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Saturday 9am - 4pm Sunday 9am - 4pm

http://www.thedanielboonehomestead.org/

Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, Birdsboro, PA (2026)

06/01/2026

🚌🎒And that’s a wrap on yet another extremely successful educational program season at the Homestead. This spring, we welcomed nearly 700 school children on their field trips to the site. With a very limited, but highly dedicated and talented volunteer workforce, we were able to provide quality programming through a variety of interactive, hands-on activities and demonstrations. Children learned military commands for marching and drills, how to write with a quill pen, how to make candles, and much more, occasionally dodging raindrops along the way. Some students came prepared with a basic background knowledge of Daniel Boone, while others knew very little. But regardless of the students’ prior understanding of Boone, all students left with a greater appreciation of Boone’s life as a frontiersman as well as colonial life in early America Pennsylvania.

The success of our educational programs helps to ensure the Homestead’s future sustainability. These programs would not be possible without our volunteers, and we want to extend our sincere appreciation for their continued support. If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, we would love to have you! Send us an email at [email protected] to learn more about the many ways you can get involved and ensure that the Daniel Boone Homestead is here for generations to come.

05/28/2026

🌷🌸🪻Spring is in full swing at the Homestead and we just can’t get enough of our gorgeous peonies. These particular blooms are located right outside the Visitor Center, but you can also find peonies in the Boone House yard and down by the Craft Shop. What’s your favorite flower that you’ve seen at the Homestead?

05/26/2026

🇬🇧🐎🥁🇺🇸With a variety of demonstrations, displays, activities, presentations, and musical performances, visitors to the Colonial 250th Anniversary Celebration will never be at a loss for something to do. As guests stroll through the historic area, the sound of distant drums from up on the hill will call young visitors to take up arms and join the local army. The new “recruits” will join in a mustering activity as they are taken through authentic eighteenth-century military drills and marches. Then, visit a member of the 4th Continental Light Dragoons and try practicing your swordsmanship skills while sitting in a soldier’s saddle.

Not all troops during the Revolution fought on foot using muskets. Mounted soldiers, like the 4th Continental Light Dragoons, fought on horseback using swords. The Continental Army’s use of mounted troops was minimal compared to the British, due to a shortage of horses, saddlery, and money. Learn more about the different types of troops who fought during the American Revolution on June 27th and don’t miss a visit to the Bertolet Log House where young visitors can enjoy these interactive, historic activities.

05/24/2026

🪿💦The Daniel Boone Lake Restoration Project is still underway, but that doesn’t seem to have deterred this momma goose and her goslings from making their home nearby. Geese are typically classified as Anser, which includes grey and white geese, and Branta, which includes black geese, like this Canadian goose. Canadian geese can often be found throughout the Homestead, but for several years the site was also home to a flock of Toulouse goose. This domesticated goose breed originated in France in the fifteenth century primarily to produce meat and foie gras. They are descendants of the European Greylag goose. Eventually, the breed made its way to England in the 1800s and finally to the United States. Today, this species is popular among farmers and homesteaders. Keep an eye out for more wildlife during your next visit to the Homestead. You never know what you might see!

📷: Ben Furdyna

05/22/2026

Did you know that all living history events and programs at the Daniel Boone Homestead, as well as daily historic operations, are run by the Daniel Boone Homestead Associates’ volunteers and staff? This 501(c)(3), non-profit supports and assists the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in the operation of the site. The mission of the DBHA is to preserve the Homestead’s historic, cultural, and natural resources, to educate and interpret the life of Daniel Boone and the history of the Oley Valley, and to promote environmental stewardship through engaging and interactive experiences that are relevant, accessible, and meaningful to diverse audiences.

We invite you to become a DBHA member today! Membership includes free admission to the site and all our living history events; plus earns you discounts in the Museum Shop and on select hands-on workshops and classes. And there is no better time to become a member than in 2026! With our Colonial 250th Anniversary Celebration right around the corner, plus a full schedule of programs, workshops, and living history events to round out the remainder of the year, your membership will yield more benefits than ever before. Please email us at [email protected] for membership information and to learn more about the Associates. We hope to see you in 2026!

05/20/2026

🇬🇧📜🇺🇸No doubt one of the biggest highlights of our upcoming Colonial 250th Anniversary Celebration is our featured first-person interpreter General George Washington. We are so excited to be partnering with the Friends of Washington Crossing Historic Park to bring reenactor and General George Washington interpreter John Godzieba to our 250th event. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet General Washington on June 27th between 12 and 4pm. Following a brief presentation on the front porch of the Boone House every hour, General Washington will stroll throughout the historic area. Spot him visiting the Bertolet Log House, inspecting the troops, or even maybe visiting the military field hospital at the Wayside Lodge.

Mr. Godzieba has devoted his life to public service, leadership, and preserving America’s founding legacy. After retiring from a 46-year career in law enforcement, he now focuses full time on sharing the story of our nation’s history. A reenactor for over 30 years, John has portrayed General George Washington since 2009 in the annual Christmas Crossing reenactments and other programs at Washington Crossing Historic Park in Pennsylvania. In addition, he is currently serving as Board President of the Friends of Washington Crossing Park, leading efforts to preserve the park, expand educational programs, and plan community-wide events for almost a million visitors, including America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. John is also a member of the Board of the Bucks250PA Commission and President of the Fifth Pennsylvania Regiment, an active American Revolution reenacting unit. Please join us in extending a very warm welcome to John and join us on June 27th as we commemorate America’s 250th birthday.

📷: Friends of Washington Crossing Historic Park

05/18/2026

May is National Preservation Month! As an outdoor living history museum, the Daniel Boone Homestead has seen its fair share of preservation and restoration projects over the years including the Boone House and Bertolet Sawmill. The Boone House was the first building to be preserved and restored on the property beginning in the 1940s. After the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the property in the late 1930s, restoration and preservation efforts were begun by members of the National Youth Administration, part of the Works Progress Program. Famed restoration architect G. Edwin Brumbaugh eventually conducted a full restoration of the house in the late 1940s based on extensive research, bringing the building back to its former glory.

The vertical, water-powered Bertolet Sawmill was restored far more recently, in 1994, but it was not operational until five years later. The restoration was overseen by John Bowie Associates, a historic architectural firm out of southeastern Pennsylvania. Restoration and preservation work included replacing structural beams and rebuilding the sash guides. The water control was replaced, and a steel bulkhead was added to the water tank.

Preservation Month began as National Preservation Week in 1973, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the National Trust for Historic Preservation extended the celebration to include the entire month. This designation allows for the promotion of historic places and heritage tourism, as well as highlights the social and economic benefits of historic preservation. Help support ongoing preservation and restoration efforts at the Homestead by becoming a member or volunteer today!

📷: 1917 Photo of Boone House by Winslow Fegley

05/14/2026

🥾🌳🚶‍♂️Calling all hikers, walkers, and runners! The Daniel Boone Homestead is participating in the Berks Trail Challenge. The Challenge runs from May 1st - October 31st and is designed to get people outdoors and discover new hiking trails throughout Berks County. It is an opportunity for residents of the community to engage in a free form of exercise and explore the various trails and parks throughout Berks County. The Boone trail for this challenge starts at The DeTurk Education Center, winds behind the Wayside Lodge, and around the Historic Area loop, making for a beautiful walk past the Boone House and our historic buildings.

More information can be found at Berks Trail Challenge | Tower Health. Trail challenge participants are encouraged to submit their trail challenge card by November 6 to be entered to win a prize. Register online at https://towerhealth.org/btc and plan a visit to the eight participating trails. Participants must record the unique symbol located at each trail, complete at least six of the eight trails, and return your challenge card via email, fax, or mail. We hope to see you on the trails soon!

05/12/2026

👞🪡During A Colonial 250th Anniversary Celebration on June 27th, visitors will have a chance to visit a variety of colonial artisans and learn how their trade was vital to the success of the American Revolution. In the eighteenth century, the leatherworking trade included a wide range of specialties including bookbinding, saddle and harness making, shoe making, and garment construction. During the Revolution, the leatherworker’s skills became highly sought after. Much like all of the soldiers' necessary supplies during the war, shoes and other leather goods such as belts, cartridge boxes, bayonet scabbards, etc., were in very short supply. The Army's immediate need for these goods was incompatible with the fact that tanning hides into leather was a lengthy process, often lasting well over a year. Taking shortcuts or trying to expedite the process resulted in much lower quality leather.

Leather goods were usually supplied by local Craftsmen, as well as from the state from which a local army may have originated and paid for by the Continental Congress. The demand for shoes in particular was constant and was largely unmet throughout the war. In addition, much of what was provided was of such low quality that its useful life could be counted in days or even hours. The Continental Congress sought relief in acquiring supplies from France, but transit was slow and the quality and quantity of the French goods was rarely better than what could be had locally.

Congress finally decided to contract with local shoemakers in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New York, with a continental shoe factory being developed in Philadelphia by 1780. This was run by an artillery artificer regiment at the Philadelphia barracks. In addition to shoes, they made other goods for the Continental soldiers' use. In all, the factory employed about 40 skilled workers some of whom were civilians as well as British prisoners of war. Even still, production was limited. Shoes numbered no more than about 100 pairs a month. For comparison, in a 1778 letter, George Washington indicated that 50,000 pairs would still not be enough to last through an upcoming campaign. Learn more about how soldiers and civilians relied on the leatherworker and how this unique trade contributed to the colonists’ military success during our 250th event on June 27th.

05/10/2026

📣Deadline extended!📆 There is still space available for our Theorem Painting Workshop on May 17th and we’ve extended the RSVP date to Friday, May 15th. Join Heritage Art and Craft Studio for a unique and intriguing workshop led by artist and historian Peggy Allen. Participants will experience the art of Theorem Painting, a distinctive and rarely taught Early American art form created exclusively through stenciling, allowing anyone to create a masterpiece regardless of skill level or prior experience. Peggy will guide participants in a step-by-step process of creating their own 8"x10" Theorem painting of Fruit Compote in a Glass Bowl. Using layered stencils, brushes, and oil paints on fabric suitable for framing, participants will produce a realistic portrait that appears hand-painted but is achieved through a step-by-step application of layered stenciling.

🍍🥭The use of fruit in portraits served as a symbolic element in Colonial America. During this period, fruits conveyed various meanings: exotic fruits, such as the pineapple, symbolized immense wealth, high status, and gracious hospitality (and were frequently rented for display purposes). In contrast, common orchard fruits like apples and pears represented wholesome domesticity, resilience, and self-sufficiency for the working class. No experience is required for the workshop. Registration is required and a form can be obtained by emailing us at [email protected]. Daniel Boone Homestead Associate Members $50 and Non-Members $55. All supplies are included. All proceeds go to support the Daniel Boone Homestead. Space is limited to 10 participants. Please register by May 15, 2026.

Daniel Boone Homestead

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05/24/2026

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05/10/2026

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