Living History Day! Fall Family Day: Harvest at Hanna’s Town, Children’s Trick or Treat!

Celebrate Fall and explore the history of Halloween with activities for all ages. Enjoy Fall themed crafts and activities, living history, and trick or treating at all the log houses. Halloween costumes encouraged!

Members of Proctor’s Militia, I.B.W.C.P., and other living history demonstrators will be encamped at Historic Hanna’s Town and share the history of the Westmoreland County militia and life for settlers on the Pennsylvania frontier. Whether it’s seeing how candles were made, spinning and weaving thread, blacksmithing, or a musket firing demonstration, there is something for everyone! 

🍬Children and families are welcome to trick-or-treat across our site, stopping at our historic log buildings where our staff, volunteers, and presenters will be ready with candy. 

🌽Seasonal crafts will be offered at the pavilion including corn husk dolls, pinecone characters, and a three sisters garden paper craft. 

📖 Story time with by local author Donna Dodgen of Wildheart Pen & Studio. Follow the cozy woodland adventures of Basil Winslow, an illustrated children’s storybook featuring four short stories. Readings will be offered about every half hour beginning around 11:15. Stop by with the little ones for story time! There will also be a display of original paintings and illustrations from the book along with stickers, bookmarks, and other bookish items available for sale!

⚖️Help us reenact actual court cases that took place at Hanna’s Town, the first seat of government in Westmoreland County. See how the history of law and justice played out on the Pennsylvania frontier in an interactive and entertaining way!

🛍️The Westmoreland History Shop will feature seasonal décor and goodies, history inspired jewelry and home goods, handmade ceramics, America 250 merchandise, books for adults and children, vintage toys and games and many other special gifts and keepsakes. Special for the season is a new variety of books by local author Tom White on some of the haunting mysteries, legends, and lore of Southwestern Pennsylvania. 

🕯️You can tour the site of Historic Hanna’s Town at your own pace! Follow the pathways and stationed guides across the site will welcome you and provide you with information about the site’s history and happily answer your questions. 

🖼️Visit our Exhibit Gallery and see our current exhibition, “Cut from the Same Cloth: A Turn of Phrase Explored through Historic Textiles.” We’re entering the last few months to see this exhibit before it leaves! 

Admission: Free admission. Donations are greatly appreciated.

Food provided by The Coffin Bean and Funky Funnels and more food, beverage, and craft vendors to come!