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 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 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 MoreCocalico Township took its name from a Native American term meaning “den of serpents.”