Open Mon – Sat, 9:30am – 5pm | Wheatland Tours 10am – 3pm
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 […]
Read MoreA 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 […]
Read MoreA 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 MoreLike 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 […]
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 MoreOn February 8, LancasterHistory hosted the inaugural wreath-laying for Lydia Hamilton Smith at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. Following our long tradition of participating in such ceremonies for President James Buchanan and Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, this year, we initiated the same honors for Mrs. Smith. Remarks by LancasterHistory President & CEO Robin Sarratt were followed by […]
Read MoreIn the winter of 1856-1857, James Buchanan and his nephew, James Buchanan “Buck” Henry, remained holed up in the library at Wheatland. Having recently won the Presidential Election in November 1856, Buchanan remained absorbed in preparations for his inauguration in March. With his nephew taking dictation, Buchanan sat in his chair in the library and […]
Read MoreWritten By Nick Siegert, Group Tour Coordinator Posted by Shianne Hargrove The most recent installation of the “Thieves & Vagabonds” exhibition swooped in late last year, joining the series of “case studies” that make up the interior, curved walls of the exhibit. The Buzzard Gang, 1867-1948, tells the story of a famous (and infamous) family […]
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 MoreLancaster became the capitol of the United States for one day on September 27, 1777.