Events: Reception

Congressman George S. Boutwell: Radical Republican & Champion of Democracy

The photo on the left is the book cover of "Boutwell." The photo on the right is of Dr. Jeffrey Boutwell.
(left) The cover of “Boutwell.” (right) Author Jeffrey Boutwell. Photo by Sarah B. Boutwell.

While Congressman George S. Boutwell of Massachusetts interacted with James Buchanan during the Antebellum Era and worked with Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and Thaddeus Stevens during Reconstruction, he remains the most consequential American political figure you’ve never heard of. In this lecture, the Congressman’s distant relative, Dr. Jeffrey Boutwell, traces a life that offers an insider’s view of the pivotal moments that laid the groundwork for modern America.

Dr. Jeffrey Boutwell is a writer, historian, and policy specialist whose forty-year career spanned journalism, government, and international scientific cooperation. He has a B.A. in history from Yale University, a Ph.D. in political science from MIT, and has written widely on nuclear weapons arms control, Middle East security issues, and environmental degradation and civil conflict. He lives in Columbia, Maryland. His book, Boutwell: Radical Republican and Champion of Democracy (2025, W.W. Norton) will be available from major retailers on January 21, 2025.

EVENT DETAILS & HOW TO REGISTER

This event will take place in person at LancasterHistory on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Doors open and a reception begins at 5pm. The lecture will begin at 5:30pm. The lecture will also be streamed to Zoom at 5:30pm for those who wish to join us virtually.

This program is free and open to the public. In-person attendance requires advance registration in order to guarantee a seat. Due to capacity restrictions, tickets may not be available at the door. Virtual attendance requires advance registration in order to receive the Zoom link. The Zoom link will be emailed to registrants before the event. Register online by clicking the appropriate link below or by calling (717) 392-4633. Registration will close online on Thursday, April 3 at 5:30pm. The online version of this program will also be recorded and uploaded to LancasterHistory’s YouTube channel after the event.

REGISTER TO ATTEND IN PERSON

REGISTER TO ATTEND ONLINE

By purchasing a ticket to our facility and/or program, you are agreeing to our Admissions & Programs Terms and Conditions.


Membership Makes History Happen! Your membership enables us to bring dynamic speakers to LancasterHistory and gives you other exciting benefits! Learn more about becoming a member of LancasterHistory or renewing your membership today.

In-Person Event Lecture Online/Virtual Event Reception

April 3, 2025 Ryder Hall at LancasterHistory & Livestream 5pm Reception | 5:30pm Presentation FREE | Registration Required

The 2025 Annual Dinner of the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum

Celebrate and gather with friends for the Annual Dinner of the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum! Join us on Wednesday, April 16 from 6 – 9pm at the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Lancaster for an evening of fellowship and fun, benefitting the care and conservation of the Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum at LancasterHistory.

More information and tickets forthcoming!

Fundraiser In-Person Event Off-Site Event Program Reception

April 16, 2025 DoubleTree Resort, 2400 Willow Street Pike, Lancaster, PA 6-9pm

County Founding Day 2025

Celebrate Lancaster County’s 296th Birthday on the Campus of History!

On May 10, 1729, Lancaster County was born. Since then, 10 generations of Lancastrians have lived, laughed, loved, and eaten shoofly pie in our community. Join LancasterHistory for the annual County Founding Day celebration and life a glass to everyone who has called Lancaster County home over the last 296 years. Enjoy extended museum hours, flash talks from local historians, pop-up exhibits, and, of course, birthday cake!

County Founding Day 2025 will be held on Thursday, May 8, 2025 from 530-8pm.

Stay tuned for more information and tickets!

Open House Family-Friendly In-Person Event Reception

May 8, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA 5:30pm

Eliza Parker and The Christiana Resistance

In the early 1840s, Eliza Ann Howard fled enslavement at Belle Vue Plantation in Harford County, Maryland and found a home in Lancaster County where she met her husband, William Parker. When, in 1851, a Maryland enslaver threatened their lives and the lives of others in their community, they fought back in what became known as the Christiana Resistance. While this landmark event is a well-known turning point on the path to Civil War, Dr. Iris Leigh Barnes, a historian, educator, and the Executive Director of the Hosanna School Museum, joins us to retell the story through the often-overlooked figure of Eliza Parker.

A headshot of a woman with dark skin and short brownish-black colored hair.Dr. Iris Leigh Barnes is an award-winning historian, educator, and museum professional with twenty-five years of experience. Her scholarly interests range from the Civil War to Civil Rights with a particular focus on the tenacity, resilience, and brilliance of African Americans who survived and thrived against the odds. She has worked with a range of institutions including the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture, the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, and the Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum at Morgan State University. She has graduate degrees in Museum Studies and Historic Preservation as well as in African American History. Dr. Barnes is currently the Executive Director of the Hosanna School Museum and serves on the Harford County Historic Preservation Commission, the board of the Havre de Grace Colored School Museum and Cultural Center, and was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan to serve on the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

EVENT DETAILS & HOW TO REGISTER

This event will take place in person at LancasterHistory on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Doors open and a reception begins at 5pm. The lecture will begin at 5:30pm. The lecture will also be streamed to Zoom at 5:30pm for those who wish to join us virtually.

This program is free and open to the public. In-person attendance requires advance registration in order to guarantee a seat. Due to capacity restrictions, tickets may not be available at the door. Virtual attendance requires advance registration in order to receive the Zoom link. The Zoom link will be emailed to registrants before the event. Register online by clicking the appropriate link below or by calling (717) 392-4633. Registration will close online on Thursday, May 22 at 5:30pm. The online version of this program will also be recorded and uploaded to LancasterHistory’s YouTube channel after the event.

REGISTER TO ATTEND IN PERSON

REGISTER TO ATTEND ONLINE

By purchasing a ticket to our facility and/or program, you are agreeing to our Admissions & Programs Terms and Conditions.


Membership Makes History Happen! Your membership enables us to bring dynamic speakers to LancasterHistory and gives you other exciting benefits! Learn more about becoming a member of LancasterHistory or renewing your membership today.

In-Person Event Lecture Online/Virtual Event Reception

May 22, 2025 Ryder Hall at LancasterHistory & Livestream 5pm Reception | 5:30pm Presentation FREE | Registration Required

Baseball’s Color Line in Local and National Contexts

A black and white image of a young Black man in a baseball uniform.
Keith Kelley began playing for the Lancaster Red Roses in 1951, pitching a no-hitter in his debut. From the Collections of LancasterHistory.

In 1925, the Harrisburg Giants, a Negro League baseball team, began playing their Sunday games at Rossmere Base Ball Park in Lancaster. Join LancasterHistory, Community Action Partnership (CAP), and local historian Jeremy Raff as we celebrate the Giants’ 100th anniversary with a special exhibit  and documentary screening about the 1920s teams that created their own leagues when Major League Baseball excluded them.

This event will take place in person at LancasterHistory on Tuesday, June 17. Stay tuned for more information and registration!

Film Screening In-Person Event Panel Reception

June 17, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 5pm Reception | 5:30pm Presentation FREE | Registration Required