On the Trails of History, August 17-31

Andrew of Top Hat Sideshow plays with fire as part of the 2014 Drake Day Circus (via Facebook); the 2018 event is Aug. 25 (see info below)

Bushy Run Battlefield
Aug. 25: Bushy Run Market—it's the 4th Saturday of the month, so that means a variety of vendors will be on site for your shopping enjoyment (more info on the website). Free for visitors and vendors. 8 am-noon.

Conrad Weiser Homestead
Sneak preview/programming note—the Patriotic Concert event originally scheduled for July 1 and postponed due to the heat has been rescheduled for Sunday, Sept. 2, at 5 pm.

Cornwall Iron Furnace
Aug. 17: Blast!—this event features local breweries and wineries (more info on Facebook), music by jazz keyboardist Wayne Fox, and catering by Hess Barbecue (pulled pork sandwiches, marinated chicken, sides, and dessert). You must be at least 18 years old to attend and 21 to sample alcoholic beverages. Tickets at the door tonight are $45 ($30 for DDs and under 21). 6-9 pm.

Daniel Boone Homestead
Aug. 22, 29: Sawmill Operation Days—subject to staff availability, there will be demonstrations of the site’s water-powered sawmill at 11 am and 2 pm.
Aug. 25: Lecture/demonstration—Revolutionary War interpreter Paul Trainor will present "18th-Century Medical Practices," which includes a display of period medical instruments. Included in regular admission. 2-4 pm.

Drake Well Museum
Aug. 18-19, 25-26: Historic Pithole Open—the visitor center will be open, so enjoy the orientation film and the excellent diorama that shows the town in its heyday. PLEASE NOTE that Pithole will be closed on Aug. 25 so that staff and volunteers can be at the Drake Day Circus. Admission charged. 10 am-4 pm.
Aug. 25: Drake Day Circus—experience a traveling circus as it might have been during the height of the Pennsylvania oil boom (more info on Facebook event page). Admission charged. 10 am-4 pm.

Eckley Miners’ Village
Aug. 25: Back to School at Eckley—explore the village, visit the buildings, and take part in hands-on activities and a scavenger hunt as you go. Admission charged. 10 am-4 pm.

Fort Pitt Museum
Please visit the Fort Pitt Museum website for information on this month's programs and events.

Graeme Park
Aug. 20: Living History Sunday—learn about the impact of the American Revolution on the folks living at Graeme Park and environs from some of General Anthony Wayne's soldiers. Admission charged. Noon-3 pm.
Aug. 30: Happy Hour with the Historian—Roddy Davis will present "The Philadelphia White House," featuring the Deshler-Morris House in Germantown, which George Washington used as a retreat from the city (when it was the U.S. capital) during the 1793 yellow fever epidemic. Admission is $5, free for members. Food and drink available for purchase starting at 6 pm; lecture starts at 7.

Hope Lodge
Aug. 19, 26: Site open—enjoy the grounds and take a guided tour of the mansion. Admission charged. 12:30-4 pm (tours at 1:00 and 2:30 pm).
Aug. 22: Movie Night—bring a blanket or lawn chair and settle in to watch Darkest Hour (2017), starring Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill. Presented by Whitemarsh Township Parks and Recreation. Admission is free, snacks available for purchase. Starts at dusk. (Raindate is TBD.)

Old Economy Village
Aug. 18: Basket Weaving—stay tuned to the website for updates on this workshop.
Aug. 19: Concert in the Garden—enjoy a summer evening concert by the River City Brass (bring lawn chairs, blankets, and a picnic supper). Event is scheduled to take place outdoors; in the event of bad weather it will move into the Feast Hall, so tickets are limited (check the Facebook event page or the OEV website for info on purchasing tickets). Gates open at 4 pm, concert starts at 5.

Pennsbury Manor
Aug. 19, 26: Special programming—8/19, Open Hearth Cooking; 8/26, Beer Brewing and Garden Highlights. Included in regular admission. 1-4 pm.

Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
Aug. 18: Build and Sail a Log Raft—a mini log raft, that is. Learn how early loggers built rafts to get logs to market, then try your hand at building and sailing a miniature version. Bring water shoes, because you'll be going into the creek (more info on Facebook event page). 1 pm.

Pennsylvania Military Museum
Aug. 18-19, 25-26: On weekends in August, the 1 pm guided tour is included in museum admission.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Aug. 18-19: Model Railroading Days—model train layouts from numerous railroading clubs will join the museum's layouts for a weekend of family fun and learning. Included in regular admission. 9 am-5 pm.

Somerset Historical Center
Aug. 18: Escape Room—two 60-minute games offered each day for up to 10 players. Solve the clues to escape from the barn. Cost is $10 per person. 10 am-2 pm.
Aug. 18: Lecture Series—Bill Rump of the Laurel Highlands Bottle Club will present "Bottle Documentation and Identification." Bring along your Somerset County (or other) glass bottles to help the center document local examples. 2 pm.
Aug. 25: History on a Hayride—hear local tales and explore the historical center grounds from your seat in a hay wagon. Two rides each day. Cost is $10 per person, $8 for members. 10 am-2 pm.

State Museum of Pennsylvania
Please visit the Planetarium webpage for a full schedule of shows.
Aug. 22-23: Curiosity Kids programs—museum staff will lead younger visitors on an exploration of the museum (program details are on the events calendar). Included in regular admission. 11:30 am.
Aug. 17, 24: Summer Fridays—general admission is "pay as you wish" on Fridays, 9 am to 5 pm. Curiosity Connection will have free timed tickets available. Art docents will be on hand in the "Art of the State" exhibit from 11 am to 1 pm. Regular fees apply for planetarium shows. From 12:15 to 12:45 pm, a variety of Learn at Lunchtime programs will be offered (check website for specifics).
Aug. 17: 3rd in the Burg—the "Great Summer Switch" is on the program. Susquehanna Art Museum director of education Tina Sell will lead a tour of the State Museum's "Art of the State" exhibit at 6 pm. Visitors can then walk up the street to the Susquehanna Art Museum where PHMC Commissioner and artist Ophelia Chambliss will lead a group through their exhibit, "Romare Bearden: Vision and Activism," at 7:15. Admission is free. The State Museum will be open 5:30-7:30 pm.

Washington Crossing Historic Park
Please visit the Washington Crossing website for information on programs and events.

The Hex Hollow Murders

Looking for events on the Trails of History - Halloween-themed or otherwise? Check out the October program page.

Today's guest post is by Corine Lehigh, an archival clerk at the PA State Archives. She is currently attending Penn State Harrisburg for her graduate degree in American Studies. Corine has contributed to Trailheads several times, including her first post as an Archives intern. Please note that there is some slightly graphic historical description below - don't say you weren't warned!

Powwowing, or brauche in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, is a magico-religious practice whose chief purpose is the healing of physical ailments in humans and animals. It has had other aims as well, such as conferring protection from physical or spiritual harm, bringing good luck, and revealing hidden information. Powwowing has been practiced in Pennsylvania since the first German-speaking Protestant settlers arrived in the 18th century. Prior to the late 20th century, powwowing was practiced routinely by the descendants of these European settlers.

Don Yoder, a recognized expert on Pennsylvania German folklore and customs, considered powwowing to be based on ancient religious healing traditions sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church. It was driven underground among Protestant populations, such as the Pennsylvania Dutch, and placed into the hands of lay practitioners. Its more direct antecedent was the book The Long Lost Friend, written in 1820 by Berks County healer John George Hohman. Eight to twelve powwow practitioners still live and work in south central PA today. Powwowing rituals involve the use of one or more acts, varying between incantations, gestures and body position, and manipulation of physical objects. Modern powwowers have their recipes committed to memory and none of them use any of the charm books historically employed by powwowers, such as The Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses, Egyptian Secrets, or The Long Lost Friend.

Nelson Rehmeyer, of York County, was an alleged powwower in the 1920s. His neighbor John Blymire reportedly had a run of bad luck, including losing his job. Blymire consulted the local river witch, another powwower named Nellie Noll. Nellie told Blymire that his bad luck was due to a hex that Rehmeyer had put on him. Nellie told Blymire that he needed to steal Rehmeyer’s spell book, along with a lock of his hair, and bury both 6 feet underground. On Nov. 28, 1928, Blymire and two local accomplices went to Rehmeyer’s house to retrieve the items. Rehmeyer confronted them. Blymire and the two local boys tied Rehmeyer up, beat him, and strangled him to death. They then set his body on fire. The house withstood the fire, which was put out by heavy rainfall that day. However, the spot where Rehmeyer’s body burned left a charred spot on the wood floor. The case quickly drew national attention. Blymire and his accomplices were jailed. Despite this, Blymire stated until his death that once Rehmeyer was dead, his bad luck was gone. Rehmeyer’s house still stands in southern York County, and some say it is haunted by his spirit, still not at rest.

(Editor's note) For more information on Pennsylvania German culture, the history of powwowing, or the Hex Hollow case:

• Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum interprets the lives and culture of Pennsylvania Germans; the Landis Valley Cookbook includes a chapter on powwowing and other medical traditions
• The upcoming Winter 2017 issue of Pennsylvania Heritage magazine will include an article, "Powwowing: Ritual Healing in Pennsylvania Dutch Country," by Patrick J. Donmoyer
• David W. Kriebel's 2007 book, Powwowing Among the Pennsylvania Dutch (Penn State University Press), explores the past (including the Hex Hollow case) and present of the practice
• The York Daily Record just last week posted a story about the Hex Hollow murders on their York Town Square blog