People are Talking

If you're planning to be out and about on the Pennsylvania Trails of History this weekend, please note that some sites will be open on Sunday, July 4, and others will not. Some sites will be expanding their schedules soon, after our initial reopening period, so it's best (it's always best) to check ahead before visiting. You'll want to make sure that the site you want to visit will be open when you plan to be there.

Please also note that Covid protocols have been lifted. Masks are no longer required at our sites, but visitors who prefer to wear them should feel free to do so.

Presenters (and one lurker) for the June 16, 2021, PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase (see below for link to video)

This week I bring you a series of quick hits that you may have missed. I hope you'll enjoy them. I wish you a great weekend. Stay safe, stay cool, and stay interested in history!

Old Economy Village created a short video to spur interest using a series of keywords related to their history.




Eckley Miners' Village and the Anthracite Heritage Museum (as well as the Museum of Anthracite Mining that is now run by the borough of Ashland) were mentioned not only in the "Office Ladies" podcast but also in Rolling Stone Magazine. In the podcast, hosts Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey (Pam Beesley and Angela Martin from The Office) talk about an episode in which Angela and Dwight visit a fictional version of the Anthracite Heritage Museum. Kinsey did some online research and notes that there's a real museum (which appeared in a couple of other episodes of The Office). The Rolling Stone mention relates to a music release from country singer Don DiLego, "Dim Red Light," and its video filmed at Eckley Miners' Village.

Ephrata Cloister's curator, Kerry Mohn, and museum educator, Michael Showalter, appeared on the Cloister Talk Live! podcast a few weeks ago to talk with host Alexander Lawrence Ames about architecture, spirtual and mystical exploration, music, and the manuscript texts that helped inform Ames's book, "The Word in the Wilderness."

If you missed the most recent episode of the PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase, you can catch it on YouTube. It starts a little abruptly because I forgot to hit "record," but you'll be able to enjoy all the presentations (with edited captions).

Upcoming Events (in-person and virtual)

Today, July 2

• StoryTime (in-person), "Big Bad Bubble" by Adam Rubin with illustrations by Daniel Solirieri, The State Museum of PA, 10:30-11:30 am, included in general admission (StoryTime details)
• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual), curators Amy Hammond and Katie McGowan explore dress in post-Revolution PA through portraits and historic clothing, The State Museum of PA, 12:15-12:45 (register to receive Zoom link)
• First Friday Food Fest (in-person), great local fare from food trucks and live music, Somerset Historical Center, 5:30-8:30 pm, parking is $5 (SHC Facebook for details)

Wednesday, July 7

• Explore! (in-person), visit Nature Lab to learn about native flowers and plants of PA, The State Museum of PA, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, included in general admission (Explore! details)

Thursday, July 8

• Curiosity Kids (in-person), today's focus in Benjamin Franklin's inventions, The State Museum of PA, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, included in general admission (Curiosity Kids details)
• Ephrata Academy (virtual), learn about the people who lived and worked at Pennsbury Manor, Historic Ephrata Cloister, 7-8 pm (Ephrata Facebook page for registration)

Get on Out There

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!

Spring has sprung at Drake Well Museum (photo via DWM Facebook)

The Pennsylvania Trails of History are beautiful this time of year (and any time of year). I'm seeing lots of enticing photos. If you're ready, I hope you get a chance to visit your favorite PHMC site soon. Always be sure to check the webiste or social media for your destination, since schedules vary. If you're not ready to visit in person, virtual programs are still on the calendar (see below) and we are happy to welcome you online. If you missed the most recent PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase, you can find a recording on the Pennsylvania Military Museum Facebook page (PMM video link).

A study in contrasts at Ephrata Cloister (photo via EC Facebook page)

 
International Museum Day was on Tuesday - I like to think that every day is Museum Day. I assume that Trailheads readers are museum fans, but if you (or someone you know) needs reminding, here's a link to 10 Reasons to Visit a Museum by museum data researcher Colleen Dilenschneider.

Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, May 21

• Learn at Lunchtime, Dr. Cynthia Little will talk about the "Game Changers" women's history exhibit, The State Museum of PA, 12:15-12:45 pm (SMP link to register)

Saturday, May 22

• The USS Pennsylvania, history of the famous battleship including service in WWII, Pennsylvania Military Museum, 2-3 pm (PMM Facebook event to register)

Tuesday, May 25

• A Brief Intro to Wooden Shipbuilding (Part 4 of 4), Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara, 6-7 pm (EMM Facebook event to register)

Wednesday, May 26

• Gravestone Cleaning & Preservation Workshop, Drake Well Museum & Park, 7-8 pm (DWM Facebook event to register)
• Stroll Along the 1915 Street Scene, a narrated virtual tour of the golden age of railroading, Railroad Museum of PA, 7-8 pm (tickets by donation, use the Eventbrite link)

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)

A Round of Applause

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!

You never know who will greet you when you visit the PA Military Museum (photo via Facebook)

By all accounts (that I've heard, anyway) our reopening weekend went smoothly. Shout out to all Trails of History staff and volunteers who spent the past year maintaining our sites physically, keeping sites and PA History in front of the public virtually, and supporting each other through it all. Throughout the day on Friday, emails went back and forth among staff to report on how things were going, and I had the privilege of being a fly on the wall, so to speak. The team spirit was heart-warming.

Image via Railroad Museum of PA Facebook page

Thanks are also due to the visitors who made this weekend a success by showing up and by helping staff and volunteers follow the safety protocols. If you're planning a visit this weekend, or in the near future, please be sure to check ahead on site schedules (I've rounded up some of the info a "reopening page", but it's still best to check with specific sites). You can find the details on safety protocols on PHMC's Welcome Back! page.

More Things to Celebrate

Melissa Mann, site administrator at Drake Well Museum & Park, was recently nominated as a Venango County Community Hero for her leadership at the site. Congratulations to Melissa and everyone at Drake Well.

Congratulations to our Site Administrator Melissa Mann for being nominated as a Venango County Community Hero! To see...

Posted by Drake Well Museum and Park on Saturday, May 1, 2021

Trib Live's Neighbor Spotlight for May features Bonnie Ramus, president of the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society (BRBHS). BRBHS is the "friends" group at Bushy Run, responsible for most of the day-to-day management and programming at Bushy Run, while PHMC maintenance staff oversee the physical needs of the site. When Covid-19 closed the Trails of History sites, BRBHS adapted some of their in-person programs to virtual to keep history on the front burner. Congratulations to Bonnie for this recognition.

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is looking for community success stories during National Historic Preservation Month. Stories can be submitted through SHPO's PA-SHARE site, but you don't need a PA-SHARE account to submit. The official press release has the details or check out the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation blog.

Finally, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara celebrated Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You) with a little twist on Oliver Hazard Perry's famous report, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop."

"We have met the enemy, two Imperial-II Star Destroyers, two Vindicator-Class Heavy Cruisers, one TIE Bomber, and one...

Posted by Erie Maritime Museum on Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, May 7

• Learn at Lunchtime, Heather Hendry, senior paper conservator at Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, will talk with the museum's fine arts curator, Amy Hammond, about the preservation of Violet Oakley's drawings, The State Museum of PA, 12:15-12:45 pm (Zoom link to register)

Saturday, May 8

• Spring Nature Walk, Bushy Run Battlefield, 10 am-noon, $5 for non-members (BRB Facebook event to register)
• The "Daring" Lieutenant: William B. Cushing, part of the Civil War Navies series, Erie Maritime Museum and PA Military Museum, 2-3 pm (EMM Facebook event to register)

Sunday, May 9

• Tonight's Sky, a live chat with The State Museum of PA's planetarium director, 2-3 pm (SMP Facebook event to register)

Monday, May 10

• Origin of the Apple & Its Early History in North American, presented by Susan Dolan, apple expert and Cultural Landscapes Program Manager for the National Park Service, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, 7-8 pm (LVM Zoom link to register)

Tuesday, May 11

• A Brief Intro to Wooden Shipbuilding (Part 2 of 4), Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara, 6-7 pm (EMM Facebook event Part 2 to register)
• Gold in Them Hills, geologist Mike Weber will talk about gold mined in the hills around Cornwall, PA, Cornwall Iron Furnace, 7-8 pm (CIF Facebook event to register)
• What's in a Theme? PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase, tonight's theme is Souvenirs & Swag, 7-8 pm (Facebook event to register)

Wednesday, May 12

• Story Reading, visitor services associate Chris O'Brien will read Mr. Owliver's Magic at the Museum, by Carolyn Bracken, Railroad Museum of PA, 10-10:30 am (watch on RMP's YouTube channel)
• Historical and Archival Records Care Grant program webinar, an overview of eligibility, guidelines, tips for a competitive proposal and Q&A, Pennsylvania State Archives, 10 am (Archives Zoom link to register, webinar will be repeated on June 29 at 10 am)
• Remake Learning Days Across America, learn about maple sugaring in southwestern PA, Somerset Historical Center, 6-7:30 pm (SHC Facebook event to register)

Thursday, May 13

• Agriculture and Horticulture in PA German Spiritual Communities, staff from Ephrata Cloister and Old Economy Village will discuss unique facets of their historical communities, hosted by Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, 7-8 pm (LVM Facebook event to register)
• Thrown, Fired, and Glazed: The Redware Tradition from Pennsylvania and Beyond, curator Jennifer Royer will provide a virtual tour of Landis Valley's award-winning exhibit, hosted by Ephrata Cloister, 7-8 pm (EC Facebook event to register)

Welcome Back!

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!

Today's the day! Trails of History sites are officially reopening to the public and ready to welcome visitors. I've gathered some of the reopening posts on a separate page for general info. As we've noted before in this blog, most sites will be on reduced schedules (fewer days and/or shorter hours). You'll also want to know if you need to make an appointment for a tour or if there's a set schedule. In short, please take a look at the website of any Trails of History site you want to visit to get all the details (Trails of History page has links to all).

PHMC's requirements for safety measures can be found on the Welcome Back! page. We want to make sure everyone stays safe and healthy. Our staff and volunteers will do their part and we ask visitors to do theirs. Together we can get through this initial reopening phase and begin to get back to normal operations and programming.

PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase

Our next "What's in a theme? PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase" event is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11, at 7 pm EDT. The theme is Souvenirs and Swag. As always, our panelists will use the featured objects as starting points for a wide range of unexpected stories. The showcase programs are offered free of charge, but you'll need to register to receive the Zoom link (visit the Facebook event for details). What's that you say? You haven't seen one of our showcase events? Well, you can get caught up by visiting the Showcase playlist on PHMC's YouTube channel.

More Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, April 30

• Learn at Lunchtime, learn about the last documented mountain lion specimen collected in PA, The State Museum of PA, 12:15-12:45 pm EDT (SMP Facebook event to register)

Saturday, May 1

• They Fought Equally, a history of United States Colored Troops from PA, PA Military Museum, 2-3:30 pm EDT (PMM Facebook event to register)

Tuesday, May 4

• A Brief Intro to Wooden Shipbuilding (Part 1 of 4), Erie Maritime Museum & U.S. Brig Niagara, 6-7 pm EDT, additional programs on May 11, 18, and 25 (EMM Facebook event Part 1 to register)

Counting Down the Days

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!

Henry and George Landis want your visit to Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum to be safe and enjoyable (photo via LVM Facebook page)

Trails of History sites are getting ready to welcome visitors starting next Friday, April 30. Site schedules will vary, and for the moment most will be open a few days a week. As I always say, please check ahead to make sure that the site you want to visit will be open when you plan to be there.

We're all anxious to put Covid-19 behind us, so we're making sure we follow CDC and PA Department of Health protocols. Staff, volunteers and visitors will be required to mask up and maintain social distancing. PHMC's "Welcome Back!" page has more info on our safety measures.

Virtual programs will continue, as we've learned that many people like to attend lectures and other offerings that they might never attend in person. Sites will be finding a balance as staff and volunteers - and visitors - adjust to reopening after more than a year. We'll keep you posted.

Looking Back at the Week

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania celebrated National Volunteer Week with a short video featuring volunteers past and present.



Over the past year, Old Economy Village has undergone extensive physical changes, including the installation of a wheelchair lift in the Feast Hall building. Like all sites, they've been preparing the buildings and exhibits to look their best for returning visitors.

From the Museum Educator: Both staff and volunteers have been busy cleaning the historic buildings and getting exhibits...

Posted by Old Economy Village on Saturday, April 17, 2021

Reopening and emergency preparedness plans at Cornwall Iron Furnace included a visit from local emergency services personnel to reaquaint them with the site.

Thank you to Cornwall, Quentin, and Mount Gretna fire companies for touring the Cornwall Iron Furnace as part of our emergency preparation.

Posted by Cornwall Iron Furnace on Monday, April 19, 2021

Pennsbury Manor posted about a popular spring flower, taught us its name in Latin, English, and Lenape, and linked to the "Lenape Talking Dictionary" so we could learn how to pronounce it.

This delicate white flower belongs to a plant called bloodroot in English, and pèkòn in Lenape. The English term '...

Posted by Pennsbury Manor on Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Yesterday, Daniel Boone Homestead wished everyone a happy Earth Day. I hope you had a chance to celebrate the planet that is home to us all.

The Daniel Boone Homestead has 579 acres of land for you to enjoy daily! Celebrate Earth Day with a walk in our park! #danielBoone #EarthDay2021 #parks

Posted by Daniel Boone Homestead on Thursday, April 22, 2021

Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, April 23

• Learn at Lunchtime, Beth Hager, director of The State Museum of PA, will talk with collections managers Mary Jane Miller and Lauren Stark as well as Aaron McWilliams of the Pennsylvania State Archives, 12:15-12:45 pm EDT (SMP Facebook event to register)

Saturday, April 24

• Oops! this event has been rescheduled to August 21 Combined Arms: Tactics in the War of 1812, staff from Erie Maritime Museum and the PA Military Museum will discuss land and sea operations, 2-3 pm EDT (Facebook event to register)

National Volunteer Week

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

National Volunteer Week this year is April 18-24, and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the PHMC volunteers out there who have helped us weather a very weird year. Every site's experience has been a bit different since we closed to the public in mid-March 2020, but I think it's safe to say that "normal" operations and activities were disrupted. Volunteers do many things at our sites. Those involved in public programming were sidelined, but that doesn't mean they didn't stay engaged. At a number of our sites, staff organized Zoom sessions where volunteers could learn new information, visit other Trails of History sites remotely, and enjoy a virtual happy hour together. At some sites, volunteers were engaged with checking on buildings, maintaining a social media presence, and supporting virtual programs.

Because of, well Covid everything, we didn't do our usual round of nominations for Volunteer of the Year. We're still hoping to hold a ceremony later this fall to recognize, in person, the people honored for service in 2019 (read all about them in the April 17, 2020, Trailheads post). With sites reopening on April 30, we hope that we will work our way back into a rhythm and get back on track. In the meantime, thank you for everything!

Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, April 16

• Flyover PA: TM Fowler's Bird's-Eye Views of PA, speaker: Dr. Curt Miner, The State Museum of PA, 12:15-12:45 pm EDT (visit SMP Facebook event to register)

Saturday, April 17

• Naval Wargaming - A Brief History, speaker: Ed Bolla, Erie Maritime Museum, 2-3 pm EDT (visit EMM Facebook event to register)
• Poison Gas Use in World War I, speaker: Ron Lenox, PA Military Museum, 2-3 pm EDT (visit PMM Facebook event to register)

Sunday, April 18

• Explore Dinosaurs! The State Museum of PA, 2-3 pm EDT (visit the Explore Dinosaurs event on Facebook to register)

Tuesday, April 20

• 18th- and 19th-Century African American History in Pennsylvania German Lancaster County, speaker: Dr. Leroy Hopkins, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, 7-8 pm EDT (Zoom link to register)

Thursday, April 22

• Simple Machines: Railroad Edition, Railroad Museum of PA, tickets by donation, 10-11 am EDT (Eventbrite link to register)

Snapshots from the Week

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

See below for details on this month's Virtual Collections Showcase

If you're a regular reader of Trailheads, you know that a title like today's means you're in for a pretty random array of stuff. I mean, even more random than usual. Spring has sprung, so there were numerous posts from the Trails of History highlighting gardens and landscapes. Staff and volunteers are making preparations to welcome visitors in person again starting on Friday, April 30 (yay!). And Throwback Thursday is always good for some cool historical photos. So let's dive in, shall we?

News from the Trails

Lancaster Online reported on a writer who is walking from Washington, DC, to NYC. Neil King spent some time in the Lancaster area mid-week and posted on Instagram about his travels, including a twilight stop at Ephrata Cloister.

After catching a "mean game of softball" played by Mennonite ninth-graders Tuesday night, King capped off the eighth day of his trip in Ephrata. His final photo was of the Ephrata Cloister.

Posted by LNP + LancasterOnline on Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Old Economy Village's museum educator has been documenting and sharing the progress of an extensive capital project that will improve access at the site in all kinds of ways, including pathways, ramps, and an elevator.

From the Museum Educator: Here is a photograph of the new brick walkway leading to the cabinet shop.

Posted by Old Economy Village on Saturday, April 3, 2021

Gardens and More

Pennsbury Manor's historic gardens interpreter has been very busy with plantings this week.

Today's a BERRY big day in the Kitchen Garden! Our Historic Garden Interpreter Jessye is planting several 'bare root'...

Posted by Pennsbury Manor on Monday, April 5, 2021

The forsythia at Conrad Weiser Homestead is in full force.

Beautiful day at the Park!

Posted by Conrad Weiser Homestead on Saturday, April 3, 2021

Getting Ready to Reopen

The folks at Hope Lodge were doing some careful cleaning this week to get ready to welcome visitors. Operating schedules will vary by site, so please be sure to check ahead before visiting.

It’s cleaning day at Hope Lodge. Stay tuned for reopening details soon!

Posted by Historic Hope Lodge on Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Throwback Thursday 100 Years

Cornwall Iron Furnace shared images of Bethlehem Steel's Number Three Mine in Cornwall, which opened 100 years ago. The images are from the Dewey Bernard Archival Collection.

Happy Throwback Thursday! One hundred years ago Bethlehem Steel began to develop the Number Three Mine at Cornwall. ...

Posted by Cornwall Iron Furnace on Thursday, April 8, 2021

Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, April 9

• "Adventures in Nature Lab," learn about vernal ponds and the plants and animals who need them to survive, The State Museum of PA, 12:15-12:45 pm EDT (SMP link to register)

Tuesday, April 13

• "Historical Markers of the Lebanon Valley," Henry Deemer takes you on a tour of state historical markers, Cornwall Iron Furnace, 7-8 pm EDT (CIF Facebook link to register)

Wednesday, April 14

• Story Reading, "The Caboose Who Got Loose" (written and illustrated by Bill Peet), Railroad Museum of PA, 10-10:30 am EDT (RMP YouTube channel to view)
• "Dawn of Diesel Locomotives," Railroad Museum of PA, 7-8 pm EDT, tickets are by donation (Eventbrite link to register)

Thursday, April 15

• "Power of Steam," live virtual tour and demo, Railroad Museum of PA, 7-8 pm EDT, tickets are by donation (register on Eventbrite)
• "What's in a theme? PHMC Virtual Collections Showcase," this month's theme is Sports, 7-8 pm EDT (Facebook link to register)

Keep Moving Forward

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

These ducks are among the 24 different bird species found at Daniel Boone Homestead, according to an inventory conducted as part of the Site Master Plan process (photo via DBH Facebook)

This week we announced that PHMC sites and museums, which have been closed for a year due to Covid 19, will reopen with reduced hours of operation and limited capacity on Friday, April 30. (Those of us in administrative offices, including Trailheads HQ, the Pennsylvania State Archives, and the State Historic Preservation Office, will continue to primarily telework for the time being.)

We'll be following CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines related to face masks, social distancing, hand hygiene, cleaning, and capacity limits. Each site has been working on reopening plans to determine how their specific operations will be adjusted. You can find the general guidelines on PHMC's Welcome Back page, but you'll want to check the websites for individual sites to be sure of schedules and so that you know what to expect when you arrive. But that's always good advice, isn't it?

We don't expect to have large events at Trails of History sites until the fall, and staff will focus on general site activities at first. We also know that some folks aren't yet ready to visit in person. So virtual programming will continue to be part of our offerings for the foreseeable future. Stay tuned to this space, PHMC's website, and your favorite Trails of History sites for updates and program listings. Thanks for hanging in there with us.

Upcoming Virtual Events

Today, March 26

• Learn at Lunchtime, "State Museum Perspectives," a conversation with the museum's archaeology staff about their excavations at Fort Hunter, 12:15-12:45 pm (link for Zoom registration)

Saturday, March 27

• Cerddoriaeth & Ceol: Welsh and Irish Anthracite Music Traditions, PA Anthracite Heritage Museum, $5, 2-4 pm (Eventbrite link for details and tickets)
• Life-Saving Service Lecture series, "Station Presque Isle/Erie History," Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara, 2-3 pm (Facebook event link for registration)
• Historic Arms of the Museum, PA Military Museum, 2-3 pm (Facebook link for registration)

Sunday, March 28

• Korean Service Corps (lecture), PA Military Museum, 2-3 pm (PMM website link to register)

Tuesday, March 30

• Harmonist Woodworking Tools, virtual walk-through of the Harmonist cabinet shop, Old Economy Village, 7-8 pm (Facebook event link for registration)

Wednesday, March 31

• Homeschool Presentation: Tonight's Sky, live chat with the State Museum of PA planetarium director, 10-11 am (State Museum website for registration)
• Story Reading, "I Knew You Could," by Craig Dorfman with illustrations by Cristina Ong, Railroad Museum of PA, 10 am (watch on RMP's YouTube channel)
• Life-Saving Service Lecture series, "USCG Operations During Prohibition," Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara, 7-8 pm (EMM Facebook event for registration)

Thursday, April 1

• Winter History Class, Week 9, Ephrata Cloister, $10, 9 am-noon (Ephrata website for registration)
• Simple Machines: Railroad Edition, designed for ages 7-12, Railroad Museum of PA, 4-5 pm (link for tickets by donation)
• Talking Back: Women's Voices in the Oil Story series, "Privilege & Politics: Women's Activism in the Oil Region, 1880-1921," Drake Well Museum & Park, 7-8 pm (Facebook event for registration)