CLOSED DECEMBER 31 – JANUARY 19 | All operations of LancasterHistory will be closed to the public from Wednesday, December 31, 2025 through Monday, January 19, 2026. We reopen to the public for the 2026 Season on Tuesday, January 20. Have a very Happy New Year!
Temporarily Closed | Reopening January 20, 2026
LancasterHistory’s first major project of 2023 for President James Buchanan’s Wheatland is complete! Staff and contractors worked to create a historically appropriate space for the Butler’s Pantry during the mid-19th century. But what is the Butler’s Pantry, and what work was done exactly? Today, we seek to answer those questions… and more! What is the […]
Read MoreHonoring the Founding of Franklin College, 1787 In October 1937, Dr. Herbert H. Beck, Professor of Chemistry at Franklin and Marshall College and President of the Lancaster County Historical Society (precursor to LancasterHistory), presented a bronze plaque to the college from the historical society in honor of the 150th anniversary of the founding of Franklin […]
Read MoreFirst Historical Plaque in Lancaster County to Honor a Woman Today marks 69 years since the dedication of a plaque erected in memory of Ann Wood Henry (1732-1799) on October 26, 1953. The LancasterHistory object collection contains a number of historic bronze plaques – some placed by the Lancaster County Historical Society (forerunner to LancasterHistory) […]
Read MoreLancaster Woman Suffrage Association In November 1920, following ratification of the 19th Amendment in August of that year, women in Pennsylvania voted for the first time. Many from Lancaster participated in the effort through membership in the Lancaster Woman Suffrage Association. Recognizing the role of the Republican Party in supporting suffrage, nearly 1000 women met […]
Read MoreThe Great Commoner As a champion of racial and social equality in America as well as the free public school system in Pennsylvania, it should come as no surprise that Thaddeus Stevens (1792-1868) was also vehemently opposed to exclusionary organizations and secret societies. He regarded such groups as elitist and a peril to democracy. Stevens […]
Read MoreThis summer, LancasterHistory welcomed six students from colleges and universities across Pennsylvania into our NEH Summer Internship Program. Starting in early June, the interns worked on various individual projects as well as participating in workshops and traveling to other museums throughout the region. In this post, you’ll get to meet each intern and learn about […]
Read MoreLancasterHistory recently acquired an 1856 James Buchanan presidential campaign medal. While some of the images and symbols on the medal are straightforward, others are not. Especially intriguing is the appearance of 32 stars on the back of the medal—at a time when there were only 31 states in the Union. Why 32 stars? The answer, […]
Read MoreCommemorative Medals Three-inch bronze medals produced to commemorate important events, people, or places have been produced by the U.S. Mint as well as various private coin dealers and firms since the early nineteenth century. The 1850s ushered in an age of increased interest in collecting commemorative medals as mass production techniques allowed these items to […]
Read MoreWhen people talk about Harriet Lane Johnston, they tend to focus on all the outstanding elements in her life. Behind these exceptional stories is a reoccurring story of loss. Like many Victorians, Harriet knew death well. Today’s post explores the grief that coexisted with the timeline of Harriet’s public and political accomplishments. Rife with Tuberculosis […]
Read MoreTen year old Charles Jacob Swarr had quite the vivid imagination. Or so it would seem from his colorful and creative self-published picture book. It’s truly – and literally – one of a kind. The book was hand drawn and has stitched binding, though it’s no bigger than a matchbook. Created by Swarr in […]
Read MoreJohn Philip Sousa and his band performed at Conestoga Park on June 30, 1893.