Open Mon – Sat, 9:30am – 5pm | Wheatland Tours 10am – 3pm
A Solemn Ceremony On March 25th, I had the honor of attending a National Medal of Honor Day ceremony at Greenwood Cemetery. The invitation came from Scott Fasnacht, longtime friend, fraternity brother, and past camp commander of the General George H. Thomas, Camp 19, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW). Although the […]
Read MoreA successful museum exhibit does more than display images and artifacts—it weaves together the threads of local history, personal narratives, and shared experiences to create something meaningful for contributors, visitors, and curators alike. It was a true pleasure to work with Lancaster Asian American and Pacific Islanders (LAAPI) on Pathways of Persistence, the exhibit currently […]
Read MorePlanning for An Armory 438 North Queen Street, now home to Decades Lancaster, was originally known as the Lancaster Armory. The facility was renamed Stahr Armory in 1956. The Armory was constructed for use by the Pa. National Guard, an organization that traces its history all the way back to 1747 and Benjamin Franklin’s effort […]
Read MoreMy responsibilities as curator for the collections of LancasterHistory not only include acquiring and cataloging objects but inventorying and monitoring objects already in our collections. Performing routine inventories allows us to verify the physical location of objects as well as the accuracy of catalog records. By physically going through the collection we get to learn […]
Read MoreBy Payton Becker, Curatorial Intern My name is Payton Becker, and I am a doctoral pre-candidate in the American Studies program at Penn State Harrisburg. I grew up in Lancaster County and graduated from Lancaster Country Day School and Franklin and Marshall College with a B.A. in Classical Studies. I received my M.A. in Textile, […]
Read MoreA Seasonal Storefront Window Seasonal holiday window displays offer businesses and organizations unique opportunities to not only sell their products but to do so in an entertaining and sometimes informative way. Such is the case in this undated negative of a window display created by retailers Chandler & McBrearty in Sacramento, California discovered in the […]
Read MoreBy Payton Becker, Curatorial Intern My name is Payton Becker, and I am a doctoral pre-candidate in the American Studies program at Penn State Harrisburg. I grew up in Lancaster County and graduated from Lancaster Country Day School and Franklin and Marshall College with a B.A. in Classical Studies. I received my M.A. in Textile, […]
Read MoreA Rather Large, Heavy, Unmarked Crate The recent installation of a high-density storage system in the Decorative Arts Center necessitated a detailed inventory of objects to update locations. During the inventory process, we rediscovered a number of interesting objects that caused us to pause, ask questions, and conduct a little more research. One such item […]
Read MoreA Study of Witmer’s Bridge In 1933, local artist Ruth Hager painted this study of the nine arch bridge that then spanned the Conestoga River on the east side of Lancaster at Bridgeport. Completed in 1800 and named for its builder, Witmer’s Bridge was 19 feet wide and 540 feet in length. Constructed as a […]
Read MoreA Centennial Celebration – U.S. Postage Stamp On September 28, 1960 the United States Post Office issued a 4-cent first class stamp to commemorate the centennial of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan. That 1860 treaty officially opened trade between the two countries, provided for diplomatic relations, and opened […]
Read MoreThe Slumbering Order of Hibernating Governors (ie. the Groundhogs) was founded by George Hensel in Quarryville in 1908.