Pennsylvania German Arts and Antiques

Pennsylvania German Textiles to be Cataloged Online

"Selected were the Goschenhoppen Historians in Green Lane, the Mennonite Heritage Center in Franconia and the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center in Pennsburg"

"The three heritage centers’ grant award was one of 19 applications selected from 71 received and will support cataloging their Pennsylvania German textile collections and posting the catalogs online."

Read this article.

Patrick Donmoyer: Hex Sign Researcher

 

Readingeagle.com

 

"As a Kutztown University student in the summer of 2008, Patrick J. Donmoyer began documenting hex signs on Berks County barns."

"Traveling the county's rural byways, he would photograph hex signs - sometimes called barn stars - on about 425 barns."

Read this article.

Christmas at Lebanon's Stoy Mansion

"'Early Americans thought of Christmas trees as an oddity,' she said."

"'The first record of one being on display is in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania,' she said. 'The Pennsylvania German settlements had community trees as early as 1747. But as late as the 1840s, Christmas trees were still seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans.'"

Read this article.

Christmas at the Cumberland County Historical Society

"The Cumberland County Historical Society Museum features an exhibit of such a model town, hand-crafted by Alonzo A. Goodyear. This model town features the traditional fixtures of a putz - a main house with a barn, fence and animals, as well as a few additional touches, all crafted with elaborate detail."

Read this article.

Amish Christmas Theatre Production in Canada

"Celebrations vary from family to family, culture to culture and that’s also true with the Amish at Christmas. Playwright and producer Dollie Fowler is giving audiences across North America a glimpse at what the holidays entail with her festive production, An Amish Family Christmas."

Read this article.

Christmas on the Farm at Kutztown

"Hundreds of people enjoyed a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas on Saturday with crafts, decorations, lantern tours and visits from St. Nick and the Belsnickel at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center at Kutztown University."

Read this article.

Cazenove Describes Pennsylvania Germans in 1794

"It must be noted that the aristocratic Cazenove travelled in a four horse carriage complete with postilion and footman with servants on a following baggage wagon. To the Dutchmen it must have looked like the king of France was arriving."

Read this article.

Candlelight Tour at the Wentz Farmstead

"Experience a traditional Pennsylvania German seasonal celebration, including music, craft demonstrations, and a visit from Belsnickel (Pennsylvania German for St. Nicholas in furs)."

Read this article.

Christmas Market at the Schwenkfelder Library

"The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center is holding its annual Christmas Market: A Tour of Pennsylvania German Traditions and Folk Art from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the venue in Pennsburg."

Read this article.