Depreciation Lands Museum open for the season

The Depreciation Lands Museum in Hampton Township opened for the season on Aug. 16. It will remain open from 1-4 p.m. each Sunday through the end of October.

Jonathan Klemens, vice president of the museum, said that the buildings and exhibits are roped off to ensure social distancing and that masks are required in all buildings — even the costumed demonstrators wear masks indoors.

The site includes the Pine Creek Covenanter Church, which was built in 1837, and the associated cemetery as well as the Armstrong log house, built in 1803, with its associated spectacular herb garden. A fully furnished replica school, circa 1885, a working blacksmith shop, beehive bake oven, smokehouse and tavern, an 18th-century style gathering place are all part of the places visitors to the museum can check out. The barn houses a Conestoga wagon, displays, workshop and a replica mercantile.

“Due to the pandemic and our utmost concern for visitor safety, we will not feature our Hydref Fall Festival this year,” Klemens said. “In lieu of Hydref, we will present special colonial demonstrations on interesting pioneer skills on most Sundays until our season ends on Oct. 29.”

Scheduled demonstrations include:

Sept. 13 – A Stitch in Time

Sept. 20 – The Apothecary’s Cupboard

Sept. 27 – 7 Shades of Cochineal

Oct. 4 – Logging to Lumber

Oct. 11 – Cool as a Cucumber

Oct. 18 – Pyrotechnics with Flint & Steel

Oct. 25 – Going out with a Bang

The schedules are subject to change, so visit the website for the latest information. Sunday donations can be paid online at dlmuseum.org/visit.shtml.