Community Day 2016 – Photo by Scott Piccotti

What was it like to be a colonial blacksmith? How do you cook over an open hearth? What kind of birds call the Lehigh Valley their home? Take your family back in time and experience what it was like to live during the Colonial Era at Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites’ (HBMS) Community Heritage Day on Saturday, May 6 from 10am to 4pm at Colonial Industrial Quarter, located at 459 Old York Rd., Bethlehem, PA, 18018

Activities include:

  • Live Bird Presentation: Get a bird’s eye view of the Colonial Industrial Quarter with Wildlands Conservancy. See red-tail hawks, turkey vultures, owls, and pigeons up close and learn about bird habitats, food, hazards, and behavioral adaptation at 11am and 2pm.
  • Guided Birding Hike: Receive a free “hiking pack” with binoculars and other supplies then hike a trail near the Colonial Industrial Quarter. Hear from a Wildlands Conservancy naturalist how to identify birds, birds’ nests or cavities, food sources, and other signs of bird activity at 12 and 3pm.
  • Demonstrations: Discover what it was like to be a blacksmith at the 1750 Smithy. Learn colonial open-hearth cooking techniques from HBMS Foodways volunteers. See the 18-foot waterwheel in action at the 1762 Waterworks. Watch as demonstrators Susan Newquist and Lucy Cadwallader bring hairwork to life using horse and human hair to craft custom jewelry.
  • STEM Activities: Test your engineering and science skills with a variety of exciting activities, developed by the DaVinci Science Center. Use logs to build different types of sturdy cabins. Construct an arch to learn about strong stone buildings. Experiment with dying a piece of cloth and create your own unique dye colors.
  • Colonial Games: Master fun colonial games like Buzzsaw, Graces, Hoops, and Bucket Brigade.
  • Tin-Punching Activity: Make one-of-a-kind decorations created with holes punched in tin that you can take home while learning more about tin smiths.
  • Photo Exhibit: Enjoy a selection of black and white photographs that feature hairstyles of Bethlehem residents throughout history.
  • Heritage Trail: Explore the Monocacy Valley by following the creek that brought Burnside Plantation, Illick’s Mill, and the Colonial Industrial Quarter to life.
  • Food: Hot dogs, popcorn, and water will be available for purchase.
  • Cost: Free, donations welcome.