Blog

The Restoration of Wheatland’s Back Porch

From LancasterHistory News

Written by Patrick Clarke, Director of President James Buchanan’s Wheatland The Wheatland mansion was built at the end of the Federal style period in 1828 for William Jenkins, the president of the Farmers’ Bank of Lancaster. We don’t know the architect or builder, but they may have been familiar with the popular manuals circulating in […]

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Bridging Literature and History: James Buchanan Meets an American Author

From Object Lessons

Bridging Literature and History: James Buchanan Meets an American Author by Nathaniel Drenner, Collections Intern, Summer 2025 Politicians and Authors When we think of major figures in history, we probably first envision people like politicians, activists, business tycoons, or military leaders. Novelists may not make the cut. Writers, though, have a life outside of their […]

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Summer Interns Visit B. R. Howard Conservation

From Object Lessons

On July 22nd, a group of LancasterHistory summer interns, staff, and volunteers visited the museum conservation facility of B.R. Howard Conservation in Carlisle. Head conservator Brian Howard provided the group with a tour of his facility and insights into the work that goes into preserving cultural heritage objects for museums and historical organizations as well […]

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Meet LancasterHistory’s Summer Internship Class of 2025

From LancasterHistory News

This past June, LancasterHistory welcomed one undergraduate and two post-graduate students into our NEH-funded Summer Internship Program. Each intern has been diligently working in one of three museum departments at LancasterHistory on various day-to-day projects as well as a larger research project. We’re also excited to welcome another post-graduate student this summer working on artifacts […]

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The Lancaster Red Sox and a Local Two-Time World Series Champion

From Object Lessons

Play Ball! When most people think of early organized baseball in Lancaster, the first team that usually comes to mind is the Lancaster Red Roses. That team existed intermittently under various major league teams and minor league affiliations between 1906 and 1961. The most well-known version of the team was founded in 1940 and played […]

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Keeping Time with Buchanan and Lincoln

From Object Lessons

A Pocket Watch for Union Soldiers Nestled away in a drawer in the LancasterHistory Decorative Arts Center is a Civil War era pocket watch with a fascinating story and an interesting connection to both James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln. Manufactured by the American Watch Company of Waltham, Massachusetts, the William Ellery Model 1857 pocket watch […]

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Honoring Lancaster County’s Medal of Honor Recipients

From Object Lessons

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 […]

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James Buchanan, Gentleman Farmer

From History From The House

Like many of us today, James Buchanan took on several roles throughout the course of his life. These identifiers are often associated with various jobs and positions Buchanan upheld, including that of a caregiver, lawyer, and politician. But perhaps one of his strongest personal identifiers was that of a gentleman farmer, which he took on […]

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Pathways of Persistence: A Collaboration Between LancasterHistory and Lancaster Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

From Object Lessons

A 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 […]

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A Brief History of the Stahr Armory

From Object Lessons

Planning 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 […]

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