Events

Spring Seasonal Gathering Tour

Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum for their Spring Seasonal Gathering Tour on Saturday, May 6 at 11am. Horticulturist Jeffrey (Jeff) Hazlett will lead attendees on a walking tour through the Arboretum for a glimpse at what’s new, blooming, or to come with the approach of warmer, sunnier months. In particular, attendees will learn about the many flowering trees on the grounds, the pollinator gardens, and the two recognized Pennsylvania Champion Trees that call the Arboretum home!

Jeff Hazlett
Presenter Jeff Hazlett

Jeff Hazlett is the current Vice President of the Board of the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum and past president of the organization. He studied horticulture at Penn State University and is currently the president of Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care in Lancaster, PA. Jeff is a nature lover and an active volunteer for the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum and LancasterHistory.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Spring Seasonal Gathering Tour,” will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2023 at 10am at LancasterHistory. Tickets are $5/Adult (18+) and $3/Child. Friends of the Tanger Arboretum members receive complimentary admission, but should still register for the program. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling (717) 392-4633. Advance tickets recommended as the program has limited capacity. The tour will last approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you would like to attend but have questions or concerns about the accessibility of the walking route, please contact Emily Miller at (717) 392-4633, ext. 133 or emily.miller@lancasterhistory.org for more information.

The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum is a member of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admission Program. AHS Reciprocal Admission Program members may register for tickets in advance and must show a valid membership card upon checking in. AHS Members should contact Emily Miller, emily.miller@lancasterhistory.org, with any questions or to register for tickets in advance.


This event is hosted by the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum. The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum, a subsidiary organization of LancasterHistory, helps foster public interest in, and support for, the maintenance and development of the Tanger Arboretum as a community asset. To learn more about the Arboretum or to become a member, please visit the Arboretum’s webpage.

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor Tour

May 4, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10am $5/Adults (18+) | $3/Children | FREE for Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Members

County Founding Day Open House

On May 10, 1729, Governor John Penn granted a county charter to local citizens to create what would become Lancaster County. Join us as we celebrate 295 years of Lancaster County with extended museum hours and special tours of our major exhibit, Thieves & Vagabonds, which tells the story of the county’s origins and the complex history of law and justice in our community.

More information to come! Please check back later.

Open House Family-Friendly In-Person Event

May 9, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA 5-8pm More Details to Come!

Storytime [May 9, 2024]

Enjoy the sights and sounds of nature this May during Storytime! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical or environmental topic, and then lead a craft or activity. This May, we’ll explore gardening, growing, and other springtime themes!

Book cover with a man in a work apron and a farm field in the background
Credit: MacMillan Publishers

On May 9, we’ll read John Deere, That’s Who! by Tracy Nelson Maurer (illustrated by Tim Zeltner).

Back in the 1830s, who was a young blacksmith from Vermont, about to make his mark on American history? John Deere, that’s who! Who moved to Illinois, where farmers were struggling to plow through the thick, rich soil they called gumbo? Who tinkered and tweaked and tested until he invented a steel plow that sliced into the prairie easy as you please? Long before the first tractor, who changed farming forever? John Deere, that’s who! Beautiful illustrations—including spectacular landscapes—reflect the time period and bring John Deere’s remarkable story to life.MacMillan Publishers

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. All attendees should abide by LancasterHistory’s Heath & Safety Protocols for Visitors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 9, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N President Avenue, Lancaster 10 - 11am FREE | Registration Required

Nature Series: Native Plants of Hidden Valley

A graphic with a color photograph of an adult woman with light skin and curly black hair. She holds a vase with plants and a Luna moth.Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum on Saturday, May 11 at 10am for “Native Plants of Hidden Valley!” Presenter Lydia Martin, a local ecological design consultant, will explore her favorite native plants and how they aid the natural landscape and provide many benefits to wildlife at Hidden Valley, her 10-acre property in southern Lancaster County. Leave inspired to incorporate more native plants in your own green spaces and support the local plants in your ecological community!

Lydia Martin is an ecological design consultant who teaches private and public landowners how to restore and manage their properties for the benefit of people and wildlife. Lydia is also the Director of Community Engagement for Let’s Go 123, a local non-profit committed to bringing urban youth and families together through outdoor and nature-based activities. For more than 15 years she’s pursued her love of conservation and is passionate about promoting access, education, and advocacy to Lancaster’s diverse community about trails, green space, native plant restoration, and waterways in central Pennsylvania. Lydia manages 10 acres of woodlands, wetlands, ponds, and meadow habitats at “Hidden Valley” with her family in southern Lancaster County.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Native Plants of Hidden Valley,” will take place on Saturday, May 11 at 10am at LancasterHistory. Tickets are $5/Adult (18+) and $3/Child. Friends of the Tanger Arboretum members receive complimentary admission, but should still register for the program. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling (717) 392-4633. Advance tickets recommended as the program has limited capacity.

The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum is a member of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admission Program. AHS Reciprocal Admission Program members may register for tickets in advance and must show a valid membership card upon checking in. AHS Members should contact Emily Miller, emily.miller@lancasterhistory.org, with any questions or to register for tickets in advance.


This event is hosted by the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum. The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum, a subsidiary organization of LancasterHistory, helps foster public interest in, and support for, the maintenance and development of the Tanger Arboretum as a community asset. To learn more about the Arboretum or to become a member, please visit the Arboretum’s webpage.

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Nature Series Program

May 11, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave, Lancaster 10am $5/Adults | $3/Children (17 & Under) | FREE Friends of Tanger Arboretum Members

Storytime [May 16, 2024]

Enjoy the sights and sounds of nature this May during Storytime! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical or environmental topic, and then lead a craft or activity. This May, we’ll explore gardening, growing, and other springtime themes!

Illustration of a blue sky and large white clouds with a boy and a dog. The boy is pulling a wagon with bird seed, flowers, and small critters.
Credit: MacMillan Publishers

On May 16, we’ll read And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano (illustrated by Erin E. Stead).

Following a snow-filled winter, a young boy and his dog decide that they’ve had enough of all that brown and resolve to plant a garden. They dig, they plant, they play, they wait . . . and wait . . . until at last, the brown becomes a more hopeful shade of brown, a sign that spring may finally be on its way.MacMillan Publishers

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. All attendees should abide by LancasterHistory’s Heath & Safety Protocols for Visitors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 16, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N President Avenue, Lancaster 10 - 11am FREE | Registration Required

James Buchanan, John Brown, & the 1859 Attack on Harper’s Ferry

On Thursday, May 16, join LancasterHistory as we welcome author and historian Dr. John Quist for a discussion of John Brown’s 1859 attack on the U.S. Armory at Harper’s Ferry and why then President Buchanan chose to hand Brown over to Virginia authorities for prosecution.

Headshot photograph of an older man with light skin. He has gray-white hair and a closely-kept beard.
Presenter Dr. John Quist

President James Buchanan’s domestic policy of peace and moderation derailed in October 1859 when radical abolitionist John Brown led 21 men on a raid of the U.S. Armory at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Dr. John Quist of Shippensburg University joins us to discuss Buchanan, Brown, and the challenging questions Brown’s actions raised about slavery, violence, and obedience to the law.

John Quist, Ph.D. is a professor of history at Shippensburg University. He received his PhD from the University of Michigan. He is also the author or editor of several books, including Restless Visionaries: The Social Roots of Antebellum Reform in Alabama and Michigan (LSU Press, 1998), (with Michael J. Birkner) James Buchanan and the Coming of the Civil War (University Press of Florida, 2013), and (with Michael J. Birkner and Randall M. Miller) The Worlds of James Buchanan and Thaddeus Stevens.

EVENT DETAILS & HOW TO REGISTER

This event is expected to take place in person at LancasterHistory on Thursday, May 16, 2024. 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. Register online by clicking the appropriate link below or by calling (717) 392-4633. Registration will close online on Thursday, May 16 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 16, 2024 In Person at LancasterHistory & Online via Zoom 5pm Reception | 5:30pm Lecture FREE | Registration Required

Storytime [May 23, 2024]

Enjoy the sights and sounds of nature this May during Storytime! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical or environmental topic, and then lead a craft or activity. This May, we’ll explore gardening, growing, and other springtime themes!

A colorful cover featuring a large, cartoonish monarch butterfly.
Credit: Scholastic

On May 23, we’ll read Senorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer (illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero).

At the end of each summer, monarch butterflies leave Canada to fly south to Mexico for the winter—and now, readers can come along for the ride! Rhyming text and lively illustrations showcase the epic trip taken by these international travelers—over mountains capped with snow to the deserts down below. Children will be delighted to share in the fascinating journey of the monarch butterflies while being introduced to the people and places they pass.Scholastic Book Club

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. All attendees should abide by LancasterHistory’s Heath & Safety Protocols for Visitors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 23, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N President Avenue, Lancaster 10 - 11am FREE | Registration Required

Storytime [May 30, 2024]

Enjoy the sights and sounds of nature this May during Storytime! Each week, we’ll read aloud from a book centered on a historical or environmental topic, and then lead a craft or activity. This May, we’ll explore gardening, growing, and other springtime themes!

A colorful, hand drawn cover of rain boots next to a downspout of a house, flowing with water.
Credit: Amazon

On May 30, we’ll read Let’s Build a Rain Garden, written and illustrated by Sally Wenczel.

Let’s Build a Rain Garden leads children into Great Lakes Region ecology through verse. They’ll get a close up look at the fun creatures and native plants that thrive inside a rain garden, while learning the more high-level terms STORMWATER and WATERSHED. The book is written for children, however adults will also enjoy taking notes on the basic steps for building a rain garden. Be a part of the solution to stop the pollution. It all begins with YOU! -Amazon

Storytime is free, and registration is required to ensure we have craft supplies for everyone. Storytime is designed for young readers, ages 2-6, but older and younger siblings or friends are welcome to attend. Register for all Storytime programs or individual programs online or over the phone by calling (717) 392-4633.

Storytime will take place outdoors unless it rains, in which case it will be moved indoors. All attendees should abide by LancasterHistory’s Heath & Safety Protocols for Visitors. We kindly ask that at least one (1) adult 18 years or older attend for every household.

Children's Program Family-Friendly In-Person Event Outdoor

May 30, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N President Avenue, Lancaster 10 - 11am FREE | Registration Required

Nature Series: The Ecology & Management of the Eastern Bluebird

A graphic with a color photograph of a man with light skin tending to a bird house on a golf course.
Dr. Dean Rust maintenances a bluebird box on a golf course.

Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum on Saturday, June 15 at 10am for “The Ecology & Management of the Eastern Bluebird.” Presenter Dr. Dean Rust, President of the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania, will discuss how to be a great caretaker of your backyard Bluebirds. Attendees will learn the ins and outs of installing nest boxes and monitoring their backyard Bluebirds, as well as learn about the life cycle of Bluebirds from nest building to fledgling.

Dr. Dean Rust is the current President of the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania, a position he’s held since 2012. He stewards 22 Bluebird trails, personally monitors over 450 Bluebird nest boxes, and fledges over 1,000 Bluebirds each summer. Rust is also the author of The Beloved and Charismatic Bluebird, a “hands-on” guide to Bluebirds, providing practical knowledge and proven techniques to advance the skill of the backyard Bluebirder. He maintains the website bluebirdconservation.com. Rust moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1972 and practiced general dentistry until his retirement in 2005. He also served as an umpire for high school and collegiate field hockey in the Lancaster area for 20 years.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “The Ecology & Management of the Eastern Bluebird,” will take place on Saturday, June 15 at 10am at LancasterHistory. Tickets are $5/Adult (18+) and $3/Child. Friends of the Tanger Arboretum members receive complimentary admission, but should still register for the program. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling (717) 392-4633. Advance tickets recommended as the program has limited capacity.

The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum is a member of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admission Program. AHS Reciprocal Admission Program members may register for tickets in advance and must show a valid membership card upon checking in. AHS Members should contact Emily Miller, emily.miller@lancasterhistory.org, with any questions or to register for tickets in advance.


This event is hosted by the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum. The Friends of the Tanger Arboretum, a subsidiary organization of LancasterHistory, helps foster public interest in, and support for, the maintenance and development of the Tanger Arboretum as a community asset. To learn more about the Arboretum or to become a member, please visit the Arboretum’s webpage.

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Nature Series Program

June 15, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave, Lancaster 10am $5/Adults | $3/Children (17 & Under) | FREE Friends of Tanger Arboretum Members

“Dutchirican” Open House & Curator Tours

Join us for special evening hours to celebrate the exhibition, Dutchirican: A Latinx History of Central Pennsylvania! Visitors will be able to view the special exhibit and talk to curators Dr. Ivette Guzmán-Zavala and Dr. John Hinshaw of Lebanon Valley College about their research into when, how, and why Latinx peoples have moved to Central Pennsylvania over the last 75 years.

More information to come! Please check back later.

Open House Family-Friendly In-Person Event Reception

June 27, 2024 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA 5-8pm More Details To Come!