Upcoming Events
Tombstone Tales
Saturday, October 24 at 1 pm and 3 pm
Saturday, October 31 at 1 pm and 3 pm
Take a guided tour through St. Luke’s Cemetery and learn about some of the historical figures resting there. Highlights include the graves of Ludwig and Agnes Ewald, some of Trappe’s earliest residents; Jonas and Christiana Longabough, grandparents of the Sundance Kid; and Civil War soldier Benjamin Simons, killed in action.
Tours will be given at 1 pm and 3 pm on both days.
Location: The Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main St. Trappe, PA 19426. Park at Ranieri Flooring, 325 W. Main St., and walk to the Dewees Tavern to check in for your tour.
Cost: $15 Members, $20 Non-Members, $5 Students (18 and under).
Tours are limited to 10 people per tour. No walk-ins.
Tickets also include admission to the Dewees Tavern. Please note that the Dewees Tavern is open from 10 am - 4 pm.
BUY TICKETS:
Live Webtalk with the Francke Foundations FREE
Monday, October 27 at 1 pm
How does a pastor's son become America's first Speaker? Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg (1750–1801), first Speaker of the US House of Representatives and first signer of the Bill of Rights, spent his schooldays at the Francke Foundations – one of the most remarkable educational institutions of its time in Prussia.
This web talk from the Francke Foundations in Halle focuses on his education: Why did he study in Halle rather than North America? What did he learn there – and what made the Halle approach so distinctive? Friederike Lippold uncovers stories from sources and testimonies of Muhlenberg's schooling with Tom Gärtig, curator of the Historic Orphanage and of the exhibition "Total real. Die Entdeckung der Anschaulichkeit" and Dr. Markus Berger, researcher in the edition project on the correspondence of Halle's pastors from North America.
Cost: FREE
Join the event online: https://www.francke-halle.de/en/programme/event/perspectives-ideas-stories-811
Party for Preservation Gala
Sunday, October 25, 5 to 9 pm
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve, Phoenixville, PA
This special evening begins with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a seated dinner and presentation of the Speaker’s Choice award. Bid on unique experiences and works of art by local craftspeople in the silent auction.
All proceeds from this event will directly support Historic Trappe’s mission of preservation and education.
Terrifying Tales at St. Luke's Cemetery
Saturday, October 31 at 6 pm
*Must be 18 years of age or older to attend.
St. Luke’s Cemetery has many spooky tales just waiting to be told. Come to the very first Terrifying Tales and hear stories of the 1793 yellow fever epidemic and a poisoned pumpkin pie, the legend of the Sundance Kid and Civil War soldiers who lost their lives on the battlefield.
Please dress appropriately as we will be outside.
Location: St. Luke's Cemetery, next to Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA
Cost: $15 Members, $20 Non-Members. Tour is limited to 15 people.
Live Webtalk with the Francke Foundations FREE
Wednesday, November 4 at 12 pm
Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg was born in 1750 in Trappe, Pennsylvania – today regarded as one of the birthplaces of American democracy. His home, the Speaker's House, has reopened as a museum after extensive restoration, timed for the 250th anniversary of American independence. In our second web talk, Dr. Lisa Minardi, Executive Director of Historic Trappe, and Dr. Emily Sneff share insights into the house and its place: What role did the Muhlenberg family play – and the house as a political meeting point? Which objects tell the story of the first Speaker's work? They pick up the thread of his schooldays in Halle and trace the life of one of the most influential shapers of the young American democracy.
Cost: FREE
Join the event online: https://www.francke-halle.de/en/programme/event/perspectives-ideas-stories-811
Fraktur Letter Workshop with Emily Smucker-Beidler
Saturday, November 14 from 9 am to 12 pm
Learn how to use pen and ink to create an elaborate letter in the fraktur style of the late 1700s. Participants will also have the option to grain-paint their own frame to fit their finished 8x10 piece. Perfect to give as a gift or keep as your own.
All ability levels are welcome, ages 13-100! All materials are included. Watercolor sets will available for purchase from Emily for $20.
Location: Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Please note: this workshop will be held on the second floor of the Dewees Tavern, which is only accessible by a flight of stairs.
Cost: $80 Member, $85 Non-Member. Advanced registration required. This workshop is limited to 10 people.
Redware Ornaments Workshop with Emily Smucker-Beidler
Saturday, November 14, 1 to 4 pm
Explore the fascinating history of Pennsylvania German redware pottery, from how the clay was dug and processed, to the role and life of the potter within local culture. Students will start with a prepared slab of red clay with white slip and cut out at least 5 ornament shapes. Then, using the sgraffito method, we’ll scratch through the colored slip for our fraktur designs. Patterns will be provided, based on historic Pennsylvania German redware. Learn how to take traditional images and make them your own through clay.
All ability levels are welcome, ages 13-100!
After the workshop, Emily will bisque fire your pieces, cover them in a clear glaze, and fire once more. Ornaments can be picked up 4 weeks after the workshop. Pick up is at the Dewees Tavern at Historic Trappe.
Location: The Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Please note: this workshop will be held on the second floor of the Dewees Tavern, which is only accessible by a flight of stairs.
Cost: $70 Member, $75 Non-Member. Each workshop session is limited to 10 people.
Christmas at Historic Trappe
November 20 - January 10
Celebrate the magic of the season at Historic Trappe with our Pennsylvania German Christmas tours and holiday shopping!
All three historic sites are decked out in festive 18th-century style. At the Dewees Tavern, explore intricate German Erzgebirge woodcarvings, a towering Moravian Christmas pyramid, antique Noah’s arks, and more enchanting holiday displays that capture the spirit of a Pennsylvania German Christmas. At the Muhlenberg House, discover what Christmas was like for families on the home front during the Revolutionary War. And for the first time ever, the newly restored Speaker’s House will also be open for Christmas, decorated in splendid style and offering a special glimpse of an 18th-century Christmas celebration.
Before you leave, stop by our museum stores — perfect for holiday shopping! Find springerle cookies, redware pottery, fraktur, handcrafted ornaments, feather trees, Moravian stars, and many other unique gifts inspired by local traditions.
Christmas tours and holiday shopping are available Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm, and Sundays from 12 to 4 pm.
Trappe Tree Lighting
Wednesday, December 2, at 6:30 pm
This free, festive, and family friendly evening includes a community sing-a-long, visit from Santa courtesy of Trappe Fire Company No. 1, candy canes donated by Trappe Dairy Queen, cookies and hot cocoa served by local scouts, and the tree lighting. Visit the restored kitchen to see what holiday treats our hearth cook is preparing over the fire. Please bring non-perishable food items or toiletries as a donation for the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry.
Location: The Speaker's House, 151 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA 19426. Parking is available across the street at the Trappe Shopping Center.
Cost: Free
*This program is generously funded by Phoenixville Federal Bank and Trust.
Weihnachtsmarkt-German Christmas Market
Friday, November 27 & Saturday, November 28, 10 am to 4 pm
Sunday, November 29, 12 to 4 pm
Friday, December 4 & Saturday, December 5, 10 am to 4 pm
Sunday, December 6, 12 to 4 pm
Celebrate the holiday season at Historic Trappe’s Weihnachtsmarkt-German Christmas Market-at the Muhlenberg House. Browse handcrafted goods from traditional artisans including redware, feather trees, ornaments, springerle cookies, and more. Enjoy apple cider and cookies as you shop. All three Historic Trappe museum sites will also be open for tours throughout the weekend.
Families can also enjoy seasonal craft activities for kids in the Visitor Center from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday and from 12 to 2 pm on Sunday.
Location: The Education Center behind the Muhlenberg House, 201 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Candlelight Tours
Saturday, December 5, 3 to 9 pm
Sunday, December 6, 12 to 4 pm
Savor the sights, sounds, and smells of a Pennsylvania German Christmas as you travel back in time on candlelight tours of the Muhlenberg House and the Speaker’s House, where interpreters in authentic period clothing will share stories from the Muhlenberg family in each room. At the Muhlenberg House, chat with Pastor Muhlenberg in his office about the hardships the family faced during the winter of 1776. At the Speaker’s House, explore the newly restored house decorated in splendid style for the holidays. Warm yourself by the kitchen fire and see what treats our hearth cook is preparing. At the Dewees Tavern, the galleries are decorated for Christmas with German Erzgebirge woodcarvings, a towering Moravian Christmas pyramid, antique Noah's arks, and much more.
Don't miss the festive Weihnachtsmarkt--a German Christmas Market--that will also be open behind the Muhlenberg House from 10 am to 9 pm. Kids can also make seasonal crafts in the Visitor Center from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday and 12 to 2 pm on Sunday.
Location: all three sites
Cost: Free
*This program is generously funded by Phoenixville Federal Bank and Trust.
Christmas Baking Workshop
Saturday, December 12, 10 am to 4 pm
Savor the sights, sounds, and smells of a colonial kitchen at Christmas! Join hearth cook Becky Manley to make traditional Pennsylvania German gingerbread, springerle, and other various seasonal treats using historic recipes and period-style tools. Learn about the origins of these festive treats, then sample your baked creations.
There will be a break for lunch. Please bring your own.
Location: The Speaker’s House, 151 W. Main St., Trappe, PA 19426.
Cost: $75 Non-Member. $70 Member. Advanced tickets required. This workshop is limited to 8 people.
SOLD OUT
Grain Painting Workshop with Emily Smucker-Beidler
Saturday, January 9, 2027, 9 to 11 am
Explore the history of early Pennsylvania grain painting, along with images depicting a wide variety of techniques. Then experiment with various combs and tools to create your desired pattern before graining an 8 x10 wooden frame. Each person will leave with a finished frame, complete with glass and instructions on how to frame artwork.
About Grain Painting: When Pennsylvania Germans wanted their softwood furniture to look like a more expensive wood, like mahogany, they would paint it in several layers of various wood tones to create a faux “grain" pattern. Over the years, grain painting developed into so much more than merely imitation of hardwood grains. Artists created their own creative patterns and designs, using unconventional tools, elevating the skill into an art form.
Location: The Visitor Center behind the Muhlenberg House, 201 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: $90 Member, $95 Non-Member. Advanced registration required. This workshop is limited to 12 people.
Fraktur Bookplate Workshop with Emily Smucker-Beidler
Saturday, January 9, 2027, 1 to 4 pm
Learn how to create a bookplate in the fraktur style of the late 1700s. Perfect to place inside a book cover and give as a gift or keep as your own. Choose from one of four historical patterns and learn from Emily how to borrow ideas to integrate into your one-of-kind fraktur. No experience necessary to create.
All supplies are included. Watercolor sets in the traditional fraktur colors will be available to use for this workshop or bring your own watercolors, colored pencils, or other medium of choice to add color to your finished ink fraktur. (Fraktur watercolor sets will also be available for purchase for $20 at the end of the workshop.)
Location: Visitor Center behind the Muhlenberg House, 201 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: $90 Member, $95 Non-Member. Advanced registration required. This workshop is limited to 12 people.
Fasnacht Cooking Demonstration
Saturday, February 13, 2027, 10 am to 4 pm
Join hearth cook Becky Manley in the Speaker’s House kitchen as she prepares traditional fasnachts, the rich Pennsylvania German doughnuts enjoyed on the eve of Lent. Watch as Becky demonstrates historic hearth cooking techniques, learn about the cultural roots of this beloved tradition, and enjoy the wonderful sights and smells of fasnachts being made over the fire. Best of all, visitors will have the chance to sample freshly made fasnachts during the demonstration.
Please note: Fasnacht Day traditionally takes place on Tuesday before Lent. This demonstration is being held on February 13 as a special opportunity to explore and enjoy this Pennsylvania German food tradition.
Location: Speaker’s House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: Free
Leather Gloves Workshop
Saturday, February 27, 2027, 8 am to 5 pm
Join Wilson LeCount, an apprentice leather glover at Colonial Williamsburg, as he instructs participants in making their own pair of leather gloves. Wardrobes in the 18th century would not be complete without leather gloves. Used for dress attire, cold weather, or sporting such as riding or shooting, gloves could be found everywhere on men and women, free and enslaved alike. Specialized glovers, competent leather breeches makers, and piece workers made gloves in generic sizes that were sold at trade shops or merchant stores. At this workshop, participants will get a background on 18th century gloves and glove making; they will also learn how to cut gloves on sheepskin, how to stitch them together, and how to modify glove patterns. Participants can expect to leave the workshop with the ability to finish what they started at home, as well as an informational packet, and a new set of skills. This workshop requires prior sewing experience, but all materials will be provided. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn about Friedrich Schenkels, a leather breeches and glove maker in 18th century Philadelphia, whose account books are on display at the Dewees Tavern.
Location: The Speaker’s House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA 19426
Cost: $120 per person. Advanced registration required. This workshop is limited to 10 people.
*This workshop is supported by a Histories and Legacies of American Slavery grant from the Council of Independent Colleges with generous support by the Mellon Foundation.
Pennsylvania German Easter Egg Decorating Workshop
Saturday, March 20, 2027
Times: 10 to 11:30 am, 12 to 1:30 pm, and 2 to 3:30 pm
Celebrate the arrival of spring with a hands-on Easter tradition! Discover the rich history behind Pennsylvania German scratch-decorated eggs, then learn how these beautiful eggs were traditionally dyed—using onion skins to create warm, rustic tones. After exploring historic examples for inspiration, you’ll decorate your own egg using scratch techniques. Each participant will receive two pre-dyed eggs to create a one-of-a-kind keepsake to take home.
Revolutionary Kids
July 26 - 29, 2027
(Ages 8-11)
9 am to 2:30 pm
Save the date for the second summer of Revolutionary Kids Camp! This camp introduces children to life in the 1700s through active, inquiry-based learning at Historic Trappe’s sites, including the Speaker’s House, home of Frederick Muhlenberg, first Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Camp sessions include hearth cooking, gardening, archaeology, colonial games, paper making, and a variety of other colonial crafts. Lessons will be led by Historic Trappe’s museum educators and enriched by outside experts each day.
Location: The Speaker's House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Past Events
Harvest Fair
Saturday, October 10, 10 am to 4 pm
Celebrate fall in Trappe at a family-friendly Harvest Fair held on the grounds of the Speaker’s House. Enjoy live music, delicious food, 18th century trade demonstrations, colonial kids’ games, and locally-made artisanal wares.
Free parking will be available at St. Luke’s Fellowship Church, 200 W. Main Street (directly across from the Muhlenberg House).
Limited handicapped parking is also available on-site at the Speaker’s House and Dewees Tavern.
Location: Tickets can be purchased on-site at the Speaker's House.
Cost: $5 Adults (includes all three museums). Kids are FREE.
Turning Up the Volume: Using All Types of Lutheran Church Records in Your Genealogy
Lecture by Jim Beidler
Tuesday, October 6 at 7 pm
Genealogists with German-speaking ancestry are familiar with using church registers as vital records substitutes but too many stop with the “low-hanging fruit” of the most common records such as baptisms. New projects such as the Revolutionary City Portal and the Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia's digitization project with Ancestry.com are making accessible a wider array of church documents than ever before, adding to what researchers can find about their forebears.
Co-sponsored by the Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia
Location: St. Luke's Fellowship Church, 200 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: Free
Experiencing Independence: Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution Symposium
October 2-3, 2026
Firsthand accounts of the American Revolution provide historians, museums, and historic sites with critical details for understanding what it was like to experience independence. To mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Historic Trappe, the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, and Ursinus College are partnering to convene a symposium, “Experiencing Independence: Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution.”
This free symposium will explore the diaries, journals, letters, and material culture made or used by people in the mid-Atlantic region from 1760–1790. Panels will explore family dynamics in the midst of political upheaval, wartime experiences of soldiers and civilians, accounts from different religious perspectives, and new approaches to non-English sources on the American Revolution.
Location: Ursinus College, 601 E Main St, Collegeville, PA 19426
Cost: Free
Tavern Night
Thursday, September 24, 5 to 8 pm
Step back in time for a lively evening at the historic Dewees Tavern! Savor a hearty German-themed buffet dinner followed by delicious dessert, all paired with wine, hard cider, and locally crafted beer. Gather with friends, raise a glass, and enjoy an unforgettable night of food, laughter, and old-world cheer.
Presented by The Homer Group & Navitas
Location: Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Moravians in the American Revolution
Lecture by Scott Paul Gordon
Tuesday, September 15, at 7 pm
The American Revolution put Pennsylvania’s Moravians in a tough place. They wanted to remain neutral, but Patriots demanded that they choose a side and threatened to seize all their property if they didn’t. When military forces—troops on the move, prisoners, injured soldiers—occupied Bethlehem (“engulfed” the small community, Bethlehem's leader John Ettwein said), Moravians had no choice but to transform the way they lived. These communities did survive these dangerous times. But, as this talk will explore, the Revolution transformed Bethlehem permanently.
Location: St. Luke's Fellowship Church, 200 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: Free
Living History Saturdays at the
Speaker's House
Saturdays, June 13 through September 5
10 am to 4 pm
Step into the past this summer at the Speaker’s House with our Living History Saturdays series, kicking off on Flag Day weekend. From Flag Day through Labor Day weekend, the grounds will come alive every Saturday with engaging, hands-on demonstrations that bring 18th-century life into vivid focus.
Visitors can explore the daily experiences of Revolutionary War soldiers, witness traditional hearth cooking, and learn skilled crafts like tape weaving and wood turning. Additional demonstrations include historic laundry practices, trades of the period, and other immersive activities that reveal the rhythms of early American life.
Whether you're a history enthusiast or simply looking for a fun weekend outing, Living History Saturdays offer a dynamic and educational experience for all ages. Join us each week to discover the stories, skills, and traditions that shaped our nation.
Location: The Speaker’s House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA. Parking is on-site.
Cost: Free (does not include guided tours)
Living History Saturdays are supported in part by a 2026 Americana Corner Preserving America Grant
Fraktur Tulips Workshop with Emily Smucker-Beidler
Saturday, August 22, 1 to 4 pm
While folk art flowers are trending in popular culture, the roots of these images in Pennsylvania German culture run deep. Join Emily Smucker-Beidler in this 3 hour workshop where we’ll explore how fraktur artists used pattern and color to create colorful tulips. Tulip images from current day rural Switzerland will lend understanding to this early American folk art of fraktur. Participants will start with their choice of a tulip template. They will then be shown how to alter and create a small finished piece in their own individual style.
All ability levels are welcome, ages 13-100! All materials are included. Watercolor sets will be available for purchase from Emily for $20.
Location: The Visitor Center behind the Muhlenberg House, 201 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Lutherans and the Revolutionary War
Friday, July 24
Tour Times: 10 am to 12 pm and 2 to 4 pm
Celebrate 250 years of history with a special guided tour of Historic Trappe, exploring how Lutheran families such as the Muhlenbergs were integrally involved in the Revolutionary War. Learn how the war directly impacted Lutherans in southeastern Pennsylvania and enjoy rarely-seen artifacts from historic congregations including Augustus Lutheran, New Hanover, St. Michael's Germantown, and St. Michael's and Zion in Philadelphia. Co-hosted by Historic Trappe and the Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia, this anniversary program highlights the faith, community, and cultural traditions that shaped life during the Revolutionary era. Tours are led by a combination of staff including Lisa Minardi, executive director; Christopher Malone, curator; Sheila Joy, archivist; and Haley Wrye, assistant archivist.
Augustus Lutheran Church will also be open for tours from 12 to 2 pm and is included with your purchase of a ticket.
Location: Meet at the Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: $25 per person
Kids Dig History
Saturdays, June 27, July 4, 11, 18, and 25
Drop in between 10 am and 1 pm
Kids Dig History is back this summer starting on June 27! Get your hands dirty at the archaeology dig and in the kitchen garden. Screen dirt to look for artifacts such as redware pottery and animal bones, then help wash and dry brush artifacts in the lab. Try your hand at planting, weeding, or harvesting vegetables. Depending on the day, additional pop-up living history programs will be happening simultaneously.
Location: The Speaker’s House, 151 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA
Cost: Free
Founder's Feast
Sunday, July 19, 5 to 8 pm
Celebrate Historic Trappe at a special 250th anniversary community dinner held at the Speaker’s House! Enjoy a variety of delicious foods provided by local restaurants and craft beer from Troubles End Brewing while dining al fresco on the grounds of a beautiful historic site.
The evening begins with drinks and appetizers at 5 pm. Stroll the paths of an authentic Pennsylvania German garden filled with heirloom vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Check out the newly-restored Speaker's House!
At 6 pm, join your friends and neighbors at long communal tables set up on the lawn for a buffet dinner.
Parking is available at the Trappe Shopping Center, accessible via Main Street or Route 113.
Location: The Speaker's House lawn at 151 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA 19426.
Window to Revolution Curator's Tour
Wednesday, July 15, 6 to 7 pm
Explore our current exhibition Window to Revolution: Pennsylvania Germans and the War for Independence with curator Christopher Malone. Focusing on the Revolution's impact on the Greater Philadelphia region, this landmark exhibition features artifacts such as flintlock pistols, Continental currency, Henry Muhlenberg’s journals, a German translation of the Declaration of Independence, fraktur made by former Hessian soldiers, and much more.
Location: The Center for Pennsylvania German Studies at the Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: $20 per person
Move-In Day
Saturday, July 11, 10 am to 4 pm
Experience a pivotal moment in local history at the Muhlenberg House, commemorating the 250th anniversary of Henry and Mary Muhlenberg’s return to Trappe in July 1776. Fleeing the uncertainty of war in Philadelphia after the Declaration of Independence, the Muhlenbergs sought refuge in what they hoped would be a peaceful new home—though history would soon prove otherwise.
Throughout the day, visitors can explore the house on tours led by interpreters in period clothing stationed in each room and explore the colonial herb garden. Living history demonstrations will showcase the skills and daily tasks of the 1700s. Kids can join in colonial-era games and hands-on activities, making this a fun and engaging experience for the whole family. A full-size Conestoga wagon will also be on display, illustrating how families like the Muhlenbergs transported their belongings across the countryside. The Speaker's House and kitchen garden will also be open for tours and are included with paid admission for the Move-In Day event.
Location: The Muhlenberg House, 201 W. Main St. Trappe, PA. Parking will be available across the street at St. Luke’s Church, 200 W. Main St.
Cost: $10 Members. $12 Non-Members. Kids are free. Check-in at the Visitor Center behind the Muhlenberg House to purchase tickets.
Independence Day Celebration at Historic Trappe
Saturday, July 4, 10 am to 4 pm
Sunday, July 5, 12 to 4 pm
Celebrate America's 250th birthday in Historic Trappe with a special Independence Day weekend, fun and free for the whole family! On Saturday, July 4, gather at the Speaker's House at 10 am for a special edition of Kids Dig History. At 10:15, there will be a lively fife and drum procession up the street from the Speaker's House to the Muhlenberg House. Children participating in the Kids Dig History program will be given thirteen-star flags to wave in the procession. At 10:30, there will be a stirring reading of the Declaration of Independence from the balcony of the Muhlenberg House. Both houses will be open for tours afterwards, together with the Dewees Tavern. Kids' activities will continue at the Speaker's House all afternoon.
There will be hot dogs and beverages to purchase behind the Muhlenberg House all day!
*Augustus Lutheran Church is holding morning prayer at Historic Old Trappe Church at 8:30 am. Feel free to join the service before coming to Historic Trappe.
On Sunday, July 5, at noon there will be a reading of the Declaration of Independence in German from the balcony of the Muhlenberg House. Both houses will be open for tours afterwards, together with the Dewees Tavern. Kids' activities will also be offered at the Visitor Center behind the Muhlenberg House from 12 to 4 pm.
Bring the whole family and be part of this unforgettable patriotic experience to celebrate America's 250th birthday! Parking is available at St. Luke's Fellowship Church, 200 W. Main Street.
Locations:
The Speaker's House: Kid's Dig History and fife and drum procession
The Muhlenberg House: Houses of Declaration Reading
Cost: Free
This program is part of the Montgomery County Houses of Declaration initiative.
Preparing to Declare
Lecture by Dr. Emily Sneff
Tuesday, June 30 at 7 pm
Join Dr. Emily Sneff, consulting curator and historian at Historic Trappe and a leading expert on the Declaration of Independence, to learn about the content and context of the Declaration of Independence ahead of the 250th anniversary. This program is ideal for anyone interested in exploring the history of this important document before the Houses of Declaration public readings during Fourth of July weekend in Montgomery County and the Dare to Declare events throughout the summer in Chester County. Copies of Dr. Sneff's new book, When the Declaration of Independence Was News, will be available for purchase and signing.
Location: St. Luke's Church, 200 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: Free
Flag Day Gala
Sunday, June 14, 5 to 9 pm
On Flag Day—June 14, 2026—join community leaders and supporters for a commemorative fundraising gala marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. Held at the Museum at Hoppenville, a new venue located in the heart of the Perkiomen Valley, this special evening will feature a guest appearance by Betsy Ross and live music by the Community Music School of Trappe. Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the outdoor patio overlooking the historic estate from 5 to 6 pm, followed by a seated dinner and a lively performance by Carol Spacht as America's famous flag maker.
This event jointly benefits the Montgomery Bar Foundation and Perkiomen Valley 250, a collaborative effort to celebrate the nation's Semiquincentennial anniversary. Sponsorship opportunities are available for the gala; learn more below.
Buy your tickets for the Flag Day Gala now!
Dress code: cocktail party attire; patriotic flair and/or red, white, and blue colors are encouraged!
Flag Day Celebration
Saturday, June 13, 10 am to 4 pm
Sunday, June 14, 12 to 4 pm
Discover the rich and evolving story behind one of the most recognizable symbols in U.S. history—the American flag. This engaging presentation explores the origins and transformation of the flag’s design, tracing its journey from the early days of the nation to the familiar 50-star banner we know today. Learn how pivotal laws and congressional acts shaped each change, reflecting the growth of the country itself. The program also highlights the influence of colonial-era flags that inspired the iconic stars and stripes, offering a deeper understanding of the flag’s meaning, symbolism, and enduring legacy.
Perfect for families, the event will also feature a fun and creative children’s flag craft, giving younger attendees a hands-on way to connect with history and take home their own patriotic creation.
Location: The Speaker’s House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA. Parking will be available at St. Luke’s Church, 200 W. Main St. Trappe, PA.
Cost: included with general museum admission
Garden Party
Saturday, June 6, 2 to 4 pm
Enjoy a relaxed summer afternoon at the newly restored Speaker’s House. Guests are invited to savor a selection of light hors d’oeuvres and sweets, accompanied by refreshing iced tea and lemonade.
Take time to stroll through the kitchen garden and join a guided tour of the Speaker’s House, where you’ll learn about the 25 years of careful restoration that brought it back to life. Classic lawn games will be set out for friendly competition and casual fun.
Location: The Speaker’s House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA. Parking is at St. Luke’s Church, 200 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: $25 per person. Advanced registration required.
Hearth Cooking Workshop
Saturday, May 30, 9 am to 4 pm
Step into the restored kitchen of the Speaker’s House and experience the flavors of an eighteenth century springtime table. Join hearth cook Ruth Konrad as she guides participants in recreating a seasonal meal drawn from a 1745 German cookbook. Working over an open hearth, you’ll explore the techniques, tools, and ingredients that shaped everyday cooking in early Pennsylvania German households.
Location: The Speaker’s House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: $70 Member, $75 Non-Member. Advanced tickets required. This workshop is limited to 6 people.
Prisoners of Congress: Philadelphia's Quakers in Exile, 1777-1778
Lecture by Ned Donoghue
Tuesday, May 19 at 7 pm
In 1777, Congress labeled Quakers who would not take up arms in support of the War of Independence as “the most Dangerous Enemies America knows” and ordered Pennsylvania and Delaware to apprehend them. In response, Keystone State officials sent twenty men—seventeen of whom were Quakers—into exile, banishing them to Virginia, where they were held for a year.
Historian Ned Donoghue's book Prisoners of Congress reconstructs this moment in American history through the experiences of four families: the Drinkers, the Fishers, the Pembertons, and the Gilpins. Identifying them as the new nation’s first political prisoners, Donoghue relates how the Quakers, once the preeminent power in Pennsylvania and an integral constituency of the colonies and early republic, came to be reviled by patriots who saw refusal to fight the English as borderline sedition.
Surprising, vital, and vividly told, this narrative of political and literal warfare waged by the United States against a pacifist religious group during the Revolutionary War era sheds new light on an essential aspect of American history. It will appeal to anyone interested in learning more about the nation’s founding and likely spark key conversations about current events.
Location: St. Luke's Church, 200 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: Free
Window to Revolution Exhibit Opening
Saturday, April 18, 10 am to 4 pm
Join us for the grand opening of our special exhibition Window to Revolution: Pennsylvania Germans and the War for Independence. Focusing on the Revolution's impact on the Greater Philadelphia region, this landmark exhibition features artifacts such as flintlock pistols, Continental currency, Henry Muhlenberg’s journals, a German translation of the Declaration of Independence, fraktur made by former Hessian soldiers, and much more.
Then visit the Speaker's House for a hearth cooking demonstration!
Location: Center for Pennsylvania German Studies at the Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA
Hearth Cooking Demonstration
Saturday, April 18, 10 am to 4 pm
Visit the Speaker's House for a hearth cooking demonstration. Hearth cook, Becky Manley will be making apple fritters! Then take a stroll through the newly opened Speaker's House. Self-guided tours are now available on Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays from 12 to 4 pm.
Location: The Speaker's House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: Free will donation
Book Launch Celebration
Saturday, April 18, 4 to 6 pm
Join us for a reception celebrating the launch of When the Declaration of Independence Was News by Dr. Emily Sneff. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, followed by a book signing.
Publishing for the 250th anniversary of the United States, When the Declaration of Independence Was News focuses on the nation’s founding document at the moment of its creation in 1776, before anyone knew what the legacy of the Declaration would be or if the United States would win the war against Great Britain. It explores how the Declaration was communicated to people in the new nation and around the Atlantic world and reveals the stories of the many people involved in the process of declaring independence, from printers to soldiers to diplomats to translators.
Historic Trappe’s new exhibition, Window to Revolution: Pennsylvania Germans and the War for Independence, opens the same day. Proceeds from book purchases will support Historic Trappe.
Location: Center for Pennsylvania German Studies at the Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA
Speaker’s House Dedication Weekend
April 11 & 12, 12 to 4 pm
Celebrate a historic moment with us! Join Historic Trappe for a special open house marking the dedication of the Speaker’s House after an extraordinary 25 years of restoration. Explore this newly restored landmark, learn about Speaker Frederick Muhlenberg and his family, and be part of this long-awaited milestone in our community's history.
Location: The Speaker's House, 151 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Parking is available across the street in designated areas of the Trappe Shopping Center and at St. Luke's Fellowship Church, 200 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA 19426.
Cost: Free
Early American Craft Fair
Saturday, March 28, 10 am to 3 pm
Join us for an exclusive Early American Craft Fair showcasing the finest traditional artisans.
Talk to the artists about their work and historical inspirations while you shop for handcrafted items and treasures including pottery, woodcarvings, textiles, furniture, painted boxes, and fraktur. Historic Trappe proudly supports traditional artisans throughout the year in its museum store and exhibits fine Americana and folk art in its museums.
Show admission includes free guided tours of Historic Trappe's Center for Pennsylvania German Studies and the Muhlenberg House, located just across the street from the show.
Location: St. Luke’s Fellowship Church, 200 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA 19426
Cost: $10 per person
Redware Exhibit Curator's Tour
Wednesday, March 25, 6 to 7 pm
Explore our current exhibition From Hubener to Medinger: Redware Potters of Southeastern Pennsylvania with curator Christopher Malone and learn all about Pennsylvania German redware from the mid-1700s to mid-1900s. Christopher will provide fresh insights into renowned potters such as Georg Hubener, Conrad Mumbauer, and Samuel Troxel. You will also delve into the work of twentieth-century potters such as Jacob Medinger, considered the last of the traditional Pennsylvania German potters, and Mildred Weekes Keyser, a pioneering revivalist potter.
Cost: $20 per person
George Washington and Frederick the Great: Parallel Lives
Lecture by Jürgen Overhoff
Tuesday, March 24, at 7 pm
Join us for a lecture and book signing by German historian Jürgen Overhoff on the new English translation of his study George Washington and Frederick the Great: Parallel Lives. Dr. Overhoff will share with us new insights about George Washington and Frederick the Great (aka the King of Prussia), two of the most important and influential statesmen of the 18th century. His talk will explore each man's significance not only in the context of America and Germany but in the larger context of Atlantic history. Learn how the first American president and the eminent Prussian king each embodied the competition between liberal democracy and authoritarianism. This study of their political rivalry is a timely comparison as America commemorates its 250th anniversary in 2026. For local residents, this talk will also shed light on the historical figure after whom the "King of Prussia" area was named.
Location: St. Luke's Fellowship Church, 200 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: FREE
This lecture series is co-sponsored by the Historical Society of Montgomery County.
Redware Sgraffito Plate Workshop led by Denise Wilz
Saturday, March 7, 10 am to 4 pm
Join us for a hands-on redware sgraffito pottery workshop hosted by master artisan Denise Wilz. This redware workshop focuses on the sgraffito technique used by 18th- and 19th-century Pennsylvania German potters to make expressive designs in their folk art pottery. Sgraffito means to “scratch” and workshop participants will draw and then scratch a design on a redware plate. Participants may choose a traditional Pennsylvania German design or create their own.
Participants will sgraffito decorate 7” or 10″ redware plates coated with white clay slip; limit of 2 plates as time permits. The plates, all necessary tools, and books for ideas will be provided (feel free to bring your own ideas, too). After the workshop, the plates will be dried, glazed, and fired (process takes 4-5 weeks). Participants will be notified when their plates are ready and can be picked up at the Dewees Tavern. Contact programs@historictrappe.org if shipping is necessary.
This workshop is funded in part by a grant from the Early American Industries Association.
Fanciful Fraktur Birds Workshop with Emily Smucker-Beidler
Saturday, February 28, 1 to 4 pm
Where did fraktur artists find their inspiration for the fanciful birds we see in their art of the 1700s? In this workshop, participants will learn what birds were prevalent here in southeastern Pennsylvania and find connections through fraktur images. Learn where the polka dot, checkerboard, and various striped patterns came from that we now enjoy in fraktur.
Location: Visitor Center behind the Muhlenberg House, 201 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Fasnacht Cooking Demonstration
Saturday, February 21, 10 am to 3 pm
Join hearth cook Becky Manley in the Speaker’s House kitchen as she prepares traditional fasnachts, the rich Pennsylvania German doughnuts enjoyed on the eve of Lent. Watch as Becky demonstrates historic hearth cooking techniques, learn about the cultural roots of this beloved tradition, and enjoy the wonderful sights and smells of fasnachts being made over the fire. Best of all, visitors will have the chance to sample freshly made fasnachts during the demonstration.
A Visit With...Martha Washington
Tuesday, February 17 at 7 pm
George Washington is rightfully known as “the indispensable man.” However, few people really know the “worthy partner” who supported him through the long War of Independence. Lady Washington followed her husband to every winter encampment during the war, and then into the most powerful residence in the new nation, the President’s House in Philadelphia. As the “first” of our founding mothers, Martha Washington’s influence still resounds with us today.
Carol Spacht performs extensively in the Philadelphia region, presenting interactive programs to schools, libraries, and civic organizations. Her portrayal of Martha Washington has taken her from Valley Forge Park to the National Portrait Gallery. Carol also appears regularly as our nation’s premier flag maker at the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia. She is an experienced maker of handsewn historic bed furnishings and led “The Naked Bed Project” at Historic Trappe for the Dietrich American Foundation. Carol is currently working with Historic Trappe on "The Naked Bed 2.0: Dressing the Revolution" funded by the Coby Foundation.
Location: St. Luke's Fellowship Church, 200 W. Main St. Trappe, PA
Cost: FREE
Valentine's Day Workshop
Saturday, February 14, 10:30 am to 3:30 pm
Drop in to the Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main Street, on Saturday, February 14, between 10:30 am and 3:30 pm for a Valentine’s Day workshop. We will be making watercolor cards and paper cut hearts inspired by Pennsylvania German fraktur and Scherenschnitte (scissor cuttings). All materials will be supplied. This workshop is for all ages! For younger kids, come look for hearts around the museum. If you find a certain amount, you will win a prize!
Cost: Museum admission (includes workshop instructions and materials)