History Museums
North of the city.



There are four very interesting history museums north of the city of Lancaster: the Landis Valley Museum, Ephrata Cloister, Cornwall Iron Furnace, and the National Civil War Museum. All are very much worth your time.

The Landis Valley Museum is closest, so I'll discuss it first. Their brochure provides a brief overview. "...once was an actual crossroads village. Founded by the brothers George and Henry Landis in the 1920s, it is a nationally significant living history museum that exhibits and interprets Pennsylvania-German culture." On 100+ acres it provides an excellent picture of 18th and 19th century farm life in Lancaster County. A sampling of the buildings on site are: brick, log, and wood farmhouses; barns; hotel; tavern; blacksmith, print, and leather working shops; school; gun exhibit; collections building; visitor center; and museum shop. This is a small working farm so it also has crops, animals, and demonstrations of various crafts. A wide variety of special events are held throughout the year. The museum is operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and is rated an Exceptional attraction by the American Automobile Association.

The Ephrata Cloister is our next destination north of the city, and another of those administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. A quote from the brochure says, "Experience an eighteenth century retreat from worldly distractions. Ephrata Cloister was founded in 1732 as a Protestant German community where nearly 80 celibate men and women led lives of strict discipline in anticipation of a better world. Their shared interests and support provided the tools, materials, and time to create art and music, publish books, and construct impressive buildings reflecting their Old World heritage. Imagine enduring the severe lifestyle of little food and sleep as you peer into the small rooms of the Sisters' House. Become inspired by the simple beauty of the sounds and sights in the Meetinghouse. Enjoy a time of quiet reflection shared by the residents of long ago. Discover the legacy of William Penn's 'Holy Experiment' in a place like no other in the world." Strict discipline? Think of sleeping six hours a night on a wood bench with a wood block for a pillow!

Our next stop north of the city, and also the third Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission site for now, is "Cornwall Iron Furnace, an extraordinary example of the furnaces that dotted the Pennsylvania countryside in the 18th and 19th centuries. Around it developed villages, artisans’ shops, stores, schools, churches, and the home of a wealthy ironmaster. All of the raw materials necessary for the smelting process — iron ore, limestone and wood for charcoal — were found in this self contained iron plantation. Cornwall Iron Furnace, the only surviving intact charcoal cold blast furnace in the Western Hemisphere, attests to the once great iron industry that flourished in south central Pennsylvania." So says their web site, and it's true. This really is a unique place to visit and the only one like it anywhere, as attested to by a representative of the Smithsonian Institution.


Our final stop north of the city is the most distant, actually it's in Harrisburg not even in Lancaster County. That's the National Civil War Museum. Joan and I have not been to this museum, but by all accounts it is excellent; particularly if you're a Civil War buff.

The museum covers the years from 1850 through 1876 and is organized as a time line covering three periods: pre-war, the war years, and post war (primarily reflecting the impact of the War on western expansion). The collections vary widely: the sectional differences leading to the war, slavery, military materials from soldiers, POW experiences, battles, medical matters, and much more. About 850 three-dimensional items are on display, with many more in storage for future exhibits. In addition the museum has more than 24,000 manuscripts, documents, photographs, and other printed matter.






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