Shorts

During the weekend of June 6-7 [1987], the historic houses of Philadelphia’s famous Elfreth’s Alley will be opened as part of this year’s annual open house. A registered national historic landmark, Elfreth’s Alley has been continuously occupied since 1713 and has hosted an annual open house since 1934. Costumed guides will greet visitors and colonial crafts demonstrations will be of­fered. Additional information may be obtained by writing: Elfreth’s Alley Association, 126 Elfreth’s Alley, Philadel­phia, PA 19106; or by telephon­ing (215) 574-0560.

The Germantown Histori­cal Society will open an exhibit commemorating the bicenten­nial of the United States Con­stitution, “From Revolution to Constitution: Germantown in the Constitutional Era” on Sunday, June 28 [1987]. The exhibit­ – showcasing the first petition to ratify the landmark document – will examine the lives of the signers of the Con­stitution, as well as depict Germantown during the years between the American Revolu­tion and the drafting of the document. “From Revolution to Constitution” continues through December. More in­formation is available by writ­ing: Germantown Historical Society, 5214 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144; or by telephoning (215) 844-0514. Admission is charged.

Frank S. Schwarz and Son of Philadelphia is presenting, through June 27 [1987], a major exhi­bition entitled “A Gallery Collects Peales,” featuring paintings by fifteen members of the renowned Peale family, the first and most prominent dynasty of artists in the na­tion. The exhibition is accom­panied by a color illustrated catalogue and a checklist of Peales in city collections as a guide for a walking tour. “A Gallery Collects Peales” is open free to the public. For additional information, write: Frank S. Schwarz and Son, 1806 Chestnut St., Philadel­phia, PA 19103; or telephone (215) 563-4887.

The tenth annual juried exhibition of the Pennsylvania Society of Watercolor Painters will be on view from Saturday, August 1 [1987], through Sunday, October 11 [1987], at the Port of His­tory Museum at Penn’s Land­ing, Philadelphia. Visiting hours of the museum, located at Delaware Avenue and Wal­nut Street, are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. There is an admis­sion charge. For more informa­tion, write: Philadelphia City Representatives Office, Room 120, Municipal Services Build­ing, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1684; or telephone (215) 686-3662.

Thirty-five works by artist Henry Lee McFee­ – complemented by twenty five works by contemporaries, including Charles Sheeler, Andrew Dasburg, Preston Dickenson and Niles Spencer – will be exhibited at the Westmoreland Museum of Art from June 13 [1987] through Au­gust 2 [1987]. Entitled “Henry Lee McFee and the Return to Nat­ure in American Formalist Painting,” the show demon­strates that from 1920 to 1935, a significant number of Ameri­can artists turned, in varying degrees, to nature and then realism to advance the mod­ernist aesthetic. The show was organized by the Center Gal­lery of Bucknell University, Lewisburg. For more informa­tion, write: Westmoreland Museum of Art, 221 North Main St., Greensburg, PA 15601; or telephone (412) 837-1500. Admission is free.

Twenty-five engraved and lithographed certificates of membership in Pennsylvania and national beneficial organi­zations, dating from 1780 to 1880, are on view at the Histor­ical Society of Pennsylvania through July 31 [1987]. Entitled “Un­ion, Health and Happiness: Early American Philanthropic and Benevolent Societies,” the display is open free to the public. More information may be obtained by writing: Histor­ical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107; or by telephoning (215) 732-6200.

Twenty-five engraved and lithographed certificates of membership in Pennsylvania and national beneficial organi­zations, dating from 1780 to 1880, are on view at the Histor­ical Society of Pennsylvania through July 31 [1987]. Entitled “Un­ion, Health and Happiness: Early American Philanthropic and Benevolent Societies,” the display is open free to the public. More information may be obtained by writing: Histor­ical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19107; or by telephoning (215) 732-6200.

Longwood Gardens, Ken­nett Square, will host a special “Children’s Ice Cream Con­cert” on Thursday, June 25 [1987], at 7 P.M. at the conservatory terrace. The concert will be followed by a spectacular illu­minated fountain show. More information may be obtained by writing: Longwood Gar­dens, P.O. Box 501, Kennett Square, PA 19348-0501; or by telephoning (215) 388-6741.

The Peter Wentz Farmstead will sponsor “Muster Day” on Saturday, June 13 [1987]. A wide variety of traditional crafts will be demonstrated during the day-long event, including fireplace cooking and baking, quilting, candlewicking and wood carving. For more infor­mation, write: Peter Wentz Farmstead, P.O. Box 240, Wor­cester, PA 19490; or telephone (215) 584-5104.

“Where the Cows Come Home: A Photographic Retro­spective of the Fort Hunter Centennial Barn” will be on exhibit at the Fort Hunter Mansion, Harrisburg, through September 1 [1987]. The subject of the exhibit, the distinctive Gothic Revival style barn, has been an area landmark for generations. The mansion is open Tuesday through Sun­day. For additional informa­tion, write: Fort Hunter Mansion, 5300 North Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17110; or telephone (717) 599-5751.

“Half a Century in Wood,” a photographic retrospective of artist and sculptor Wharton Esherick’s work from 1920 to his death in 1970, will be on display at the Wharton Esherick Museum from July 19 [1987] through October 30 [1987]. Admis­sion is charged. Additional information is available by writing: Wharton Esherick Museum, P.O. Box 595, Paoli, PA 19301; or by telephoning (215) 644-5822.

“Twentieth Century De­sign: An American Perspective from Western Pennsylvania Collections,” opening July 18 [1987] at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Loretto, will examine furniture, interior design and decoration of an exciting artistic period now termed modernism. Twentieth century design was reaction­ary; its renunciation of the Victorian period’s penchant for excess was complete and vehe­ment. This century’s taste for a streamlined, modern look became almost obsessive, and furnishings – from radios to table lamps – took on a decid­edly aerodynamic appearance. “Twentieth Century Design” will run through September 12 [1987]. For more information, write: Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, St. Francis College Mall, P.O. Box 8, Loretto, PA 15940. Admission is free.

Dennis Kunkle, technical assistant for the Historical Society of York County, will give a lecture entitled “Furni­ture Restoration: When and Why?” at the society’s head­quarters on Wednesday, July 8 [1987], at 7:30 P.M. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. To obtain additional information, write: Historical Society of York County, 250 East Market St., York, PA 17403; or tele­phone (717) 848-1587.

Continuing through De­cember 31 [1987], an exhibit entitled “Eisenhower and the Constitu­tion” will be on display at the Eisenhower Tour Information Center in Gettysburg. For information regarding visiting hours and group tours, write: Eisenhower National Historic Site, National Park Service, Gettysburg, PA 17325-2998.

A juried exhibition of art­works relating to railroading will celebrate the one-hun­dredth anniversary of the Harrisburg Transportation Center. Opening Saturday, July 25 [1987], and concluding Sun­day, August 23 [1987], the show will be mounted by the Doshi Center for Contemporary Art, which is located in the historic center-city structure. Addi­tional information may be obtained by writing: Doshi Center for Contemporary Art, Harrisburg Transportation Center, 441 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., Harrisburg, PA 17101; or by telephoning (717) 233-6744.

“Furniture of the Harmony Society,” an exhibit at Old Economy Village, Ambridge, features twenty examples of furniture used by the nine­teenth century Harmony Soci­ety. The exhibit explores important construction tech­niques and styles used by the sect’s cabinetmakers. The show runs through September [1987]. Additional information may be obtained by writing: Old Econ­omy Village, Fourteenth and Church Sts., Ambridge, PA 15003; or by telephoning (412) 266-1803.

In tribute to the bicenten­nial of the U.S. Constitution, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia has mounted a special show entitled “Framing the Consti­tution: The Artists’ Record.” Continuing through December 13 [1987], the exhibit features por­traits from the Second Bank of the United States (Indepen­dence National Historical Park) supplemented by paintings, prints and sculpture from the Academy’s extensive holdings of American art. Additional information is available by writing: Pennsylvania Acad­emy of the Fine Arts, Broad and Cherry Sts., Philadelphia, PA 19102; or by telephoning (215) 972-7600.

The Cumberland County Historical Society in Carlisle will showcase the works of late eighteenth and early nine­teenth century clockmakers of Carlisle, Shippensburg, Cham­bersburg, Waynesboro and Mercersburg in an exhibit entitled “Tall Case Clocks of the Cumberland Valley in Pennsylvania, 1775-1825.” Most of the examples have been selected from private collec­tions and have never before been publicly exhibited. Open­ing June 27 [1987], the show will continue through September 30 [1987]. Admission is free. Informa­tion regarding visiting hours is available by writing: Cum­berland County Historical Society, 21 North Pitt St., Carlisle, PA 17013; or by tele­phoning (717) 249-7610.

The tenth annual Martha Washington Strawberry Festi­val, commemorating the First Lady’s visit to Bethlehem and the historic Sun Inn in 1799, will be hosted by the Sun Inn Preservation Association on Saturday, June 13 [1987], from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. In addition to strawberry desserts, colonial period crafts demonstrations and entertainment, the arrival of Martha Washington will be reenacted by costumed volun­teers. More information is available by writing: Sun Inn Preservation Association, 564 Main St., Bethlehem, PA 18018; or by telephoning (215) 866-1758.

Duryea Day Antique and Classic Car Show will be spon­sored by the Boyertown Mu­seum of Historic Vehicles at the Boyertown Community Park on Saturday, September 5 [1987], from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. More than five hundred vintage automobiles are expected to be shown during the twenty­-second annual event. For addi­tional information, write: Boyertown Museum of His­toric Vehicles, 28 Warwick St., Boyertown, PA 19512; or tele­phone (215) 367-2090. Admis­sion will be charged.

“Brewing in Bethlehem,” a look at early techniques used to produce beverages during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, will open August 1 [1987] at the 1761 tannery adminis­tered by Historic Bethlehem. The exhibit will remain on view through September 19 [1987]. To obtain additional information, write; Historic Bethlehem, 501 Main St., Bethlehem, PA 18018; or telephone (215) 691-5300.

Pioneer Days – featuring eighteenth century crafts and entertainment – will be hosted by Old Bedford Village the weekend of September 5-7 [1987]. Additional information is available by writing: Old Be­dford Village, P.O. Box 1976, Bedford, PA 15522; or by tele­phoning (814) 623-1156. There is an admission charge.

Sunday, June 21 [1987], is the annual Father’s Day Festival at the Boal Mansion and Mu­seum in Boalsburg, Centre County, featuring period arts, crafts, entertainment and refreshments. Festival hours are Noon to 6 P.M. For further details, write: Boal Mansion and Museum, Boalsburg, PA 16827; or telephone (814) 466-6210. There is an admission fee.

Through June 14 [1987], a small but significant exhibit of paint­ings and works on paper by Pennsylvania native George Luks will be on view at the Sordoni Art Galley in Wilkes­-Barre. “George Luks: An American Painter” showcases thirty-two oil paintings and thirty-two watercolors and sketches, some of which were published as illustrations. Born in Williamsport, Lycom­ing County, Luks achieved renown as a member of New York’s famous artistic circle, “The Eight.” The exhibit – ­featuring loans from private and public collections – is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue. Admission to “George Luks: An American Painter” is free. For more infor­mation, write: Sordoni Art Gallery, 150 South River St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766; or telephone (717) 824-4651.

The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum in Potter County will be the site of the thirteenth annual Bark Peelers’ Conven­tion on Friday and Saturday, July 3-4 [1987]. Activities will include traditional crafts demonstra­tions and period entertain­ment. For more information, write: Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, P.O. Box K, Galeton, PA 16922.

The Institute of Pennsylva­nia Rural Life and Culture, seminars and workshops on decorative arts, architecture and traditional crafts, will be held Tuesday through Friday, June 16-19 [1987], at the Pennsylvania Farm Museum of Landis Val­ley, Lancaster. Program and registration information is available by writing: Pennsyl­vania Farm Museum, 2451 Kissel Hill Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601; or by telephoning (717) 569-0401.

Uniformed veterans, hot air balloon rides, old fashioned entertainment and refresh­ments will be part of the reen­actment of the 1876 Centennial Celebration on Saturday, July 4 [1987], at Old Hanna’s Town in Westmoreland County. Spon­sored by the Westmoreland County Historical Society, the event will be held from Noon to 5:00 P.M. Old Hanna’s Town is located three miles north of Greensburg. For more infor­mation, write: Westmoreland County Historical Society, 102 North Main St., Greensburg, PA 15601; or telephone (412) 836-1800.

On Sunday, August 9 [1987], the Lenni-Lenape Historical Soci­ety of Pennsylvania will host its annual Roasting Ears of Corn Food Festival at its head­quarters in Allentown, Lehigh County. For more information, write: Lenni-Lenape Historical Society, Fish Hatchery Rd., R.D. 2, Allentown, PA 18103; or telephone (215) 797-2121 or 434-6819.