Richard Saylor will provide a walkthrough of the exhibit (which will be on view through Nov. 12). Included in regular admission. Exhibit opening is 2-3 pm.

Hold on to your hats, it's summer*

*Yes, I know, but it feels like summer. And Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, even if the solstice isn't for a few more weeks. Call it youthful (*cough*) exuberance. Anyway, I hope you and yours have a safe holiday weekend, don't get stranded in any traffic jams, and don't overindulge in s'mores or other grilled goodies. The May program listings have ideas for this weekend (I've highlighted a couple of things below as well) and the June listings are up, too.

Memorial Day

Most Trails of History sites are open on Monday, May 30, for Memorial Day, but it's always best to check the list to make sure the site you want to visit is on it.

Last weekend, the annual 28th Infantry Division Celebration of Service took place at the Pennsylvania Military Museum. A feature of this year's event was the dedication of a new monument honoring members of the 28th killed in action during the Global War on Terrorism (2001-present). WTAJ-tv covered the event, and you can watch their report to get a feel for the day (and some background on the museum itself). This weekend, PMM holds their annual World War II Revisited program, which features reenactors portraying military field life in the European Theater of Operations, 1944-45.

Washington Crossing Historic Park's annual Memorial Day observance is scheduled for Sunday, May 29, at 1 pm at the Continental soldiers' graves area near the Thompson-Neely House (upper park).

In Other News...

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is conducting a public survey as part of a multi-year planning effort. The survey doesn't take long to complete and will help to shape SHPO's efforts in coming years. If you'd like to contribute your thoughts about historic preservation as it affects your community, this link will take you to the survey. I'm not sure how long the survey will be open, so click now and be heard.

The Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation has a new website (same address, new look, easier navigation). Check it out!

Bushy Run's Spring Tea was a big success (photo courtesy Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society)

My thanks to the folks at Bushy Run for sending photos of their recent Spring Tea, which looks like it was a lovely event. In an interesting juxtaposition, reenactors portraying British soldiers who were encamped on site in honor of Armed Forces Day marched through the visitor center during the tea (there's video on Facebook, so it really happened).

Stories from the Great War

But first, a programming note: On Wednesday, Aug. 19, public television stations in Pennsylvania (and elsewhere, I assume) will air all three parts of The Mystery of Matter: Search for the Elements, produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting in 2014. Part I includes Dr. Joseph Priestley and his work to identify oxygen. Dr. Priestley's American home and laboratory (built after he and his family fled England) is part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History. (More details and images here.)

Our guest blogger today is Rachel Yerger, a curator in the Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums as part of the PHMC's Collections Advancement Project. Rachel has blogged for Trailheads before, detailing collections care efforts related to the new exhibit at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum. Today she shares some info about a collection of World War I letters accepted last year at the Pennsylvania Military Museum. In her pre-PHMC life, Rachel worked on the WWI digital archives project, "Home Before the Leaves Fall," at Villanova University.

This past April brought the Sesquicentennial commemoration of the Civil War to an end (and man, will I miss saying "sesquicentennial"!). But fear not, military history nerds, because many World War I centennial commemorations are already underway. Even though the United States did not commit military support to the Allied war efforts until 1917, our centennial commemorative involvement is already gearing up. A few American based projects are up and running and vary in scope from national (Saving Hallowed Ground, a project launched by the WWI Centennial Commission) to local (Home Before the Leaves Fall and The Fallen of the Great War: Philadelphia Project). As other commemorative projects emerge or move forward, it is important that, in addition to the more well-known histories, we make a point to include the accounts and experiences of the common soldier. There are Great War narratives in the form of diaries, letters and postcards hiding in archives all over the country. These sources hold valuable information that can help us better understand what life was like for doughboys during the Great War.

I was lucky enough to read one of these personal histories while inventorying a PA Military Museum archival collection last July. The collection consisted mostly of letters written by Harry Campbell, a supply sergeant in Company C, 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Division (known as the "Keystone Division"). [Editor's note: I've moved Rachel's background information on the 28th Division to a separate page.]

Supply Sergeant Harry L. Campbell

One the most interesting letters in this collection was not in fact written by Harry Campbell, but by an "R.S.R." This typed letter was tucked in amongst Harry’s letters home, and it isn’t clear who it was intended for or, at first, who R.S.R. was. (Thanks to Virginia Waters, an intern at the PA Military Museum, we now know that R.S.R. was Pvt. Reuben S. Rakestraw, a mechanic in Company C, nicknamed "Shorty.") The letter was written on July 21, 1918, almost a week after the German barrage started the Second Battle of the Marne (July 15-August 6). R.S.R. goes into great detail, and he refers to the first few days of battle as “...four days of hell.” “High explosives and shrapnel were bursting all around us every second and we had to lay there with gas masks on all night....”

At one point R.S.R. was taken prisoner by a German division, but managed to escape. “I swam, waded and crawled down a creek for over a mile and was in the water about 18 hours...." On the 17th of July, he finally came across a French outfit who gave him some food. When he finally met back up with what remained of the Keystone Division, he learned that Harry Campbell and the rest of the kitchen staff had also suffered losses. R.S.R describes Harry as, “...all broken up....” He goes on to describe Harry’s experience: “German aeroplanes [sic] swooped down on them and turned machine guns on them and dropped hand bombs. One team was killed, one kitchen blown up, one driver gassed and their lieutenant had an arm badly shatter with shrapnel.” Even through all that he and Harry had experienced, R.S.R. closes the letter with, “There had to be some outfit there and it is just as well that it was us. With all the wounded and dying I never heard a word of complaint, and all that could, pulled the trigger ‘til the last.”

Private Reuben S. "Shorty" Rakestraw

This descriptive language, the intense situations, the strength and pride with which R.S.R. closed the letter, is all reflective of the greater whole that was the Keystone Division. Because of their brave fighting at the front, the 28th Division earned themselves another nickname, "The Iron Division," given to them by General John Pershing himself. Approximately half of Company C were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. But because of the Iron Division, and the rest of the American Expeditionary Force's perseverance, the Germans were forced to retreat and suffered more losses than the British, French and Americans combined.

The 28th Division's red Keystone insignia

Shorty and Harry met while Company C was training at Camp Hancock, Georgia. Both had enlisted from Somerset County, PA, and quickly became friends. Harry often mentioned Shorty in his letters, and when the pair returned home they remained friends. In fact, Shorty was the one who introduced Harry to his future wife. What little we know about Shorty’s life after The Great War comes from vital records and a survey of Somerset County veterans conducted by the Works Progress Administration. In a sense, we’ve learned more about R.S.R. (and the 28th Division) through this one letter than from all the compiled vital records.

The purpose of commemorative events is remembrance, not just of certain larger-than-life historical figures, but also of men like Harry Campbell and Shorty Rakestraw. These men fought bravely and valiantly with the hope that future generations would be spared another war of this magnitude. We now know that this would not come to fruition, but it was not for a lack of bravery on the part of the men of the 28th Infantry Division. For me, this letter, and the other letters in the Campbell Collection, made the First World War more real than other historical narratives had before. Being able to put large historical events into a personal context is one of the more effective ways to engage people with history. And for a war that is largely forgotten, it is important that we be able to connect modern Americans to the people that experienced this war firsthand. And what better way to do that than by using the doughboy’s own words?