Moving On to July

Enjoy traditional "woodhick" activities, crafts, food, music, and more this weekend at the Bark Peelers' Festival (photo via PA Lumber Museum Facebook page)

Most Trails of History sites will be closed Tuesday, July 4, for Independence Day. Please see below for several sites that will be open with special programming. This weekend, you can take part in the July 4 traditions of the lumber region with the PA Lumber Museum's Bark Peelers' Festival (see photo above). And if you can't visit your favorite site in person, check out our great collection of PA History 2 Go videos, a series of virtual tours and presentations highlighting the history and activities of the Trails of History sites.

Up Next

Today, June 30

• Reading Railroad Days, Part 1 (in-person); Today thru July 2, 10 am-4 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Event highlights the historic Reading Railroad with an enormous, detailed HO scale model train layout of the Reading Railroad, operated by members of the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society. Visitors also may view historic Reading Company equipment from the Museum’s premier collection. Included in regular admission (Reading Railroad Days info).

• Scotty Trailer (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Discover the story of Pennsylvania’s Scotty Trailer and how it revolutionized camping. Discover the places that you could have traveled to when the Scotty was introduced. Create your own Pennsylvania travel map. Included in regular admission (Scotty Trailer program info).

Saturday, July 1

• Bark Peelers' Festival (in-person); Saturday and Sunday, 9 am-5 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• Lively special events, contests, and demonstrations all celebrating “wood hick” skills. Unique food and craft vendors, live music, games at the kid’s corner, operation of our sawmill and birch still, blacksmithing, and chainsaw carving. Visitors are encouraged to compete in the greased pole, log rolling, crosscut saw, and birling competitions to earn the title “Grand Champion Bark-peeler” and the associated cash prizes. New this year: PLM's first Beard & Mustache Competition. Admission charged (Bark Peelers' Festival info).

• Camp Life (in-person); 10 am-noon and 1-3 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Explore objects that fed and protected Civil War soldiers at camp. Interact with items that occupied and entertained the troops. Create your own legend versus fact game. Included in regular admission (Civil War Camp Life program info).

Sunday, July 2

• Historic Trades (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• Blacksmiths, joyners, and spinners will be eager to talk to you about their work and its importance to life at Pennsbury. Included in regular admission (Historic Trades program info).

Tuesday, July 4

• Independence Day (in-person); 11 am-3 pm; Daniel Boone Homestead
• Learn about the different kinds of troops who fought for America’s freedom during the Revolutionary War including the Continentals, Dragoons, and Riflemen. Guided Boone House tours will be offered regularly throughout the day, as well as blacksmithing and gun building demonstrations. There will also be plenty of activities for children, including a muster activity, colonial toys and games, and crafts. Admission fee charged. Munchiez Food Truck and Cherry On Top ice cream truck will be on site (Boone Homestead Independence Day info).

• Independence Day (in-person); 11:30 am-2:30 pm; Graeme Park
• A celebration spanning several centuries: volunteers in colonial-era dress will reenact the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble will present dances popular in the late 19th-century when Independence Day became a federal holiday. There will be a free ice cream social and visitors are invited to try writing with a quill pen. And there will be tours of the Keith House. Donations welcome (Graeme Park Independence Day info).

• Fourth at the Fort (in-person); Noon-4 pm; Fort Pitt Museum
• This free event features living history demos, cannon firing, and 18th-century military music in Point State Park. Regular admission rates apply to visit the museum and its exhibits (Fourth at the Fort program info).

Wednesday, July 5

• Reading Railroad Days, Part 2 (in-person); Today thru July 8, 10 am-4 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Event highlights the historic Reading Railroad with an enormous, detailed HO scale model train layout of the Reading Railroad, operated by members of the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society. Visitors also may view historic Reading Company equipment from the Museum’s premier collection. Included in regular admission (Reading Railroad Days info).

• Restoring Mammal Hall (in-person); 11:30 am and 1:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Tour the exhibit that explores the science and art behind the 3-year project that restored Mammal Hall's dioramas. Included in regular admission (Restoring Mammal Hall program info).

Thursday, July 6

• Storytime in the Garden (in-person); 10-11 am; Pennsbury Manor
• Enjoy a story in the garden and then explore the grounds of Pennsbury Manor. Cost is a $3 grounds pass (additional fee to tour the Manor House). Suggested ages 4 to 8, but all are welcome (Pennsbury Storytime info).

• Memory and Logic (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Join us in Nature Lab (3rd floor) to explore how people think and remember information. Test your memory and logic through a series of challenging games and puzzles. Included in regular admission, but space is limited, so it's first come, first served (Memory & Logic program info).

Friday, July 7

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Hear a reading of Birds by Kevin Henkes, learn about the many colors of birds, and paint with bird feathers. For ages 2 to Pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (State Museum StoryTime info).

• Travel by Land, Air, and Water (in-person); 1:30-2:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Discover how the Scotty Trailer, Piper Cub and the Cowell Runabout changed recreational travel in Pennsylvania and beyond. Choose an adventure and create a travel itinerary and discover the items you would need along the way. Included in regular admission (Travel program info).

• First Fridays (in-person); 5:30-8:30 pm; Somerset Historical Center
• Enjoy an evening of music, family games, tractor rides, and food trucks. Some covered seating is provided, but feel free to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets. Parking is $5 per car, but there is no admission fee (July First Fridays info).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• Acting Workshop (in-person); Saturday, July 15, 2-4 pm; Joseph Priestley House
• Laurie McCants, co-founder of the Bloomsburg Theater Ensemble, will lead a two-part workshop for students age 8 to 12. Actors will choose a historical figure, research their life, write a script, and reenact them. Second session takes place July 22 (Acting Workshop info and registration).

• Garden Workshop Series (in-person); Tuesday, July 25, 10-11 am; Pennsbury Manor
• Today's workshop is about preserving produce. Geared for ages 12 and up. Registration required - $35 for non-members, $30 for members. Call 215/946-0400 (July Garden Workshop info).

• Sensory Hours (in-person); Tuesday, Aug. 8, 3-5 pm, and Tuesday, Aug. 22, 9-11 am; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, sound, and crowd levels will be lower, and there will be some quiet spots in the galleries to take a break. Several historic trains will be open with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (tickets for Aug. 8 Sensory Hours and tickets for Aug. 22 Sensory Hours).

• The Colemans and Martic Forge (hybrid); Tuesday, Aug. 8, 7-8 pm; Cornwall Iron Furnace
• Jim Polczynski will present a program centered on the ownership of Martic Forge by three generations of the Coleman family (who also owned Cornwall Iron Furnace). You can attend the program in person at Freeman Hall, Cornwall Manor Retirement Community or virtually via Zoom (Martic Forge lecture info and registration).

• The "Dead" of Summer (in-person); Saturday, Aug. 19, 7-9 pm; Graeme Park
• Experience a reenactment of an early 20th-century seance focused on the period when many had lost loved ones to the 1918 flu pandemic or World War I and were susceptible to this form of entertainment. Tickets are limited and will be available online (Dead of Summer info and tickets).

Summer Camp Programs (camps are in-person unless marked otherwise)

• Brandywine Battlefield Park (Brandywine camp info)
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 3-4), July 11-14, 9 am-2 pm
• Live the Battle Week (grades 5-6), July 18-21, 9 am-2 pm
• Step Into the Past Week (grades 5-6), July 25-28, 9 am-2 pm

• Drake Well Museum & Park (Drake Well camp info)
• Discovery Days Camp (ages 8-12), July 6, 13, 20 & 27, 9 am-4 pm

• Joseph Priestley House (Priestley House camp info)
• Summer History Camp (grades 1-6), July 26-28, 9 am-Noon

• Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum (LVVFM camp info)
• A Child's Life in the Civil War (ages 5-11), July 18-21, 9 am-12:30 pm

• Old Economy Village (OEV camp info)
• July 17-21, Summer History Camp (ages 6-12), 9 am-Noon, and Summer Art Camp (ages 6-12), 12:30-3:30 pm
• July 24-28, Summer Art Camp (ages 6-12), 9 am-Noon, and Summer History Camp (ages 6-12), 12:30-3:30 pm

• Pennsbury Manor (Pennsbury camp info)
• Colonial Camp Week (ages 6-8), July 17-21, 9 am-4 pm

• PA Lumber Museum (Lumber Museum camp info)
• History Camp (ages 10-18), August 4-5, 9 am-2 pm

On the Trails of History, June 28-July 11

The full July program page is now available for those of you who want to look further ahead. Many sites on the PHMC's Trails of History will be open on Thursday, July 4; open sites and any special programming are noted below.

(photo Linda Bolla)

On Monday, June 24, Erie Maritime Museum hosted a celebration of the centennial of Pennsylvania's ratification of the 19th Amendment. In the photo above, Gary Lee (right), on behalf of Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, presented a proclamation to Christal Lepak (left) and Lori Morse-Dolan (center) of the Erie Chapter of the League of Women Voters. Museum staff put together a pop-up exhibit documenting women's suffrage campaigning in Erie - the first women's suffrage parade in Pennsylvania took place in Erie in 1913 as part of the centennial of Perry's victory in the Battle of Lake Erie. The League of Women Voters held a voter registration drive to highlight the importance of exercising our right to vote. For more information, see local coverage on Go Erie.

Anthracite Heritage Museum
July 4: Site open—check website for hours.

Brandywine Battlefield
July 4: Site open—check website for hours.
July 8 thru week of August 5: Summer History Camp—visit Brandywine's website for more info on each week and to register.

Bushy Run Battlefield
July 6: Annual Classic Car Cruise—classic and custom cars, live music, food, drink, and more. Event is free; regular admission applies to visit the exhibits. 11 am-3 pm.

Conrad Weiser Homestead
July 7: Living History Sunday—enjoy a summer afternoon at the homestead learning about life in the Tulpehocken. Admission is free. Noon-4 pm.

Curttis and Peter Grubb, sons of the builder of Cornwall Furnace, built this mansion in 1773. The Coleman family, whose patriarch Robert Coleman had acquired the furnace and estate, did extensive remodeling in 1865. Included in the renovation was the addition of Italianate architectural elements. Today a few residents of Cornwall Manor have apartments in this building. (photo via Facebook)

Cornwall Iron Furnace
July 4: Site open—check website for hours.
July 9: Friends Lecture Series—Henry Deemer will present "Historic Sites on Cornwall Manor Campus" (more info on Facebook event page). Admission is free (donations are welcome). Lectures are held in Freeman Hall Auditorium at Cornwall Manor Retirement Community. 7 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
June 29: Celebrating Our Country's Heritage—enjoy tours of the Boone Homestead, see blacksmithing and other demos, and support the Keystone Military Food Bank. Requested admission donation is 2 non-perishable food items per person over age 5. Regular admission fees apply to visit without donating food items. 10 am-4 pm.
July 3, 10: Sawmill demonstrations—the site's water-powered up-down sawmill will be demonstrated at 11 am and 2 pm.

Drake Well Museum and Park
June 29: Something More Saturday—this month's focus is the Mobile Energy Education Training Unit (MEET-U). There will also be blacksmithing demonstrations. Included in regular admission. 10 am-3 pm.
June 29-30, July 6-7: Historic Pithole open. Admission charged. 10 am-4 pm.
July 4: Site open—check website for hours.
July 11: Discovery Days—children age 8-12 will experience nature, perform experiments, discover history through artifacts and exhibits and so much more (program offered Thursdays through August 1). Fees charged and registration is required (program brochure and registration form) by July 5. 9 am-4 pm.

Eckley Miners' Village
July 4: Site open—check website for hours.

Ephrata Cloister
June 29: Artisans in the Park Summer Fest—spend the day touring the site, visiting with the artisans and vendors, and enjoying delicious food - all in support of Ephrata Cloister and its programs (more info on the Facebook event page and in this article from The Ephrata Review). Event is rain or shine and admission is free. 9 am-4 pm.
July 4: Site open—check website for hours.

View of schooner Lettie G. Howard with "Don't Give Up the Ship" and LGBTQ Pride Flag (photo Linda Bolla)

Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara
Ends June 30: Blue Star Museum exhibit—several items from the collection are on display in recognition of the museum's participation in the Blue Star Museums program. The items are related to the World War I service of William L. Morrison and William H. Stine. The collection includes the earliest use of the Blue Star Flag, incorporated into personal items and a commercially-made flag to represent a man serving in the front lines. Included in regular admission during regular operating hours.
July 1-August 16: Tall Ship Summer Camp—sail on board the schooner Lettie G. Howard and learn all kinds of nautical skills. Week-long camp sessions are still booking (first week is just 3 days), geared for ages 10-14. Details and registration info are on the website.
July 3: Lights Over Lake Erie Sail—enjoy Erie's Independence Day eve fireworks from the deck of Lettie G. Howard. Tickets and details are available online. 9-11 pm.
UPDATED INFO July 4: Friends and Family Day—free admission and tours of Lettie G. Howard (Niagara will be sailing the Great Lakes). 9 am-5 pm.

Fort Pitt Museum
Please visit the Fort Pitt Museum website for information on upcoming events and programs. Fort Pitt Museum will be open on July 4.

The kitchen and garden at Graeme Park (via Facebook)

Graeme Park
July 4: Independence Day at Graeme Park—there will be a reading of the Declaration of Independence and tours of the Keith House (more details on the website). Admission charged for tours of the Keith House. Noon-3 pm.

Hope Lodge
June 30, July 7—the site is open for tours most Sundays, through mid-October. Admission is charged (cash or check only). Site is open 1-4 pm, with tours at 1 and 2:30.

Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
July 4: Site open—please check the website for hours.
July 9-12: Summer Sampler Camp—kids ages 5-11 will enjoy a variety of activities, inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder's books. Details and instructions for registering are on the website (Summer Sampler also offered July 16-19). 9 am-12:30 pm.

Old Economy Village
July 8-12: Art Camp—retired art teacher Dee Ruckert will lead the class. Children age 6-12 (6-year-olds must have completed kindergarten) will experience a variety of activites while exploring the historic buildings for inspiration. Please note that OEV is also offering History Camps July 15-19 and 22-26 (details and registration info are in the summer camp brochure). 9 am-12:30 pm.

Pennsbury Manor
June 29: Brews & Bites at Pennsbury Manor—sample beers from Philadelphia-area craft brewers and enjoy food, musical entertainment, and demonstrations of historic beer brewing. The event page has info on ticket options and link for online purchase. NOTE: VIP and Designated Driver tickets have sold out. Must be at least 21 to attend. 3-7 pm.
June 30: Play the Past!—learn how to play popular 17th-century games at this family-friendly event. Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.
June 30, July 7: Special Sunday Programming—something different every week: Meet the Animals that live and work at Pennsbury (6/30); meet the joyners, blacksmiths, and wool spinners (7/7). Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.
July 4: Site open—check website for hours.
July 6: Monthly Book Club—July's book is I, Eliza Hamilton (2018) by Susan Holloway Scott. Book club is free and open to the public (light refreshments served). 10-11 am.
July 8-12: History Camp—learn about life 300 years ago. Geared for kids who have completed 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade. Registration is required (details on website). 10 am-3 pm.

Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
June 30: Application deadline for Cork Camp scholarships—a limited number of scholarships are available for Cork Camp attendees age 18 and under. More info and instructions are available on the website. (Cork Camp takes place August 3-4; scholarship winners will be notified by July 11.)
July 4: Site open—check website for hours.
July 6-7: Annual Bark Peelers’ Festival—this hugely popular event recreates the 4th of July celebrations of Pennsylvania’s early 20th-century lumber camp workers and “woodhicks.” The schedule for this year's event is now available online. Admission is charged. 9 am-5 pm (events start at 10 am).

Learning about soldier life by trying on military gear (photo via Facebook)

Pennsylvania Military Museum
June 29-30—the 1 pm guided tour is included in regular admission (normally an additional charge).
July 4: Kids Day—kids (of all ages) can try on uniforms from the museum's education collection and learn about soldier life. Have your photo taken behind the wheel of an authentic military Jeep. Included in regular admission. 10 am-3 pm.
July 6: Documentary screening—filmed by the British War Office in 1916, The Battle of the Somme documents the first days of a battle that lasted four months. The museum's press release for this event notes that many of the Western Front action scenes in this film were restored for Peter Jackson's recent film, They Will Not Grow Old. Included in regular admission. 2:30-3:30 pm.
July 11-14: Annual People’s Choice Festival of Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts—celebration of arts and artisans held on the museum grounds (visit the festival website for details). Festival is free, $5 charged for on-site parking at PMM; regular museum admission applies to tour the indoor exhibits. Thurs-Sat, 10 am-9 pm (museum open 10 am-5 pm); Sun., noon-5 pm.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
June 30-July 7 (open July 4): Reading Railroad Days—offered in conjunction with the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society, this program features an enormous HO-scale model railroad and highlights Reading Company rolling stock in the Museum’s collection. Included in regular museum admission during regular hours.

Somerset Historical Center
July 5: First Friday Food Fest—come down and enjoy a casual dinner, selected from a variety of local food trucks and vendors (details on website). There will be live music and tractor-drawn hay rides. This event that will take place the first Friday of August as well. Admission is free; $2 per vehicle for parking. 5-8 pm.
July 6: Family Fun 5K Run/Walk—SHC has a groomed trail that runs through woods and meadows, circling back around to the main site; once around is 5K (but you can take more than one lap). There's no admission charge, and maps are available. This event will also be offered the first Saturday of August. 8 am-noon.

State Museum of Pennsylvania
Please visit the State Museum website for a full schedule of Planetarium shows.
June 28, July 5: Summer Fridays—Fridays are "Pay as You Wish" for general admission (through Aug. 23). Regular fees apply for the Planetarium, and Curiosity Connection will have timed tickets between 10 am and 3 pm. At 12:15 pm each Friday, a special "Learn at Lunchtime" will be offered (see events page for details).
July 3, 10, 11: Nature Lab—a wide assortment of programming is scheduled for the museum's Nature Lab area (visit the events page for details). Included in regular admission. 11:30 am.
July 5: StoryTime—this month's book, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon, is Man on the Moon by Anastasia Suen. Reading time will be followed by a planetarium show about the moon, suitable for the program's audience of 3-5 year olds (with an adult). Included in regular admission. 10:30-11:30 am.

Washington Crossing Historic Park
Please visit the Washington Crossing website for a complete listing of upcoming programs and events. The site will be open on July 4.