Autumn is time for enjoying the bounty of the fields and thrilling to the mysteries that await in the gathering darkness will take center stage at Historic Hanna’s Town, just in time for Halloween.
A variety of historic demonstrations and outdoor activities are planned during Fall Family Day, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 30.
Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about life for early settlers on the Pennsylvania frontier. The Loyalhannon Spinners will show how historic textiles were made, and the Hanna’s Town blacksmith shop will be open for demonstrations.
Col. John Proctor’s Independent Battalion Westmoreland County Pennsylvania, a locally based Revolutionary War-era reenactment group, will be on hand with a living history encampment throughout the day.
At 1 p.m., weather permitting, members will demonstrate 18th century military drills.
The reenactors are “really well informed,” said Lisa Hays, executive director of the Westmoreland County Historical Society, which operates the Hanna’s Town site, the location of the first English court west of the Allegheny Mountains. “They provide a lot of good, accurate history here.
“Talking about it is one thing, but seeing it in action is another. It is interesting, appealing and dramatic.”
Hay rides, available from noon to 6 p.m., will be a new feature this year.
At 1:30 p.m., Pam Curtin, education and interpretation manager, will lead a guided walk to small hilltop burial plots, where participants will learn how cemeteries have changed over time. They also will learn about the families who settled the property after the original Hanna’s Town community was burned on July 13, 1782, by a raiding party of Seneca and their British allies during the waning days of the Revolutionary War.
Children and families can enjoy treat bags, pumpkin decorating and seasonal story times, which are set for noon and 2:30 p.m. in the site’s pavilion. Dressing up in costume is encouraged.
The Westmoreland History Education Center will be open, featuring the exhibit “Penn’s Woods: Plenty for the Use of Man.” The display includes tools, images and documents relating the story of how residents made use of the area’s natural resources through the centuries.
The historic objects include a finely engraved rifle handcrafted in the early 19th century by Westmoreland resident George Kettering. Prints by modern artists Robert Griffing, John Buxton and Eric Sloane and handcrafted furnishings by local woodworkers Paul Sirofchuck and Matt Stein also are included.
Visitors additionally may enjoy a self-guided walk along one of Hanna’s Town’s short trails, to learn about the history of Halloween.
Halloween weekend tours
Traditions of Halloween, including related superstitions that were common among the county’s early Scots-Irish settlers, will be the focus of special Jack-o’-Lantern Tours, which will be offered Oct. 29-30, at 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m.
Halloween alternately was observed as the Celtic New Year, Samhain. It was a time of reflection and preparation for the long winter ahead.
The cost for the tour is $12 per person, $10 for historical society members. Space is limited. Reservations are required: 724-836-1800, ext. 210.
Fall Family Day activities are included in the regular Hanna’s Town admission fee: $8 for adults, $6 for children and seniors, free for kids age 5 or younger and for society members. Separate donations of $2 per person or $5 per family are suggested for the hay ride.
The Westmoreland History Shop will be open during both events, featuring seasonal decor and a preview of holiday merchandise, as well as local history books, Hanna’s Town-themed keepsakes and historically inspired toys, ceramics and jewelry.
Attendees are required to follow the historical society’s covid-19 procedures.
Historic Hanna’s Town is located at 809 Forbes Trail Road in Hempfield. Visit westmorelandhistory.org for more information.