January 11th (February 1st, March
1st), 2pm - "Fireside Tales" - For young children and their
families
Storytelling was a great way for families in the 18th century to
pass the time during the long, dark winters. During our Fireside
Tales, Homestead Friends and volunteers will read a few stories
geared toward young children ages 4 – 8 and their families in
the rustic atmosphere of the Wayside Lodge.
The stories will have a different theme each day. On January 11,
kids will enjoy stories about the adventures of young Daniel
Boone as he grows up on the Pennsylvania frontier. On February
1, kids will have an opportunity to meet Felicity and her friend
Ben in a tale about being a kid in the American colonies during
the 1700s. On March 1, kids will listen to tales about Native
Americans and their ways of life in this area.
We will make sure to have a nice, cheerful fire going in the
fireplace in the Wayside Lodge but it will still be quite chilly
inside so remember to dress warmly and bring a few extra
blankets or quilts to relax on and snuggle under! Light
refreshments will be available. These programs are offered free
to the public but donations to the Friends of the Daniel Boone
Homestead will be kindly accepted.
February 8th, 2pm - Black History
Program
We are pleased to bring back after several years Noah Lewis for
a presentation during Black History Month. Wearing 18th Century
costume, Noah will begin his program portraying Ned Hector, a
free black soldier in the Revolutionary War who was noted for
his courage during the retreat from Brandywine, when he refused
to let his team, wagon, and dropped armaments fall into enemy
hands.
Noah Lewis has been presenting programs on Colonial History for
over 12 years. He continues to research and find interesting
information on the lives of blacks during this country's early
years.
This program is free and open to the public.
Sunday, March 8th 12 - 5pm - Charter Day - “Green Energy of the 18th Century"
Passive-solar and hydro-power may be modern terms, but the use of these energies would be common during the Boone’s time here in the Oley Valley. In observance of Pennsylvania’s founding, the Daniel Boone Homestead will be having an open house and living history program for the afternoon.
Daniel’s Uncles and other neighbors operated gristmills, sawmills and fulling mills, using the great amount of water power found here in Berks County. The Antietam creek was once referred to as the Great creek. When Daniel’s father Squire Boone chose a location for his house he chose a location to take advantage of solar and thermal power.
Tremendous amounts of human power were needed for everyday tasks such as caring for livestock, cooking, cutting firewood, and farming. Please join us as we interpret life in the 18th century application of the many sources of energy found here.
The water-powered Bertolet sawmill will run several times throughout the day and The First Pennsylvania Regiment will hold a flintlock shoot in the Rifle Range. Rich Pawling of “History Alive” will be here for a presentation and Robert Mouland will be performing in the house throughout the day. The Boone House will be open for touring as well as our Bertolet log house. Charter Day is a rain or shine event and is free and open to the public.
Sunday, March 15th, 2pm - Women's History Roundtable
The Daniel Boone Homestead is very pleased to have historian and interpreter Nancy Webster as our guest speaker for the first Roundtable on March 15th. She will share her extensive knowledge on midwives and their work in early Pennsylvania, a very timely topic as 2009 is the 275th anniversary of Daniel Boone’s birth. This program is free of charge, and will be held in the DeTurk Education Center beginning at 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 29th, 2pm - Women's History Roundtable
Lindsey Slaugh will be the speaker for this second Women's History Roundtable. Her presentation is made possible through the Lancaster County Historical Society. Ms. Slaugh’s topic will be 18th Century/early 19th Century Period Clothing. This program is free of charge, and will be held in the DeTurk Education Center beginning at 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 26th, Noon to 4pm - Sheep and Wool Day at the Daniel Boone Homestead
Daniel Boone the famous frontiersman was the son and grandson of cloth weavers from England. So much for continuing the family business! But no doubt as a young boy there would be work for him and his siblings, as most often the whole family would be involved in some part of the processing of wool and flax.
Cloth produced in Berks County in the mid 18th century would have been made from materials grown locally. Most families raised a few sheep and grew flax, a plant used to make linen. As early as 1738 a fulling mill was built on the Manatawny Creek. A fulling mill processed the woven cloth to shrink and soften the fibers.
During the afternoon many of the processes needed to take the wool from the sheep to the weavers loom will be demonstrated. The sheep shearing will be done at 1pm and 2pm. We will have spinners to show you how the wool was made into thread and knitters working at making much needed socks and other garments. The weaving loom in the visitor center will be operated and we will have a few hands-on projects as well.
This is a free program for the general public. House tours will also be available at our regular admission price. Please call for more information. 610.528.4900.
Sunday, May 3 Noon – 5pm Childrens Day, "Young Daniel Boone’s World”
A fun-filled afternoon of learning and exploration awaits visitors of all ages at the Daniel Boone Homestead! This year is the 275th anniversary of Daniel’s birth here and on Children’s Day kids will have an opportunity to learn more about young Daniel’s daily life in the Oley Valley and about the people who influenced him the most.
Kids can learn about Daniel’s mother Sarah as they help tend the Homestead garden and about his father Squire as they watch a blacksmith at work in the blacksmith shop. They’ll experience the trades of some of Daniel’s uncles including his Uncle John, a schoolteacher and his Uncle Benjamin, a farmer. Kids will also find out more about the Lenape, the Native American group that lived in the Oley Valley who would have influenced Daniel as he was growing up.
Daniel was a member of a large family – he had four sisters and six brothers! Kids will get a chance to try out some of the chores that Daniel and his brothers and sisters would have had to do like candle dipping and making butter. They’ll also get to see what kids did for fun with colonial toys and games.
Other hands-on activities will include doll making, militia musters, homesteading in the Bertolet Log Cabin, and special guided tours of the Boone House geared towards kids. The First Pennsylvania Regiment will also be holding a flintlock shoot in the Rifle Range throughout the day.
Admission for Children’s Day is $4.00 for children ages 4 to 15 and $5.50 for adults. Don’t miss this great opportunity for the whole family to learn how Daniel Boone and his brothers and sisters worked and played during the 1700’s!
Saturday, May 30 - Oley Valley Bus Tour
Join us for a bus tour of the Oley Valley given by Jim Lewars, administrator of the Daniel Boone Homestead. The bus tour includes a tour of the Daniel Boone Homestead and the Exeter Friends Meeting House, lunch at Yellow House, a tour of the Oley Valley and Morlatton Village.
The cost is $60 per person (includes admission for tours and lunch). The bus tour will be filled on a first-come basis so reserve a space now! Please call the Homestead at 610-582-4900 for more information or to register. Click Here for the registration form.
Evening on the Green – Saturday, June 20, 2009 from 6pm to 9pm
Join us for a summer evening and relax the way the Boones and other 18th century families would have.Visitors will be able to experience some of the leisure activities of Colonial Americans. Visitors will enjoy games, music, and other 18th century pastimes.
This is the only evening candlelit event offered this year and a truly special experience. Visitors will have an opportunity to view the Homestead’s seven historic buildings as the sun sets. As twilight falls, the path leading up to the Boone House will be lit by luminaries. Candlelight tours will be offered through the first floor of the Boone House throughout the evening. While Robert Mouland entertains with 18th century music in the Boone House parlor, a seasonal dish will be cooked on a fire in the kitchen hearth. The Past Masters in Early American Domestic Arts will also be joining us for the evening.
A blacksmith will be working at the forge. In addition, the Bertolet Log House will be open to tour. The Visitor Center and gift shop will be open during the event as well. Evening on the Green is sponsored by the Friends of the Daniel Boone Homestead. All proceeds benefit this local, non-profit group, which supports the Daniel Boone Homestead. Regular admission will be charged for this program. ($6.00/Adults, $5.50/Senior Citizens, $4.00/Youth Ages 5 – 11) This is a rain or shine event.
Independence Day Program July 4 - 10:00am – 4:00pm
Commemorate our Nation’s birthday at the Daniel Boone Homestead’s Independence Day Program on July 4 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Learn about the different kinds of troops who were fighting for America’s freedom during the Revolutionary War including the militia, Continentals, Riflemen and Dragoons. Join a small group of women at the Bertolet Log Cabin who will be interpreting the lives and duties of camp followers - women who traveled with the army and helped the soldiers with various tasks.
Celebrate July 4th with a bang as you experience the cannon fire of Craig’s Artillery and watch the First Pennsylvania Regiment at their black powder flintlock shoot in the Rifle Range.
Guided Boone House tours will be offered regularly throughout the day. Youngsters will also get a chance to be “recruited” into the local militia as officers drum up for volunteers to fight the British. The new “recruits” will be taken through authentic 18th century military drills and marches with wooden dummy guns.
Don’t forget to bring a picnic lunch as the Homestead is the perfect place for a family picnic with its two large picnic areas and a picnic grove.
Regular admission will be charged for this program. ($6.00/Adults, $5.50/Senior Citizens, $4.00/Youth Ages 5 – 11) This is a rain or shine event.
History Day Camp,
July 21 – 23
History Day Camp is a three-day adventure where kids will experience and learn what Daniel did while growing up here! Each day of camp will cover a different theme of Daniel’s childhood life and will run from 9:00am – 2:00pm. Space is limited to 20 kids. The cost is $80 per child for all three days.
July 21 – Free Time
Campers will explore some of the activities that colonial kids like Daniel would have done for fun! After a tour of the Boone House, campers will get to try out the toys and games that Daniel would have known. They’ll also practice their storytelling skills and learn about colonial music before finishing the day with a small craft.
July 22 – All in a Day’s Work
Growing up on a farm with a weaver and blacksmith for a father, Daniel would have had a lot of chores to keep him busy. Campers will experience some of these chores during a tour of the barn and a blacksmithing demonstration. They’ll eventually take a break from all those chores and learn how to marble paper, write with quill pens and make their very own travel journals!
July 23 – Daniel & the Great Outdoors
Daniel had a great love for the outdoors. Campers will explore the land that Daniel once did as a boy. Activities will include a nature hike, candle dipping and a sawmill demonstration. They’ll also get a chance to meet a member of the Lenape, the Native American nation that was present in this area during Daniel’s youth.
(click here) for registration and brochure.
Junior History Workshops
July 29 & August 5
These workshops give kids a chance to learn about a specific part of colonial life in detail. Kids can participate in either or both of these workshops in addition to or exclusive of History Day Camp. Clarissa Dillon, a professional living historian, will conduct both workshops, which will run from 9:30am – 12:30pm. Space is limited to 8 kids per workshop. The cost is $20 per workshop, per child.
July 29 – Camp Cooking
During his long hunts, Daniel needed to know how to fend for himself in the wild, especially when it came to food. In this workshop, kids will cook their own lunch outside over a fire and learn what it was like for Daniel to cook his meals on his own in the wilderness.
August 5 – Hearth Cooking & Dairying
In the summertime, young Daniel would help his mother tend to their small herd of dairy cows. During this workshop, kids will learn how to make butter before cooking their own lunch, which will feature 18th century dairy recipes, over the hearth as they learn how important these dairy products were to the Boones’ diet.
