Volunteer Guide Training
March 3, 2012, 9:30 to 11 am
held at the Brendle Museum for anyone interested in being a guide for Historic Schaefferstown. This would include the Brendle Museum, Gemberling REx House and the Schaeffer House.

History Mini-series

Lisa Miniardi - "Fraktur & Furniture of the PA Germans"
March 11, 2011 at 2 pm held at the Brendle Museum

Description: Ms Minardi, assistant curator at Winterthur Museum, will present a lecture on a distinctive group of painted and inlaid chests from the Schaefferstown and Millbach area. Many of these items will be shown in the presentation, along with local architectural landmarks. She will also discuss the relationship between fraktur and furniture, revealing several pieces of newly-discovered furniture that can now be attributed to the hand of Henrich Otto, one of the most influential fraktur artists.
She will have with her for sale for $30.00 the Muhlenberg book and $65.00 for the American Furniture Journal with her article in it which is titled” From Millbach to Mahatongo: Fraktur and Furniture of the Pennsylvania Germans”. This article has 120 pages with 140 illustrations.

Antique Appraisals
April 21, 2012, 9 am through 3 pm
held at the Brendle Museum

Curious about items in your house that have been in the family or something you just bought? Come to the antique appraisals where Terry Breidenstine will share what he knows about your items. Cost is $5 per item with a maximum of 5 items.

Public Archaeology
The eighth season of archaeology at the Alexander Schaeffer Farm/Distillery will be held from May 21 through June 8, 2012.
Monday through Friday, 8:30 - 4:00.
Those interested in volunteering should contact Pat Gibble at pegibble@gmail.com or telephone 717-964-3147.

Cherry Fair • Early American Craft Show
June 23, 2012 from 10 am - 5 pm
held at the historic Alexander Schaeffer Farm, Route 501 south of Schaefferstown, PA
Downloadable details!

Historic Schaefferstown, Inc. will celebrate National Historic Landmark status for the Alexander Schaeffer House by unveiling a plaque on Saturday, June 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m.  The ceremony will be held during the Annual Cherry Fair, which will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Alexander Schaeffer Farm, Route 501 South, Schaefferstown.

The mid-18th-century Schaeffer House represents a rare survival of the European tradition of combining domestic and manufacturing activities, in this case whiskey distilling, in the same building.  The house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972;  the U. S. Secretary of the Interior designated it a National Historic Landmark in July 2011.  While National Register listing indicates state-wide importance, Landmark status means that the site is of national significance, possessing “exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.”  

There are only 167 National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania and 2,500 in the United States.

Admission is $5, children 12 and under are Free

Features: quality period crafters, colonial demonstrations, family corner, hands on activities, wagon rides, contests, guided house and heirloom garden tours, blacksmith shop and sawmill demos, raffle & Sheep to Shawl, Cherry "Goodies," tasty food & ice cream!

Held Rain or Shine!

French & Indian Encampment
July 14 - 15, 2012; Sat.: 10 am-5 pm, Sun.: noon-5 pm.

Alexander Schaeffer farm #501 S. of Schaefferstown, 17088.
Cost is $5.00. Members free. Children 12 & under free with an adult.
717-949-2244

Young Villagers
July 23 - 26, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
for students entering grades 4, 5, 6, 7

Learn colonial American crafts and trades from mentors.
Members: $45, nonmembers: $65
Held on Alexander Schaeffer farm.
Please contact the HSI at (717) 866-5242 for registration details.

Harvest Fest
Saturday, September 15th, 2012 - Sunday, September 16th, 2012
Sat. 10:00 am - 5:00 pm; Sun. 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Come celebrate the harvest the Pennsylvania Dutch way! The Alexander Schaeffer Farm comes alive Saturday and Sunday during the Fall Harvest Fair. Enjoy period artisans, crafts, cooking. baking. cider-pressing, field and farm demnstrations, traditional music and entertainment, and much, much more!

There will be logging with horses, plowing, disking, and harrowing with horses, threshing of the rye grown on the farm. See the sawmill, shingle maker - all old. We will be pressing apple cider and making apple butter and corn shelling and corn cracking in the barn. View the colonial 4 square garden with heirloom plants. Tours of the Schaeffer house will be available, along with the spring house and the summer house. There is something no matter who you are.

2012 Saturday hands-on workshops teaching colonial era and Pa German crafts and traditions (ages 13 and up).

Held in the basement of the Brendle Museum, 111 N. Market St., Schaefferstown

Rug Hooking                                                            Janice Sonnen
Date:  Jan. 19, 2013                                                Snow Date: Jan. 26, 2012
Time:  9 am- 2 pm                                                    Time:  9 am – 2 pm
Cost:  HSI members - $60.00                                 Nonmembers - $65.00
Registration by  Jan. 5, 2013

Please bring small sharp scissors and lunch.  Frame may be purchased after the class. 

Slipware Redware                                                  Susan Horst
Date: Sat. Feb. 2, 2013                                             Snow date: Sat. Feb. 9, 2013
Time:  9 am – 11 am                                                 Time:  9 am-11 am
Cost:  HSI members:  $40.00                                  Nonmembers: $45.00
Registration by Jan.  26, 2013
Please bring an apron or a towel.

 

Grapevine 8” basket                                              Karl Gettle
Date:  Sat. Feb. 16, 2013                                           Snow Date:  Sat. Feb. 23, 2013
Time:  9 am- 12:30                                                     Time:  9 am – 12:30
Cost:  HSI members: $30.00                                     Nonmembers:  $35.00
Registration by Feb. 2, 2013
Please bring bucket, towel, scissors

 

Hearth Broom (will make 2)                                 Karl Gettle
Date:  Sat. March 23, 2013                                       Snow Date:  March 30, 2013
Time: 9 am- noon                                                          Time:  9 am – noon
Cost:  HSI members: $32.00                                      Nonmembers: $37.00
Registration by March 10, 2013

All classes held in the basement of the Brendle Museum, 111 N. Market St., Schaefferstown, 17088.  To register, please call 717-866-5242.

 

Christkindlmarkt & Tavern Lunch
Saturday, December 8, 2012
           --- 9:00 am - 3:00 pm - Christkindlmarkt at Brendle Museum, Lower Level
          -- 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Tavern Lunch at Gemberling-Rex House (sittings every hours, must have reservations)

Holiday shopping is a breeze at the yearly Christkindlmarkt. Browse a variety of goods, and top off the experience with an authentic colonial-style lunch (reservations required). The antics of early tavern hosts and hostesses will come as a shock for those who are unprepared for how they behaved generations ago!

5 sittings for the Tavern Lunch to be held at 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 1pm and 2 pm.  Call early, can only seat 20 at a time.
*Reservation Fee: $12