Events

Pitcher Plants: Carnivores of the Bog

A man with light skin leans on a railing outdoors. He wears a life-vest, a hat, and sunglasses.
Jeff Lapp

Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum for the ‘spooky’ Nature Series program, “Pitcher Plants: Carnivores of the Bog.” Pitcher plants are silent but deadly hunters, utilizing pitfall traps to secure their prey. Learn about pitcher plant habitats, the types of pitcher plants, and how you can grow your own ‘carnivorous crew’ in your garden!

Jeff Lapp is a Senior Science Policy Advisor at the National Association of Wetlands Managers (NAWM). Before joining NAWM he spent over 32 years with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), primarily in the wetlands program. An avid botanist and horticulturalist, Jeff designed and constructed the EPA’s Philadelphia Flower Show exhibit for 29 years, earning several awards including Best in Show, gold and silver medals, the Buckley Medal, American Horticultural Society award, and the Chicago Horticultural Society award. At his home in Lancaster, Jeff raises a multitude of plants, including Sarracenia, Rhododendrons, Hosta, and a host of other rare and unusual species in his greenhouse and shade houses. Jeff currently serves on the Boards of the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum and LancasterHistory.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Pitcher Plants: Carnivores of the Bog” will take place on Saturday, October 18 at 10am at LancasterHistory. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10/Adults and $5/Children (17 & Under). 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 walk-in tickets are not guaranteed.

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

Membership gets you more! Membership to the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum not only supports the care and conservation of this local natural resource, but also gets you great benefits such as complimentary admission to Nature Series programs! Learn more about membership and sign up today here.

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.

 

The 2025 Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Nature Series is sponsored by Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care! Thank you for your support!

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Nature Series Program

October 18, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave, Lancaster 10-11am $10/Adults | $5/Children (17 & Under) | FREE for Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Members
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Lancaster County Amish Quilts

Photograph of a colorful quilt with multicolor squares forming a diamond within a square.The Esprit Quilt Collection is an iconic collection of 82 Amish quilts made in Lancaster County between 1880 and 1950. In this special quilt turning and Collections Up Close program, art historian Gloria Mast will draw upon her own heritage to provide a unique understanding of the intersection between the Amish and English worlds as seen in these remarkable works of art.

In Collections Up Close programs, LancasterHistory staff and visiting experts highlight documents, photos, and artifacts from LancasterHistory’s vast collections. In a conversational setting, participants will hear the stories of these objects and what they reveal to us about the history of Lancaster County and its place in American history.

Gloria Mast is an art historian and educator with roots in Lancaster County. She has many years of experience as a public speaker, tour guide, and interpreter. She draws upon her own heritage as a point of reference to provide a unique understanding of the intersection between the Amish and English worlds. She holds a BFA and an MS in art history from Pratt Institute and is currently pursuing a PhD in Administration and Leadership at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

“Lancaster County Amish Quilts,” a Collections Up Close program, takes place on Saturday, October 18 with two presentations, one at 10am and one at 2pm, at LancasterHistory. Tickets are $20/LancasterHistory Members and $25/Non-Members. To register, please click the applicable program hour below or call (717) 392-4633.

Register for the 10am Program

Register for the 2pm Program

In-Person Event Program

October 18, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA Programs at 10am & 2pm $20/LH Members | $25/Non-Members

Dred Scott’s Daughter: Birthright Citizenship & The Meaning of ‘American’

Headshot of an older woman with light skin, short brown hair, and a blue collared shirt.
Amanda Frost

Throughout its history, the United States has grappled with the question of who qualifies as an “American.” Citizenship was contested throughout the antebellum era, culminating in the Supreme Court’s 1857 decision in the case of Dred Scott which denied citizenship to all Black people, whether enslaved or free. After the Civil War, Thaddeus Stevens, together with other members of the Radical Republicans, raced to guarantee citizenship to recently emancipated people and to others born in the United States by introducing a policy of birthright citizenship in the Fourteenth Amendment. Though the Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed this policy in landmark decisions, it remains a contentious issue which some Americans wish to reconsider. On Thursday, October 23, Amanda Frost, an immigration attorney and law professor at the University of Virginia, joins LancasterHistory to examine the legal and historical significance of birthright citizenship for the nation, as well as its prospects for the future.

Amanda Frost is a professor of law at the University of Virginia, where she specializes in immigration and citizenship law, as well as U.S. Constitutional law. Her scholarship has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as dozens federal and state courts, and she has been invited to testify on the topics of her articles before both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Her non-academic writing has been published in The Atlantic, The New Republic, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Slate, USA Today, and The American Prospect. Her book, You Are Not American: Citizenship Stripping from Dred Scott to the Dreamers (2021), was named as a “New & Noteworthy” book by The New York Times Book Review and was shortlisted for the Mark Lynton History Prize. She is currently at work on a second book on the history of birthright citizenship, which will be published by One Signal (Simon & Schuster) in 2026.

More information, including the confirmed location of the lecture, and tickets coming soon!

Presented in Partnership with Franklin & Marshall College

Franklin & Marshall College logo

In-Person Event Lecture

October 23, 2025 To Be Determined 5pm Reception | 5:30pm Lecture

Fall Seasonal Gathering Tour

The Black Maple starting to change colors in October 2022.
The Black Maple starting to change colors in October 2022.

Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum for their Fall Seasonal Gathering Tour on Saturday, October 25 at 10am. Tanger Arboretum Board Members will lead attendees on a walking tour through the Arboretum to take in the changing of the seasons through vibrant fall colors, ornamental trees, and the pollinator gardens in the Tanger Arboretum.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Fall Seasonal Gathering Tour,” will take place on Saturday, October 25 at 10am at LancasterHistory. Tickets are $10/Adult (18+) and $5/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.

In-Person Event Outdoor Tour

October 25, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 10am $10/Adults (18+) | $5/Children | FREE for Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Members
Get Tickets

Orchids 101

A photo of an older man with light skin and a gray beard. He is wearing a green t-shirt and standing in a greenhouse.
Trey Pyfer

Delicate and colorful, orchids are the stylish residents of many greenhouses and capture the eye of many garden-goers and nursery visitors. If you’ve ever wanted an orchid but have been intimidated by its care, this November Nature Series program is for you! Join the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum as we welcome speaker Trey Pyfer manager of Little Brook Orchids, for a fun and informative talk on orchids. Learn about basic care for a variety of orchids, as well as how to identify orchids, properly water them, and monitor their growth patterns.

Trey Pyfer is the manager of Little Brook Orchids, an eight-greenhouse orchid nursery and retail store in Lancaster, PA. For more than 21 years, Trey has responsibly supervised and cared for a large number of orchids, including “boarded” orchids and tropical plants kept for customers in the winter or non-blooming seasons. Little Brook Orchids has received over 35 national awards from the American Orchid Society, including having raised orchids recognized as ‘Best Plant in Show’ in several regional orchid shows.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Orchids 101” will take place on Saturday, November 1 at 10am at LancasterHistory. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10/Adults and $5/Children (17 & Under). 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 walk-in tickets are not guaranteed.

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

Membership gets you more! Membership to the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum not only supports the care and conservation of this local natural resource, but also gets you great benefits such as complimentary admission to Nature Series programs! Learn more about membership and sign up today here.

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.

 

The 2025 Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Nature Series is sponsored by Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care! Thank you for your support!

In-Person Event Nature Series Program

November 1, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave, Lancaster 10-11:30am $10/Adults | $5/Children (17 & Under) | FREE for Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Members
Get Tickets

Genealogy 101

Want to learn more about your family history but not sure where to begin? This class orients beginners to the process of researching family history online and in the LancasterHistory collections. Learn what kinds of records to look for, where to look for them, and how the Research Center at LancasterHistory can help on Saturday, November 8 for “Genealogy 101.” Attendees will also get a tour of the Research Center and an orientation to resources at LancasterHistory.

Aimee Caya has been the Director of Library and Research Services at LancasterHistory since 2022. She held previous positions at Lancaster County Library in South Carolina, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Institute of Art.

“Genealogy 101” will take place on Saturday, November 8 from 10-11:30am at LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster. Tickets are $20 for LancasterHistory Members and $25 for Non-Members. Advance registration is encouraged as the class has limited capacity. To register, please click here to register online or call (717) 392-4633 to register over the phone.

No previous experience with genealogy is required to take this class, but it is helpful to have identified some relatives prior to start you on your journey. Please bring note-taking items with you to the class, such as a laptop or notebook.

Class In-Person Event Workshop

November 8, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA 10-11:30am $25/Non-Members | $20 Members
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The ExtraGive

Lancaster County’s largest day of online giving is back! The ExtraGive kicks off a season of gratitude, and your support is more important than ever for LancasterHistory.

More information coming soon, including any day-of events.

Fundraiser

November 21, 2025 All Day Event

Holiday Greens Sale

Get in the festive spirit and pick up some fresh greens at the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum’s Holiday Greens Sale! Peruse a selection of fresh greenery on Saturday, December 6 from 11am to 3pm or until sold out. Cash only accepted.

Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum, a subsidiary of  LancasterHistory dedicated to the care and conservation of the Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum as a community asset. Click here to learn more about the Tanger Arboretum.

Sale Fundraiser Holiday In-Person Event Outdoor

December 6, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave, Lancaster, PA 11am - 3pm or Until Sold Out!

Campus of History Cheer

Get in the holiday spirit with Campus of History Cheer, a festive event filled with fun for the whole family! From tours of Wheatland to live music, kids’ activities, and a cookie station, there’s something merry and bright for everyone.

More information and tickets coming in November!

Family-Friendly Holiday In-Person Event Tour

December 6, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, PA

Owls of Lancaster County

A woman wearing a green t-shirt and hat stands in the forest.
Lisa Sanchez

On Saturday, December 13, get to know our local owls with the help of Lancaster County Park Senior Naturalist Lisa Sanchez for our final Nature Series program of 2025! Learn about the unique features of owls, their life cycle, and the various sounds they make. After the presentation, we’ll go outside for an ‘owl prowl’ to look and listen for the owls that may live in and around the Tanger Arboretum.

Lisa J. Sanchez has been a naturalist at the Lancaster County Department of Parks and Recreation Environmental Center for 30 years. Teaching students of all ages to explore and value the wonders of nature is her passion. She enjoys helping people reconnect with the earth through education and observation. Lisa can often be found in her garden or kayaking on the river.

HOW TO REGISTER
The event, “Owls of Lancaster County” will take place on Saturday, December 13 at 6:30pm at LancasterHistory. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $10/Adults and $5/Children (17 & Under). 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 walk-in tickets are not guaranteed.

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

Since the program is both indoors and outdoors, registrants should dress appropriately for the weather, wear close-toed shoes, and bring a flashlight (if available).

Membership gets you more! Membership to the Friends of the Tanger Arboretum not only supports the care and conservation of this local natural resource, but also gets you great benefits such as complimentary admission to Nature Series programs! Learn more about membership and sign up today here.

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.

 

The 2025 Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Nature Series is sponsored by Ever Green Tree & Lawn Care! Thank you for your support!

Family-Friendly In-Person Event Nature Series Outdoor Program

December 13, 2025 LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave, Lancaster 6:30 - 7:30pm $10/Adults | $5/Children (17 & Under) | FREE for Friends of the Tanger Arboretum Members
Get Tickets