Heritage Days | Christiana Historical Society

Friday September 13th @ 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Hilton and the Pickers will entertain you with their high-energy, hard-driving, awesome finger picking music!

Heritage Days Friday '25_20250119_133641_0000.png

Saturday September 14th @ 10:00am - 4:00pm

Join us for a celebration of Christiana's historical influence in the

Civil War,

Industry

and

Architecture.

Learn about the Christiana Resistance of 1851.

Stop at the information booth and pick up your wrist band

Underground Railroad Museum Tours

Exhibits
Demonstrations

Multiple Locations

Wagon Tour

Tours depart at

10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00

Ages 10+ $10.00

Ages 4 to 10 $ 3.00

Children 3 and under are free

Everyone 10 and older receives a beautiful book of places viewed on the tour.

The book includes pictures and the history of each location.

Tickets may be purchased during our Heritage Days event by visiting the Wagon Tour booth.

Please be at the wagon ride loading area 10 minutes prior to your scheduled tour

Make your reservation for the
Underground Railroad Museum Tour

Tours are held at the Zerchers Hotel

(home of the Underground Railroad Museum)

Tours times are

10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00

Free admission

The events that occurred on September 11, 1851 in Christiana, Pennsylvania are cited as major flash points that led to the outbreak of the Civil War. These events are described in a guided tour at the Christiana Underground Railroad Center in an interesting and educational format for all ages.

You can also reserve your spot with the Tour Host at the Zerchers Hotel on Heritage Day, September 14th.

Please arrive for your tour 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time.

Ride the train to the Freight Station

Check out the 2 RAILCARS and a SPEEDER from NARCOA (National American Railcar Operators Association)

The caboose from NRHS (National Railway Historical Society) will be open

Say hello to the Amtrak police and K-9 Unit from Operation Life Saver

Check out the Friends of the State Railroad Museum display

Purchase tickets to the Strasburg Railroad for $12.00 (Regularly $24.00)

Don't miss this rare opportunity to take a step back in time and experience an important part of Christiana history at the Machine Shop

Walk across the street to the Masonic Hall and meet some really interesting people and learn about local history

Taylor Lamborn will describe the Christiana Resistance of 1851 and the abolitionist movement as told by descendants.

Stephaan Howell will be sharing the history of the Christiana Resistance from an African American perspective.

J. Arthur Moore

Author

William Chester Ruth was an inventor from Gap who changed local farming for the better. He is credited with at least four patented inventions. His granddaughter, Gwen Dickinson, will be sharing history and artifacts from him.

Did you know that Christiana had cement light posts and it's own telephone and steam heat company? Kate Patterson will exhibit pictures and artifacts from Andrew Jackson Melcher (our own Ben Franklin)

Barbara Joyce will share her collection of antiques

Harry Kendall

Author

Make yourself comfortable and watch a video of old, rare photos of Christiana edited by Jim Stead

Learn about the Masonic Lodge

Spinning and weaving

exhibit

Dee Sheppard

Food

Chicken BBQ

$10.00

Prepared onsite by

Randy Yoder

Includes 1/4 chicken, Amish macaroni salad, chips, chocolate pudding and water

Proceeds benefit Christiana Historical Society

Serving up next-level espresso drinks, yummy fruit smoothies, mouthwatering acai bowls and pastries. Mocha Motion Coffee

Serving everything BBQ brisket, pork, mac & cheese and more.

22-bbq.com

Entertainment

The Roland Zimmerman Family will be performing at 10:00am. They perform bluegrass, old-time country and folk styles of music.

Joel Stoltzfus will play a mix of folk, pop and alternative acoustic covers at 11:30am.

STAGE SCHEDULE

10:00 Zimmerman Family (music)
11:15 Dwight Groff (history)
11:30 Joel Stoltzfus (music)
1:00 3rd US Color Troops (history)
2:00 HDMR (music)

HDMR is a local solo artist who writes, produces and performs his own music, typically performing with his dad Todd, and occasionally his fiancée Jada. He writes alternative rock music and enjoys playing a variety of genres.

Listen at 2:00pm. For more information or music visit hdmrmusic.com.

His music can also be located on all music platforms, including Spotify, YouTube and Tik Tok.

Doc Yoder is a magician. He will be roaming around the Heritage Days lawn from 11 to 3. Find him before he disappears.

Under the Tent

Dwight Groff, a Lancaster County Farmer, will explain the growing process of a corn stalk in the field, the process of harvesting and a demonstration of shelling the kernels off the cob as it was done in yesteryear. You'll get a chance to grind corn into cornmeal.