November Awaits

Visit the Railroad Museum's Trains & Troops event this weekend and learn more about this ca. 1966 MUTT jeep on loan from the PA Military Museum (photo & info via RMP Facebook page)

I'll post this info again next week, but to help with planning, please note that most Trails of History sites will be closed on November 11 for Veterans Day. Brandywine Battlefield Park, Fort Pitt Museum, Graeme Park, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and Somerset Historical Center will be open on their regular Friday schedules. In addition, as noted below, Erie Maritime Museum, Pennsylvania Military Museum, and The State Museum of Pennsylvania will have special programming that day. In the meantime, several sites have military history programs this weekend and during the week. Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour Sunday morning.

Up Next

Today, November 4

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Read ART by Patrick McDonnell and create your own work of art to display at home. For ages 2 to Pre-K and included in regular admission (StoryTime info).

• Art of the State Exhibition Tour (in-person); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Enjoy a lunchtime tour of this year's juried art exhibition, featuring works by 92 finalists selected from 1,850 entries. First Lady Frances Wolf and PHMC Commissioner Ophelia Chambliss will lead this casual tour. Included in regular admission (AOS Tour info).

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join Mary Jo Casalena, PA Game Commission, to learn about the eastern wild turkey found throughout Pennsylvania's forests and more than a few backyards. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

Saturday, November 5

• 1777 Whitemarsh Encampment (in-person); 10 am-4 pm; Hope Lodge
• Lots of military and civilian reenactment activities, open hearth cooking, beer brewing, music, book signings and more. Purchase tickets at the door or buy them ahead online (Whitemarsh Encampment info and tickets).

• Trains & Troops (in-person); Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday Noon-4 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Learn about the relationship between the U.S. military and the railroads. Included in regular admission (Trains & Troops info).

• Commemorating WWII and Cold War in Berlin (in-person); 2-3 pm; PA Military Museum
• David Blackburn, site administrator at Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, will present "Commemorating WWII and the Cold War in Berlin: Commemorating the Past to Inform the Present." Monuments and memorials placed throughout the city are highly visible and ever-present. These sites and structures commemorate the genocide, destruction, and loss of life that defined Berlin throughout the mid to late 20th Century. The lecture is free (donations welcome) and takes place in the site theater (Berlin lecture info).

• 1940s Swing Dance (in-person); 7-10 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• The Moonlighters big band will play live among the historic trains. Dress in vintage 1940s attire, military uniform, or modern party clothes. Light refreshments will be served. Advance tickets available online and highly recommended; a limited number of tickets will be sold at the door (Swing Dance tickets).

Sunday, November 6

• Guided Tours (in-person); Noon-4 pm; Conrad Weiser Homestead
• Enjoy the park and historic buildings and browse the museum store for books and locally made redware pottery (CWH info).

• Wild Teas & Jellies (in-person); 2-3 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• Brian Budjanec from Kettle Creek State Park will teach you how to harvest and make tasty treats using wild ingredients straight from the forest. Delicious samples will be available to try. Suitable for all ages and included in regular admission (Wild Teas & Jellies info).

Tuesday, November 8

• Cornwall Goes to War (virtual); 7-8 pm; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• In honor of Veterans Day, Michael Weber will present an overview the ways Cornwall helped defend the United States during the Seven Years War, Revolutionary War, Whiskey Rebellion, Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the Korean War. Site administrator Mike Emery will moderate a brief discussion. The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Cornwall lecture info and registration).

Wednesday, November 9

• Homeschool Program (in-person); 10-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about woven coverlets and other textiles and the techniques and creativity that go into making them. Compare historic coverlets with woven artworks in this year's Art of the State exhibit. Cost is $10 per person ($3 for members), and advance registration is required (Homeschool Program info and registration).

Thursday, November 10

• Curiosity Kids (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about communication and how people have used different innovations to help them share ideas and thoughts with others. Create a secret message using the same techniques George Washington used at Valley Forge. For grades K-2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited, so please sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Curiosity Kids info).

• Movie Night (in-person); 6-8:30 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Enjoy a screening of The Polar Express (Rated G) amid the historic trains in Rolling Stock Hall. Tickets are $10 for ages 3 and up and include popcorn and hot chocolate. Doors open at 6 pm, movie starts at 6:30. Tickets available online via Eventbrite; some tickets available at the door (Movie Night info and tickets).

• Virtual Ephrata Academy (virtual); 7-8 pm; Ephrata Cloister
• Foodways historian and demonstrator Susan Plaisted will present "Preserving the Harvest," offering a look at colonial food preservation practices including drying, potting, and the broad definition of "pickle." The program is free, but you must register to receive the link (Ephrata Academy info and registration).

Friday, November 11

• Veterans Day (in-person); 10 am-3 pm; PA Military Museum
• Join the Pennsylvania Military Museum as we celebrate Veteran’s Day in partnership with the Red Cross’s “Holidays for Heroes” card writing campaign. Stop by the Museum on Veteran’s Day to make a card or drop cards off during our Museum Hours through November 20th (PMM Veterans Day info).

• Bells of Peace: 104th Anniversary of the End of WWI (in-person & virtual); 11-11:30 am; Erie Maritime Museum
• The museum will take part in this national remembrance by ringing the bell of the USS Michigan/Wolverine. Visitors will hear it live, others can watch the livestream on EMM's Facebook page (Bells of Peace info).

• Veterans Day Program (in-person); 11 am-Noon; The State Museum of PA
• Throughout history soldiers have created artwork as ways of remembrances, coping with boredom, and even a form of therapy. Bob Hill, curator of military history, will share examples from the collections, including a Revolutionary War powder horn, World War I trench art, and more. Visitors will have a chance to create their own carved artwork and make a thank you card for a soldier or veteran. Included in regular admission (SMOP Veterans Day info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, Nov. 15, 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Lighting, noise and crowd levels will be lowered, and there will be some quiet spaces in the galleries for when you need a break. Several of the historic trains will be open, with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance reservations are required (11/15 Sensory Hours tickets).

• From Seneca to Seneca-Cayuga (in-person); Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 am-5 pm; Fort Pitt Museum
• This one-day conference will welcome speakers from federally recognized tribes as they explore the past, present, and future of the Iroquoian peoples who found a second homeland in the Ohio Country. The museum's new exhibit, "Guyasuta: The Life and Legend of a Seneca Chief," will also be open for participants to explore (Seneca symposium info and registration).

• Colonial Cocktail Hour (in-person); Saturday, Nov. 19, 7-10 pm; Bushy Run Battlefield
• Explore the history of England's 18th-century "Gin Craze" and taste test some cocktails of the period 1720-1765 along with some hors d'oeuvres. Must be at least 21 years old to attend. Tickets are $25 and are available online (Cocktail Hour info and tickets).

• Candlelight Open House (in-person); Saturday, Nov. 26, 5-8:30 pm; Ephrata Cloister
• Spend a few minutes or hours visiting with local craftsmen as they share their stories and wares. Included in the evening’s event will be Fraktur calligraphy by Emily Smucker-Beidler, and Matt and Elaine Vardjan of Pennsylvania Folk Art Papers showing paper stars and block prints. Additionally, demonstrations will be provided by local spinners and the letterpress will be working in the Printing Office. The whole family can become craftsmen making small treasure boxes just the size for stocking stuffers. The Ephrata Cloister Chorus will be singing a short program at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30, and the Woodlands Trio will add to the sounds of the evening at 6:00, 7:00 and 8:00. Tickets are $7 for ages 3 and up, available online or at the door (Candlelight Open House info and tickets).

• Christmas with the Conductor (in-person); Saturday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 10, 11 am and 2 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Do you love a classic holiday story? The Museum conductor will punch your child’s souvenir train ticket and welcome you on board one of the historic railroad cars for a lively reading. Kids then have more fun decorating their own gingerbread cookie in Jack Frost Station and receive a small bag of special goodies to take home. Two 45-minute sessions, one at 11 am and one at 2 pm. For ages 3 and older; children must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. Space is limited and registration is required. Cost is $10 per child, in addition to regular admission (Dec. 3 info and tickets OR Dec. 10 info and tickets).

• Late Nite with the Belsnickle! (in-person); Friday, Dec. 16, 7-9 pm; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
• Holiday-themed crafts, PA Dutch traditions, a visit with Belsnickle, and an adult beverage. Must be at least 21 to attend. Event is rain or shine; dress for the weather, including shoes appropriate for walking the site. Tickets are $40 (Late Nite info and tickets).

• Putz'n and Brutz'n with the Belsnickle! (in-person); Saturday, Dec. 17, 1-3 pm; Landis Valley Vilage & Farm Museum
• This family-friendly event includes a walking tour, making a punched tin ornament, light refreshments, a visit with the Belsnickle, and more. The program will be held rain or shine, so please dress for the weather with appropriate shoes. Tickets are $30 for people age 8 and up, $20 for ages 3-7. Space is limited, and reservations are required (Family Belsnickle event).

A Few Peeks Behind the Scenes

The August page has a growing list of online events, including a couple of updates since last week's post. For online activities available 24/7, check out the Trailheads Rec Room (to the right of your screen).

From Facebook post: "This is the money vault on display from the closet of George Rapp's bedroom. We have 'fake' money on display at the bottom of the steps. We believe the doorway to the right at the bottom of the steps led to George Rapp's alchemy lab." (photo via Facebook)

Earlier this week, Old Economy Village's museum educator, David Miller, posted some images of the site that I had (mostly) never seen before. I've spent some time at Old Economy, but I have not made it into some of the most secret places. As David notes, tours of the George Rapp and Frederick Rapp Houses provide visitors with information on money vaults used to secure funds the Harmonists accumulated to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (which they believed they would need sooner rather than later). Visitors get a peek at the entrances to those spaces but don't get to see very much. David's post includes the image above and half a dozen more. Well worth a look!

Architectural rendering of the original Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania building. It has been expanded twice in the 50 years since it opened (image via Facebook)

Last week's post noted the 50th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, along with a number of other milestones. But I missed one from earlier in the year (what is time, anyway?). Next week, on August 17 at 7 pm, the staff at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania will present an online program marking the museum's 45th Anniversary, which fell in April. They'll provide an in-depth look at the museum's history, its growth (it looks very different now than the image above), and what lies ahead. The event is being offered on Zoom and is suitable for all ages. Tickets are $5 per person or for a group viewing on a single screen (so you can watch as a family, pod, or bubble for one low price). The Facebook event page has details and a link to Eventbrite for tickets.

State Historical Marker for the Invention of the Jeep (recently featured on the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation's Facebook page)

Looking ahead to the end of next month, if you want the inside scoop on state historical markers, the State Historic Preservation Office is planning a free one-hour webinar to share advice on how to submit a successful marker nomination. Historical Marker Program Coordinator Karen Galle will provide an overview of the marker program, explain the nomination process and criteria, tell you what to expect if your marker is approved, and offer tips for success. "PHMC's Historical Markers: Tips & Tricks for a Successful Nomination" is scheduled for 10 am on Sept. 30 (details and registration information).



The video above is part of The State Museum of Pennsylvania's "Perspectives" series. In this installment, museum director Beth Hager talks with Dr. Curt Miner, senior curator of history, for some background on a temporary exhibit, Why Not in Pennsylvania? Campaigning for Women's Suffrage in the Keystone State 1910-1920, marking the centennial of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. For a more complete look at the exhibit, the State Museum's Facebook page has a two-part video tour of the exhibit led by the curator (part one and part two). For a look at the national story, check out #19suffragestories on Facebook, a collaborative project of the National Archives, Library of Congress, and The Smithsonian Institution. ADDED 8/14: The New York Times series, Suffrage at 100, presents stories of a diverse array of suffragists.

So Many Milestones

The August page has a growing list of online events, including a couple of updates since last week's post. For online activities available 24/7, check out the Trailheads Rec Room (to the right of your screen).

A splash of color (photo by AKF)

This month - this week - included some important milestones and one that's not-so-historic but worth noting, I think (I'm sure you'll be able to tell which it is). Let's get started.

The Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC) announced this week that 140 cultural nonprofits across the state had received $780,500 in PHC CARES emergency relief grants to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on their programs and operations. Six Trails of History sites were among the awardees, for a total of $29,500 (grants ranging from $4,000 to $7,000). Congratulations to Ephrata Cloister, Graeme Park, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, Old Economy Village, Pennsbury Manor, and Somerset Historical Center!

PHMC's public portal for museum collections, ARGUS, now includes more than 10,000 entries. Curators on the Trails of History have used their time very productively, turning institutional catalog records into descriptions that convey the essential history of the objects. You can browse to your heart's content by visiting the PHMC website and clicking on Museum Collection (or use this link). And speaking of curators, Susan Hanna, who retired earlier this year after a storied career with PHMC, recently received a Special Achievement Award from PA Museums, our statewide museum association. UPDATE: my sincere apologies for neglecting to mention that Pennsbury Manor received an Institutional Achievement Award for their Gathering of Governors program.

100 Years - Ratification of the 19th Amendment

75 Years - Atomic Bombs Dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

55 Years - The Voting Rights Act

50 Years - Pennsylvania Lumber Museum

11 Years - Trailheads Blog

August 1 marked the 11 year anniversary of the first Trailheads blog post. As far as I can tell, I failed to note the 10th anniversary last year. Since we'll be coming up on the 600 post milestone in the next month or so (and because the new Blogger format afforded me some additional stats), I've included the top 5 most-viewed posts. Only one of them was actually written by me, but that's fine. Really. Juuuuuust fine. But seriously, it's been a pleasure to work with staff and guest bloggers to help showcase the work of all the people who make the Pennsylvania Trails of History what it is. Thanks for reading. See you next week.

• #1 - The Last Days of William Penn, July 30, 2018, an article by Linda Ries that originally appeared in the Summer 2018 issue of Pennsylvania Heritage
• #2 - Historic Hunting: Helen Sites Miller excelled at male-dominated pastime, Dec. 8, 2016, a guest post by Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums curator Rachel Yerger
• #3 - Invention of the Jeep, Sept. 21, 2018, a piece that originally appeared in the Summer 2003 issue of Pennsylvania Heritage
• #4 - That Reminds Me of a Story, March 26, 2018
• #5 - Philadelphia and the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, Sept. 14, 2018, a guest post by Christina Stetler, then on staff at the PA Heritage Foundation

Invention of the Jeep

A listing of Trails of History events scheduled for today through the end of the month is available for your perusal. Thanks to PHMC's social media manager, Sean Adkins, for today's post.

A 1941 Bantam Reconnaissance Car, bearing serial number 1808, is in the collection of the PHMC's Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, Centre County.

Today, we honor the Invention of the Jeep. This iconic vehicle traces its roots to Butler County, Pennsylvania. On Sept. 21, 1940, the American Bantam Car Co. delivered to the U.S. Army a prototype for the World War II-era jeep. One of only a handful of Bantams that survive is exhibited at the Pennsylvania Military Museum.

The following article originally appeared in the Summer 2003 issue of Pennsylvania Heritage.

A state historical marker erected by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) serves to remind the world that Butler, located in western Pennsylvania, about thirty-five miles north of Pittsburgh, is the birthplace of the vehicle now universally known as the jeep, built by the American Bantam Car Company. The factory, formerly the American Austin Car Company, which had produced more than twenty thousand vehicles, was acquired by the American Bantam Car Company in 1936. Within two years, the company was manufacturing Bantam cars and trucks.

PHMC dedicated this historical marker, "Invention of the Jeep," on October 17, 1993. The marker is located along Hansen Avenue in Butler County. 

On June 27, 1940, the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps released specifications and asked for proposals to develop a new four-wheel drive light military vehicle. The deadline for submitting a proposal was July 22! Bantam scrambled to find someone who could help the company submit a design. Finally, company officials convinced Karl K. Probst (about 1882-1963), a Detroit engineer, to undertake the challenge. Bantam's leaders imposed one condition: they could not pay Probst unless the company won the contract. Despite initial reluctance, Probst went to work on July 17, 1940, and in just two days laid out plans for the Bantam prototype. Bantam submitted its bid, complete with blue­prints, on July 22. The first Bantam prototype - cobbled together from bits and pieces of other vehicles - was completed and driven to Camp Holabird in Dundalk, near Baltimore, Maryland, on Sep­tember 21, meeting the forty-nine-day deadline - with thir­ty minutes to spare!

The Quartermaster Corps subjected the prototype to rigorous off-road trials, concluding, "this vehicle demonstrated ample power and all requirements of the service." The Ford Motor Company and the Willys Overland Company soon submitted their own prototypes, based on the Bantam designs, which had been shared with them by the Army. Ultimately, the Army ordered fifteen hundred units from each of the three manufacturers. Ford began delivering vehicles in April 1941, followed a few weeks later by Bantam and Willys. However, in light of Bantam's tenuous manufacturing capabilities and precarious financial condition, and the strength of its competitors, Ford and Willys were eventually granted contracts for mass produc­tion of the jeep. In the end, Bantam manufactured less than twenty-seven hundred Bantam Reconnaissance Cars (BRC-40s), and spent the World War II years building heavy duty trailers for the Army. The company closed in 1956.

The state historical marker, dedicated in 1993, stands at the company's former factory building on Hansen Avenue in Butler. A 1941 Bantam Reconnaissance Car, bearing serial number 1808, is in the collection of the PHMC's Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, Centre County. It is one of only a handful of surviving Bantams. Auto­mobile enthusiast Leeland Bortmas, of Butler, restored and donated the jeep to the museum in 1994. Bortmas served in the 28th Infantry Division for four years. The 28th infantry Division Shrine and the 28th Division World War II Memorial are located on the grounds of the museum.

For more information: Pennsylvania Military Museum, 51 Boal Avenue, Boalsburg, PA. 16827; telephone (814) 466-6263; or visit the Pennsylvania Military Museum website.