"Peeksting" - The Place of Springs or Standing Water

PHS Meeting Dates and Speakers

2023

May 7th (Sunday) - 10:00 to 4:00 PM - A field trip to the Fort Hunter Annual Garden Faire and the Paxtang Art Association Display and Sales Event.  Fort Hunter was an historic French and Indian War fort and later a colonial and Victorian plantation.  It is a  200 acre estate now owned by Dauphin County, located  just north of Harrisburg at 5300 North Front Street along the bank of the Susquehanna River.  Along with the Paxtang Art Association's display and sales event, this year the Garden Faire will feature:  an Historic Fencing Demonstration at 12:15 & 2:00 pm, the Victorian Dance Ensemble & Susquehanna Travellers band at 12:30 pm & 1:30 pm, the Cake Walk at 12:30 pm, Garden chats at 12:00- 2:00 pm, Cemetery Walk with Dr. Donald Koones at 1:00 pm, a Maypole Dance at 1:00 & 2:15 pm, and a Croquet Demonstration at  2:30 pm. 

In addition, there will be Bees and Rain Gardens, Café lunches, Children’s activities, Craft vendors, Food Stand, Friends Plant Sale, Ikebana International and Bonsai exhibits, Jumbo Lawn Chess & Checkers, Seed Swap, and  Mansion tours.  More information can be found at https://forthunter.org/event/garden-faire/  and + Google Map

The Paxtang Art Association was formed in 1951 and is the premier art association in the Harrisburg area, offering art lessons weekly.  For more information go to  https://paxtangartassociation.godaddysites.com/

Attendance to the Fort Hunter Garden Faire and its scheduled events is free.  Please come out and support the Paxtang Art Association.

2022

October 3rd (Monday) - 6:30 PM - at the Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street, Paxtang.  PHS Board Member Chas Ford will give a presentation entitled “Prohibition Laws and Lawlessness.”  Chas is the owner and originator of The Beer Bottle Museum located at his residence at 3220 Derry Street.  The house was built in 1921.  Chas started collecting beer bottles in 1980.  The Museum contains over 5,000 different antique and vintage beer bottles from throughout the United States and other countries.  You can take a virtual tour of The Beer Bottle Museum by visiting the Facebook page:          https://www.facebook.com/The-Beer-Bottle-Museum-231346054685/

From 1920 to 1933, Prohibition in the U.S. was a nationwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. During the prohibition years, in an attempt to counter lost revenue, many breweries made alternative products, like near-beers, ginger ales, root beers, malt tonics and syrups. The Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville even made ice cream.

Light refreshments will be served at the October 3rd meeting.  Come and enjoy the show!  All are welcome to attend.

May 23rd (Monday) - 6:30 PM - at the Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street, Paxtang.  John E. Fortino will give a presentation entitled “Magicians and Illusionists in the USA - then and now.”  John will talk about performance/stage magicians during the last two centuries in the USA and their influence on our society today.  A third of his presentation will be on the history of performance magicians and illusionist in the USA, a third on how magicians think and we think, and their influence on us, and then for about twenty minutes or more John will provide some fun demonstrations.  John has developed Magic Shows, Mentalism Shows and Science Shows for schools, churches, organizations, and other groups.  Born and raised in Steelton, John and his wife Jeanne have lived most of their married life in Paxtang.  They have two children and four grandchildren.  John has a Bachelor Degree in Social Studies and a Master Degree in American Studies, both from Penn State.  He has worked over 28 years in the insurance industry and 14 years at Hershey Gardens as the Butterfly House Coordinator.  John is Vice President of the Paxtang Historical Society, accepting that position in 2016.  Light refreshments will be served at the May 23rd meeting.  Come and enjoy the show!  All are welcome to attend.

2021

There was no Society meeting in April or October 2021.

The April and October 2021 meetings were not held because of concerns and safety guidelines for COVID-19 corona virus cases in south-central Pennsylvania.

2020

The October 5th meeting of the Society was not held.

The PHS meeting scheduled below has been cancelled because of  COVID-19 corona virus cases currently being reported for south-central Pennsylvania.

August 3 (Monday) - 7:00 PM - [CANCELLED] at the Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street, Paxtang.  John E. Fortino will give a presentation entitled “Magicians and Illusionists in the USA - then and now.”  John will talk about performance/stage magicians during the last two centuries in the USA and their influence on our society today.  A third of his presentation will be on the history of performance magicians and illusionist in the USA, a third on how magicians think and we think, and their influence on us, and then for about twenty minutes or more John will provide some fun demonstrations.  John has developed Magic Shows, Mentalism Shows and Science Shows for schools, churches, organizations, and other groups.  Born and raised in Steelton, John and his wife Jeanne have lived most of their married life in Paxtang.  They have two children and four grandchildren.  John has a Bachelor Degree in Social Studies and a Master Degree in American Studies, both from Penn State.  He has worked over 28 years in the insurance industry and 14 years at Hershey Gardens as the Butterfly House Coordinator.  John is Vice President of the Paxtang Historical Society, accepting that position in 2016.  Light refreshments will be served at the August 3rd meeting.  Come and enjoy the show!  All are welcome to attend.

2019

October 7 (Monday) - 6:30 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon St.,  Paxtang. Historian and author Robin G. Lighty will give an illustrated talk entitled "Colonial Slaves and Slave Owners in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania."  This talk will describe and list all known slaves and slave owners in Dauphin County from 1780 to 1830.  There will be a brief discussion of the 1780 Pennsylvania law that gradually abolished slavery in the state, and a comparison to slavery in other states immediately following the Revolutionary War.  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  All are welcome to attend.

September 21 (Saturday) - Paxton Presbyterian Church and the Paxtang Historical Society will present tours of the  colonial Paxton Presbyterian Church and adjacent historic cemetery.  Tours and picnic refreshments from 2:00 to 5:00, followed by live band music.

The Historical Committee of the Paxton Presbyterian Church will be leading tours of their early colonial church building and adjacent historical churchyard cemetery on Saturday September 21, 2019.  Presentations within the sanctuary of the old stone church, built in 1740, will start at 2:00 and 3:30 P.M.  Churchyard tours will begin at 2:45 and 4:15 P.M., followed by Music in the Grove at 5:00 P.M. featuring The Tunesters of Central PA classic dance band.  Picnic food, desserts, and drinks will be provided throughout the afternoon.  This special event is co-sponsored by the Paxtang Historical Society and is open to the public.  All are welcome to attend.

The street address for the church and churchyard is 3500 Sharon Street in Paxtang.  Historical presentations and food and music will be moved indoors in the event of inclement weather.

For more information see:

https://paxtonchurch.org/ and https://www.tunestersofcentralpa.org/

The Paxton Presbyterian Church in Paxtang is the oldest Presbyterian church building in continuous use in Pennsylvania, and the second oldest in the United States.  Services were conducted on the site possibly as early as 1722.  In 1726 a travelling preacher from Lancaster County started visiting regularly.  In 1732 the Paxtang congregation was officially organized as a Presbyterian Church by the Presbytery of Donegal, with the Rev. William Bertram as its first installed pastor.  The Rev. John Elder, the famous “Fighting Parson,” became pastor in 1738 and continued as pastor through the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War, while also serving as a commissioned military officer.  

Construction on the present stone sanctuary started in 1740, replacing a log meeting house which had served as a place of worship during the earliest rugged pioneer days.  A stone marker south of the sanctuary indicates the site of the log building.  Today a replica of the log meeting house stands north of the present sanctuary.

In the quaint old churchyard adjacent to the church lie the bodies of early frontier defenders along with soldiers of the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, Civil War, and both World Wars.  Ministers, legislators, farmers, teachers, men of affairs, and even a few family slaves lie buried with them in this historic plot.  Buried here too are people who in earlier days helped to mold the religious and political character of region, such as John Harris, Jr. and four of the six commissioners who planned the town of Harrisburg with him in 1785.  William Maclay, first U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, also lies buried in the churchyard.

April 1 (Monday) - 6:30 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street, Paxtang.  Chris E. Heisey will  share about 70 images of Antietam and Gettysburg Civil War battlefields and talk why the battles/battlefields are so compelling.  The title of his presentation is: Two Invasions North: Antietam and Gettysburg - Contemporary Battlefield Photography of Chris Heisey.  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  All are welcome to attend.

Chris Heisey's images have appeared in more than 200 publications and media productions worldwide.  He has co-authored two previous books, Gettysburg: This Hallowed Ground with Kent Gramm and In the Footsteps of Grant and Lee: Wilderness thorough Cold Harbor, with Gordon Rhea. The forthcoming Gettysburg: The Living and the Dead, co-authored with Kent Gramm, will be released by Southern Illinois University Press in May 2019.  Over the past 30 years, he has visited some 380 American battlefields and supports several historic preservation groups whose mission is to save threatened hallowed grounds.  He works for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he is a photojournalist and writer. 

2018

October 1st (Monday) - 6:30 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street, Paxtang.   James Bruce will talk on the "Paxtang Rangers July 11, 1863 - August 5, 1864."  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  All are welcome to attend.

The subject of Mr. Bruce's talk is Captain Clayton's and Captain Green's Ranger Companies and the role they played in Lancaster, Dauphin, and Lebanon County history during Pontiac's War.  These military units were authorized by the lieutenant governor and commander-in-chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and commanded by the Reverend John Elder, the pastor of Paxton Presbyterian Church, from July 11, 1763, to December 29, 1763, and by Major Asher Clayton from December 29, 1763, until they were disbanded in 1764.  As many of the recruits of these military units came from what was then Paxtang Township, Lancaster County, in what is now Dauphin County, they were commonly called “Paxton Rangers.”  These ranger units should not be confused with the more widely known “Paxton Boys,” a group of vigilantes active during the same period.

James Bruce is a member of the Paxton Presbyterian Church History Committee.  He is a graduate of Duke University and Dickinson School of Law and, prior to his retirement, was assistant chief counsel of the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. A Vietnam War veteran, James was assigned to the 28th Military History Detachment of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in 1968-1969.  He is also a family historian and Civil War enthusiast, tracking the 6th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment during the time his great-grandfather served in the unit.

August 25 (Saturday) - 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM - PHS Annual Picnic this year will be held at the Paxtang Cemetery.  Note the change in time and date.  The picnic lunch and cemetery tour will be staged at the entrance to the cemetery at the top of the hill along North Paxtang Avenue.  This year's joint special picnic event with Paxtang Cemetery is in commemoration of the Paxtang and Harrisburg area veterans of World War One on the 100th anniversary of end of WWI and for Spanish American War veterans on the 120th anniversary of that war starting.  It is also the 120th anniversary of the cemetery.  Paxtang Cemetery hosted the PHS annual picnic in 2013 and this year will once again have all that great food and the well-loved horse and carriage wagon tours through the cemetery.  Cemetery staff will be in period attire and speaking on the times and people of the period.  There will be handouts of all the names of the WWI and Spanish American War veterans buried in Paxtang Cemetery.  The catered lunch and start of the horse drawn tours will be near the Mausoleum on top of the hill.  Each tour takes about 20 minutes.  If you want to help out, please bring a cold side dish or your favorite dessert for others to taste.  Local musicians Frank and Laura Tittinger “The Fave” will perform live music from 1:00 to 2:00.  This event is free and open to the public.

The Paxtang Cemetery staff are requesting that anyone planning on attending this special event please call their office to say that they might be attending, so that they know how much food to cater and to ensure that everyone who wants a carriage wagon ride can be accommodated.  Their office telephone number is 717-564-2110.  Thanks for doing this.

April 2 (Monday) - 6:30 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street, Paxtang.   Norman L. Daniels will talk on the History of Paxton Presbyterian Church.  Norm is the Chair of the Paxton Presbyterian Church Historical Committee.  He is past president and current treasurer of the Harrisburg Civil War Round Table and a member of the Hershey Civil War Roundtable.  His talk on the history of the Paxton Church is partly based on his own original research and will include many new fun facts, vignettes, and historical speculations.  Norm is a retired elementary teacher for the Central Dauphin School District, with an undergraduate college degree from Penn State Harrisburg and two masters degrees from Shippensburg University.  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  All are welcome to attend.

2017

October 2 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street.  Paxtang Historical Society President and author Robin G. Lighty will give an illustrated talk and display a collection of antiques about the Spanish American War Veterans of Paxtang and the Role of Pennsylvania's Militia Regiments during the War.  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  All are welcome to attend.

April 3 (Monday) - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street.   WWII Navy veteran Samuel "Chuck" Kline will talk about his experiences during WWII as an operator of the Higgins Boat landing craft during naval operations in the far western Pacific.  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  All are welcome to attend.

We are honored to have 90 year old Chuck Kline of Lower Paxton Township speak to us about his experiences as a Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class on board the USS Wasatch AGC 9, an Amphibious Force Command flagship that participated in several major battle campaigns in the western Pacific during WWII.  Chuck’s duties as a coxswain were to steer and maintain a LCVP landing craft, or Higgins boat.  These landing craft are well known for WWII beach invasions loaded with soldiers and marines.  The LCVP boats (Landing Craft, Vehicles, Personnel) were just over 36 ft long and about 11 ft wide.  With a flat shallow draft of 2 to 3 ft, it would sway in choppy seas, causing seasickness.  Its sides and rear stern were made of plywood and offered little protection from enemy fire.  The LCVP Higgins boat could hold either a 36-man platoon, or a jeep and a 12-man squad, or carry 8,000 lbs. of cargo.  It would run up onto the shoreline or beach and the steel ramp forming the bow at the front would be lowered quickly to swiftly disembark men and supplies.  The LCVP would then reverse itself back off the beach, and head back out to the ship for another load.

The USS Wasatch Amphibious Command flagship was commissioned on May 20, 1944, and departed Norfolk, Virginia, for the western Pacific on June 26, 1944.  The ship was 459 ft long, 63 ft wide, and held a complement of 50 officers and 562 enlisted.  The ship participated in three major campaigns in the western Pacific:  Western New Guinea (Sept. 1944), Gulf of Leyte, Philippines (October 1944) and Borneo (June and July 1945), and received five battle stars.

After the Japanese surrendered in August 1945, the ship participated in the occupation of several ports in Japan and China.  The ship left China on November 7, 1945, and arrived in Pearl Harbor and then San Francisco on December 10, 1945.  The ship was decommissioned in San Diego on August 30, 1946, and years later scrapped.

 Chuck Kline was on the USS Wasatch ACG 9 for its entire naval mission.  Mr. Kline enlisted on March 14, 1944, trained at the U.S. Naval Training Station, Bainbridge MD, from March 15 to April 10, 1944, then at the U.S. Naval Training Station in Newport, Rhode Island, from April 10 to May 10, 1944.  He served on board the USS Wasatch from May 10, 1944, to May 22, 1946.  Born on January 25, 1927, he was only 17 years old when he started his naval service in the far Pacific during WWII.

August 7 (Monday) - 6:00 PM - PHS Annual Picnic, rain or shine, at the Saussaman Park Pavilion (north of Paxton Presbyterian Church).   All are welcome.  You do not have to be a PHS member to come and enjoy the event.  Bring a covered dish or dessert to help out.

2016

April 4 (Monday) - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street.   Richard Hartman will give a presentation on Simon Cameron.  Mr. Hartman is a researcher and John Harris/Simon Cameron Mansion tour guide.  A brief business meeting will follow.  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  Bring a friend.  We hope to see you there.

August 1 (Monday) - 6:00 PM - PHS Annual Picnic, rain or shine, at the Saussaman Park Pavilion (north of the Paxton Presbyterian Church).   All are welcome.  You do not have to be a PHS member to come and enjoy the evening.

At the August picnic the Paxtang Historical Society will provide sandwiches, drinks, condiments, plates, cups, and utensils.  If possible, please bring a covered dish of your favorite recipe to share.  Please call Shirley or Murv Grunden before July 30th if you plan to attend and let them know what type of food you are planning to bring, so we have a close count for the event.  Call (717) 561-2602 after 6:00 and leave a message if no one is at home, or email them at murvg@aol.com with email subject title of PHS Picnic.

September 20 (Tuesday) - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street.  Jean and Wade Seibert of the Hummelstown Area Historical Society will give a presentation on "Quilts and What They Mean."  The talk will be given in the Kurland room downstairs at the church.

October 3 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street.  Local historian Sheldon Munn will speak on local historical sites and "Conflicting Harrisburg Area Opportunities."  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  Bring a friend.  We hope to see you there.

2015

January 13 (Tuesday) - 1:30 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  We will have the Sentimentalists Chorus entertain us in the Great Room of the Paxton Presbyterian Church.  There will be refreshments provided by PHS.  The Chorus does not charge a fee, but we will have a basket at the door for donations for them.  Please let us know if you will be attending this event so we have a count. Contact Shirley Grunden Phone 717-561-2620 or Email murvg@aol.com

February 8 (Sunday) - 1:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  We will meet at the Paxton Church and then car pool to Hummelstown to view the show displayed by the Hummelstown Area Historical Society entitled "A Tribute to Railroading in Hummelstown."   Please let us know if you will be attending this event so we have a count. Contact Shirley Grunden Phone 717-561-2620 or Email murvg@aol.com

April 6 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  Barbara Barksdale CTA will give a presentation on "Local Black History."  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  Bring a friend.  We hope to see you there.

August 3 - 6:30 PM - PHS Annual Picnic, rain or shine, at the Saussaman Park Pavilion (North of the Paxton Presbyterian Church).   All are welcome.  You do not have to be a PHS member to come and enjoy the evening.

At the August picnic the Paxtang Historical Society will provide sandwiches, drinks, condiments, plates, cups, and utensils.  If possible, please bring a covered dish of your favorite recipe to share.  Please call Shirley or Murv Grunden before July 30th if you plan to attend and let them know what type of food you are planning to bring, so we have a close count for the event.  Call (717) 561-2602 after 6:00 and leave a message if no one is at home, or email them at murvg@aol.com with email subject title of PHS Picnic.

October 5 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  Steve Runkle will speak on "Native American Life in the Susquehanna River Basin Region."  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  Bring a friend.  We hope to see you there.

December 13 (Sunday) - 1:30 PM - Tour through the Hershey Museum at 2:00 pm.  This is the one on the main street.  The Museum will be decorated for Christmas. The tour will take 1 1/2 hours to see everything.  There will be Museum staff along the tour that will explain things to us.  The Tour will cost $8.50, if we have at least 12 people.  Otherwise, it will cost $9.00.  If anyone is interested in going, please call Shirley Grunden or Murv Grunden at 717-561-2620.  They would like to know by Friday Dec 11th.  The PHS car pool will leave the parking lot at the Paxton Presbyterian Church at 1:30 pm.

2014

April 7 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  Mr. Norman Lacasse will give a presentation on "Ringing the City with Green," regarding the Capital Area Greenbelt.  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  Bring a friend.  We hope to see you there.

August 4 - 6:00 PM - PHS Annual Picnic, rain or shine, at the Saussaman Park Pavilion (North of the Paxton Presbyterian Church).   All are welcome.  You do not have to be a PHS member to come and enjoy the evening.

At the August picnic the Paxtang Historical Society will provide sandwiches, drinks, condiments, plates, cups, and utensils.  If possible, please bring a covered dish of your favorite recipe to share.  Please call Shirley or Murv Grunden before July 30th if you plan to attend and let them know what type of food you are planning to bring, so we have a close count for the event.  Call (717) 561-2602 after 6:00 and leave a message if no one is at home, or email them at murvg@aol.com with email subject title of PHS Picnic.

October 6 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  Civil War Historian Craig Caba will speak on Pennsylvanians and the Civil War, accompanied by a wonderful display of artifacts.  Mr. Caba attended John Harris High School and graduated from the University of Kentucky. He is the author of numerous books, including, “US Military Drums,” “Patriot Daughters,” “Historic Southern Saddles,” and “Episodes of Gettysburg and the Underground Railroad.”

December 18 (Thursday) - 1:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  There will be a field trip for a Christmas House Tour of the Peter Wolf House built in 1762 in York, PA.  We will meet at the Paxton Church to car pool to York.  Refreshments will be served at York and we will stop at the I-83 Diner on the way home.   Please let us know if you will be attending this event so we have a count. Contact Shirley Grunden Phone 717-561-2620 or Email murvg@aol.com  

2013

April 1 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  Mr. Willis Kocher, an area resident, former social studies teacher, Civil War historian, speaker, guide and collector will make a presentation on “The Gettysburg Address”.  Mr. Kocher is a past President of the Harrisburg Civil War Round Table.  Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.  Bring a friend.  We hope to see you there.

April 11th - 11:00 am till 9:00 pm - SPECIAL FUND RAISING EVENT FOR PHS AT HOSS'S STEAK AND SEAFOOD HOUSE IN HUMMELSTOWN ( by Swatara Creek).  We have teamed up with Hoss's to raise money for the 2014 PHS Paxtang Memories book.  PHS WILL RECEIVE 20% PAYOUT from purchases, but our group must have a minimum of $300 in total pre-tax food and beverage sales, purchase of gift cards is not included.  We need everyone to come together and help us to publish the Paxtang Memories book so no one will forget Paxtang and keep Paxtang in our hearts.  Event Update:  PHS raised about $360 from $1,798 in total sales.  Thank You So Much.

August 5 - 6:00 PM - PHS Annual Picnic, rain or shine, at Paxtang Cemetery.  Note Location Change:  We will meet in front of the Paxtang Cemetery Mausoleum, along North Paxtang Avenue.  We are having a very special Paxtang Historical Society annual picnic this year.  Paxtang Cemetery is hosting our annual picnic in conjunction with their 115th Anniversary.  The Paxtang Cemetery will have a Civil War reenactment, the Victorian Dance Ensemble, the Susquehanna Travellers Quartet and dinner in front of the Mausoleum on top of the hill.  Please, if possible bring a covered dish of your favorite recipe for others to taste.

Please call Shirley or Murv Grunden before August 3rd if you plan to attend and let them know what type of food you are planning to bring, so we have a close count for the event.  Call (717) 561-2620 after 6:00 and leave a message if no one is at home.  Or email them at murvg@aol.com with email subject title of PHS Picnic.

August 15th - Thursday, 5:00 pm till 9:00 pm - SPECIAL FUND RAISING EVENT FOR PHS AT ISAAC'S Famous Grilled Sandwiches at 421 Friendship Road Harrisburg (behind Bass Pro Shop on Paxton Street).  We have teamed up with Isaac's to raise money for the 2014 PHS Paxtang Memories book.  PHS WILL RECEIVE A 25% PAYOUT from purchases, and an additional 15% on any Isaac's Gift Cards purchased while there.   A special fundraiser form is needed to take to Isaac's, which will be available at the Paxtang Historical Society's August 5th picnic event (described above).  Forms also can be obtained from Shirley Grunden or downloaded from here: PHS Isaac's Fundraiser Form.doc       Please help us to raise the money to publish the Paxtang Memories centennial book.

September 4th, 11th, and 18th All Day - SPECIAL FUND RAISING EVENT FOR PHS AT MAMA'S PIZZA at 3412 Derry Street, Paxtang.    On these 3 days, Mama’s  Pizza will donate 10% of All Sales to the Paxtang Historical Society to help with the costs of publishing the Paxtang Memories book that will be available in 2014 for the Paxtang Centennial.  Please help us out with your purchase on these days.

October 7 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.    PHS Annual Meeting and Program entitled Archaeology, Saving the Past for our Future by Dane Snyder, MA RPA.

December 9 - 6:30 - Paxtang Historical Society will be visiting the Ephrata Cloister for our December get together.  Please call David Foreman (717) 564-1345 for tickets as they go on sale November 8, 2013. You can go on your own or car pool from the Paxton Presbyterian Church.

Monday, December 9, 2013
Christmas at the Cloister
Performance at 6:30 pm

An annual favorite for many families in the community, join us as we spend a few moments of quiet reflection, listen to seasonal readings and enjoy holiday music in the 1741 Meetinghouse.  Seating is limited and advance tickets are required.  Tickets are $6 per person.  No exchanges or refunds will be made.

Ephrata Cloister
632 West Main Street, Ephrata, PA 17522
Telephone (717) 733-6600
Ephrata1732@gmail.com

http://www.ephratacloister.org

2012

April 16 - 7:00 PM - (Note Change of Date) Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  Civil War Historian Craig Caba will speak on Pennsylvanians who walked in the footsteps of history from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War, accompanied by a display of artifacts.

August 6 - 6:00 PM - PHS Annual Picnic, rain or shine, at the Saussaman Park Pavillion (North of the Paxton Presbyterian Church).   All are welcome.  You do not have to be a PHS member to come and enjoy the evening.

We are requesting that those that have memories or stories of Old Paxtang please write them down and bring them along to share with others.  We are planning to collect as many as we can for a 100th Year Celebration Booklet in 2014.

At the August picnic the Paxtang Historical Society will provide sandwiches, drinks, condiments, plates, cups, and utensils.  If possible, please bring a covered dish of your favorite recipe to share.  Please call Shirley or Murv Grunden before July 30th if you plan to attend and let them know what type of food you are planning to bring, so we have a close count for the event.  Call (717) 561-2602 after 6:00 and leave a message if no one is at home, or email them at murvg@aol.com with email subject title of PHS Picnic.

October 1 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.    PHS Annual Meeting and a living history presentation by David Klinepeter, as he portrays the Civil War Governor of Pennsylvania, Gov. Andrew Gregg Curtin.

December 10 - 7:00 PM - A visit to the Hummelstown Area Historical Society Meeting and Special Program entitled Civil War Christmas by Myra Reichert.  The Meeting/Program will be at the Parish House located on North Alley and North Rosanna Street in Hummelstown.

2011

January 9 - 1:00 PM - Tour of the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum located at 1820 N. 4th Street, Harrisburg.  We will meet at 1:00 PM at the Museum.  Admission is free for Paxtang Historical Society Members.   Cost for Non-Members is $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for students.  Please call Yvonne Rosenberger, (717) 564-6256, if you plan to attend and leave a message on the recorder.

April 4 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.  Mayor D. J. Landis will speak on Michael Simpson, a native of Paxtang and founder of the Simpson Ferry.

August 1 - 6:30 PM - PHS Annual Picnic, rain or shine, at the Saussaman Park Pavillion (North of the Paxton Presbyterian Church).   All are welcome.  You do not have to be a PHS member.  As a special treat, music will be provided by the Father and Son Team of Frank and Frank Tittiger, and for those who would like to share, Paxtang memories by current and past Paxtang residents.  PHS will provide sandwiches, drinks, condiments, plates, cups, and utensils.  If possible, please bring a covered dish of your favorite recipe to share. 

October 3 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church,  3500 Sharon Street.    PHS Annual Meeting and presentation by Rev. David Biser on John Harris, Jr.

December 11 - 2:00 PM - Christmas at Fort Hunter, a tour of the Fort Hunter mansion that will be decorated for Christmas.  Free to PHS members.

2010

October 4 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street.    PHS Annual Meeting and presentation “PA Coal Mining Past and Present and Death in the Mines” by PHS Board Member Robin G. Lighty.  The history of coal mining in Dauphin County will be included.  Robin's presentation also includes a display of mining artifacts.

August 2 - 6:00 PM - PHS Annual Picnic, rain or shine, at the Saussaman Park Pavillion (North of the Paxton Presbyterian Church).  There also will be a very brief business meeting.  All are welcome.  You do not have to be a PHS member.  As a special treat, music will be provided by the Father and Son Team of Frank and Frank Tittiger.  PHS will provide sandwiches, drinks, condiments, plates, cups, and utensils.  If possible, please bring a covered dish of your favorite recipe to share.  For planning purposes, if you plan to attend, please call Shirley or Murv before July 27, and indicate what type of food you plan to bring along.  Call them at (717) 561-2620, after 6PM.  Feel free to leave a message.  You can also email them at murvg@aol.com and indicate "PHS Picnic" in the subject line.

April 5 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street.  Stephen Russell will speak on "Thaddeus Stevens and Jonathan Blanchard and their impact on the Anti-slavery movement in Pennsylvania."

During 1837 in Harrisburg there was a unique merging of abolition forces.  The American abolition movement was actually a number of movements that converged to change the spiritual, political and economic landscape in America as the practice of slavery was prohibited and the concept of equality was considered.  In 1837, Harrisburg became the focal point for a unique convergence of two of these abolition movements.

2009

January 11 -  2:00 PM - PHS Business Meeting at Paxtang Municipal Building followed by a tour of the Pennsylvania Capitol at 3:00.

April 6 -  7:00 PM -  Paxtang Municipal Building.  Kara Russell, Historian for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, will present “Evolution of Transportation” tracing the evolution of transportation in PA from the Indian trails up to the present time.

August 3 - 5:30-8:00 PM - Paxtang Cemetery.  Third Annual PHS Picnic and tour of Paxtang Cemetery. The Paxtang Cemetery is sponsoring this Paxtang Historical Society Event. Sit back and enjoy the food and the music of yesteryears, or take a historical tour on the horse drawn wagon.  The Paxtang Cemetery staff will be on board the ride to highlight the history of the cemetery that will be celebrating its 111 years in business on July 27, 2009, the Paxtang Cemetery will also be providing a tour inside the large Paxtang Mausoleum built in 1916.  All are welcome, you do not have to be a member to come and enjoy the festivities. The Paxtang Historical Society/Paxtang Cemetery will provide Condiments, Drinks, Plates, Cups, Plastic Ware (Spoons, Forks and Knifes), food will also be available, please, if possible bring a covered dish of your favorite recipe for others to taste. Please call Shirley or Murv Grunden before the 28th of July if you plan to attend and let them know what type of food you are planning to bring, so we have a close count for the event. Call (717) 561-2620 after 6:00 PM, leave a message if no one is at home, or Email us at murvg@aol.com  Subject: PHS Picnic

October 5 - 7:00 PM - Paxton Presbyterian Church, 3500 Sharon Street.    PHS Annual Meeting and presentation “Darlene Murray as Abigail Adams”

December 13 - 2:00 PM - Special Tour of John Harris - Simon Cameron Mansion, 219 South Front Street, Harrisburg, by staff of Historical Society of Dauphin County. 

 2008

January 13 - 3:00 PM - Reservoir Park,  Harrisburg.  Tour of National Civil War Museum. 

April 7 - 7:00 PM - Paxtang Municipal Building.  Dr. Lawrence E. “Larry” Keener-Farley presents “Harrisburg Area in the Civil War”

August 4 - 6:30 PM - PHS Annual Picnic at Saussaman Park and presentation by members of the Camp Curtin Historical Society “Harrisburg During the Civil War.” 

October 6 - 7:00 PM - Paxtang Municipal Building.  PHS Annual Meeting and presentation by Steve Runkle “Gettysburg to the Susquehanna.”

2007

January 8 - 8:00 PM,  40 North East Drive, Hershey, Tour the Hershey-Derry Township Historical Society facility.

April 2 -  7:00 PM at the Paxtang Municipal Building, presentation on "Transportation and Communication During Colonial Times."  Speaker Todd Galle, Curator for the PA State Museum.

August 13 - 6:30 PM - Picnic at the Saussaman Park Pavillion (behind Paxton Presbyterian Church), followed by an architectural walking tour led by PHS Director Steve Zarick.

October 1 - 7:00 PM at the Paxtang Municipal Building, the PHS Annual Meeting followed by a presentation on the War of 1812 by speaker Dr. Aaron Larson. 7:00 p.m.