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September 10, 2026 | 5pm Reception | 5:30pm Lecture

Entrepreneur, Reverend, Abolitionist: Stephen Smith’s Journey From Columbia to Philadelphia

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Book Launch Event for “The Ballad of the Fugitive William Parker”

Wine & Cheese and a Walk in the Trees
light-skinned woman with blond hair wearing a green and white scarf and rust colored sweater holds up an antique book in front of a table of books in a library.

Research Center Annual Book Sale
A color lithograph of an aerial view of Wheatland and the land surrounding it.

Gardens, Grounds, and a Gentleman’s Farm: A Walk Around Wheatland
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June 18, 2026 4:13 PM

Honoring Juneteenth: How Fashion & Photography Were Used As an Act of Resistance 

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A Lock of George Washington’s Hair….. Maybe

Your LancasterHistory Membership Is Growing

Honoring George Ross, Lancaster’s Only Signer of the Declaration of Independence – Part III: Preparation and Installation of the Ross Home Doorframe

Honoring George Ross, Lancaster’s Only Signer of the Declaration of Independence | Part II: Restoration of the Ross Home Doorframe
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Groff Gallery

Thieves & Vagabonds: A History of Law & Justice in Lancaster County

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Historic image of the 1963 protest at Rocky Springs Swimming Pool.

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Keep your eyes open on your next walk through the grounds of LancasterHistory - time of year, you never know who might be watching you back. 🌼👀

By late summer, the praying mantises of the Tanger Arboretum have spent months growing - and the ones that have made it this far are now some of the Pollinator Garden’s most formidable hunters.

Both male and female mantises (in these photos, you can see the difference between the lime green males and speckled, brown females) can be spotted among the flowers this time of year, perfectly camouflaged and remarkably patient. They’ll remain almost motionless as bees, wasps, butterflies, and other insects move around them, waiting to spring their trap and devour anything that comes too close. They will even catch enormous bumblebees and wasps! And sometimes…each other 😵‍💫.

These mantises may look a bit creepy 👽, but they’re also a fascinating reminder of what a healthy garden supports. Pollinator gardens aren’t only places for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds - they’re living ecosystems, complete with all the drama that comes with them.

And sometimes, if you’re lucky, you catch the exact moment before the trap springs. 📸 Photos by Jason Traverse, Director of Marketing and Communications.

#lancaster #lancasterhistory #lancasterpa ...

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@lancasterhistory

Sometimes, history has a way of coming full circle. 🎷

Three years ago, LancasterHistory’s Shianne Hargrove created an exhibition exploring “Black Lancastrians in the Arts: A Lasting Legacy.” Among the people she featured was Vi Burnside - a Lancaster native who became one of the great saxophonists of her time, performing with some of the biggest names in jazz.

Fast forward to 2026.

Lancaster artist Keisha Finnie discovered Shianne’s work and found herself drawn to Vi’s story. When Keisha was selected to create this year’s Lancaster Print Crawl poster, she chose Vi as its subject - her portrait slowly coming to life, piece by piece, as participants made their way from station to station across the city.

And the connections don’t stop there.

Keisha is also the artist behind the monumental Legacies of Reconstruction mural inside our new Stevens & Smith Center - the very place where we welcomed Print Crawlers for one of this year’s stops.

For another amazing connection, a team from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology brought along an incredible laser cutter, which sliced a section from each participant’s poster as they passed through the Stevens & Smith Center. Watching the machine at work was pretty mesmerizing - and having students from the college named for Thaddeus Stevens creating art inside a museum dedicated to his legacy made the moment even more special.

And wow, did you show up. ❤️ The line stretched around the block, and for many of you, Print Crawl offered a first glimpse inside the Stevens & Smith Center.

We loved having you - even if we only got to show you a little of what’s here! We hope you’ll come back on a quieter day, take your time, and experience the full museum.

From Shianne uncovering Vi’s story, to Keisha finding inspiration in it years later, to hundreds of Lancastrians carrying Vi’s portrait through the streets of the city she once called home - this is what it looks like when history keeps finding new ways to be seen.

#lancaster #lancasterpa #lancasterhistory #stevensandsmithcenter

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Open post by lancohistory with ID 17942773602312044
Sometimes, history has a way of coming full circle. 🎷 Three years ago, LancasterHistory’s Shianne Hargrove created an exhibition exploring “Black Lancastrians in the Arts: A Lasting Legacy.” Among the people she featured was Vi Burnside - a Lancaster native who became one of the great saxophonists of her time, performing with some of the biggest names in jazz. Fast forward to 2026. Lancaster artist Keisha Finnie discovered Shianne’s work and found herself drawn to Vi’s story. When Keisha was selected to create this year’s Lancaster Print Crawl poster, she chose Vi as its subject - her portrait slowly coming to life, piece by piece, as participants made their way from station to station across the city. And the connections don’t stop there. Keisha is also the artist behind the monumental Legacies of Reconstruction mural inside our new Stevens & Smith Center - the very place where we welcomed Print Crawlers for one of this year’s stops. For another amazing connection, a team from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology brought along an incredible laser cutter, which sliced a section from each participant’s poster as they passed through the Stevens & Smith Center. Watching the machine at work was pretty mesmerizing - and having students from the college named for Thaddeus Stevens creating art inside a museum dedicated to his legacy made the moment even more special. And wow, did you show up. ❤️ The line stretched around the block, and for many of you, Print Crawl offered a first glimpse inside the Stevens & Smith Center. We loved having you - even if we only got to show you a little of what’s here! We hope you’ll come back on a quieter day, take your time, and experience the full museum. From Shianne uncovering Vi’s story, to Keisha finding inspiration in it years later, to hundreds of Lancastrians carrying Vi’s portrait through the streets of the city she once called home - this is what it looks like when history keeps finding new ways to be seen. #lancaster #lancasterpa #lancasterhistory #stevensandsmithcenter

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@lancohistory