Frontier Court Days

Step back in time to when Hanna’s Town served as the seat of government for Westmoreland County! Join us for reenactments of actual court cases heard at Hanna’s Town between 1773 and 1786 along with militia encampments and demonstrations, living history demonstrations and displays, activities for children, food, and more!

Observe living history demonstrations and reenactments including…

• Reenactments of court cases heard at Hanna’s Town at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. both days
• Encampments, drills, and artillery demonstrations by Westmoreland County’s Proctor’s Militia (I.B.W.C.P.), 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, Fort McIntosh Garrison, 60th Royal Americans, and Rangers of the Ohio Company
• Blacksmithing in the new Blacksmith Shop
• Spinning and weaving
• Woodworking including hewing logs and rail splitting
• 18th century gunsmithing
• 19th century rifle making (Saturday only)
• 18th century religious service (Sunday morning only)

Explore displays and talks interpreting historic traditions and skills including…

• Herbal medicine and midwifery
• Native American history and culture
• Revolutionary War medicine (Saturday only)

Discover historic places around Hanna’s Town…

• Hanna’s Tavern, the first Westmoreland County courthouse
• The Fort, where militia and military groups will be encamped
• 18th century kitchen garden with plants used for food and medicine
• new garden of plants used to create natural dyes developed by the Penn State Master Gardeners of Westmoreland County
• authentic Conestoga wagon

Book talk at 12 p.m. both days by Gail Curtis, author of Woman on Fire: Based on the Life of Elizabeth Guthrie Brownlee Guthrie, a fictionalized story based on the life of a real survivor of the attack on Hanna’s Town, with signed books available in the museum shop.

Event includes admission to Penn’s Woods: Plenty for the Use of Man, new exhibit at the Westmoreland History Education Center opening June 19.

Admission for both days: $10 adults, $5 children, free for ages 5 and under. Admission is valid for both days.

Schedule of events:

Saturday, June 19 

• 9:00 a.m. – Gates open 
• 10:00 a.m. – Flag raising ceremony 
• 11:00 a.m. –  Frontier Court Reenactment 
• 12:00 p.m. –  Book talk by Gail Curtis, author of Woman on Fire: Based on the Life of Elizabeth Guthrie Brownlee Guthrie
• Around 1:00 p.m. – militia and artillery demonstration (weather permitting)
• 2:00 p.m. – Frontier Court Reenactment 
• 5:00 p.m. – Event closes 

 Sunday, June 20 

• 9:00 a.m. – Gates open 
• 9:15-10:00 a.m. – 18th century religious service 
• 11:00 a.m. – Frontier Court Reenactment
• 12:00 p.m. –  Book talk by Gail Curtis, author of Woman on Fire: Based on the Life of Elizabeth Guthrie Brownlee Guthrie
• Around 1:00 p.m. – militia and artillery demonstration (weather permitting)
• 2:00 p.m. – Frontier Court Reenactment
• 3:00 p.m. – Event closes 

Event times and locations subject to change or cancellation due to weather and/or unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience.