-Thanks to the generous support of Range Resources, visitors of all ages can enjoy free admission to Meadowcroft as part of two Community Days this month –
Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, part of the Smithsonian-affiliated Senator John Heinz History Center museum system, will offer FREE admission on July 20-21 during extended hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of Meadowcroft Community Days, presented by Range Resources.
Recognized as the oldest site of human habitation in North America, the Washington County site tells 19,000 years of history in Western Pennsylvania, from the hunting and gathering of the region’s earliest inhabitants to the daily lives of 19th-century rural Americans.
Visitors of all ages can enjoy a day of historic adventure:
- Get an up-close look at the prehistoric wonders of the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and learn about the 19,000 years of human history it reveals to archaeologists;
- Go back 400 years and test your skills with the atlatl – a prehistoric spear-thrower – in the re-created 16th-century Monongahela Indian Village;
- Discover how European settlers and Eastern Woodland Indians learned from each other at a re-created 18th-century Frontier Trading Post; and
- Watch a blacksmith forge red-hot iron and enjoy a lesson in a one-room schoolhouse in the re-created 19th-century Meadowcroft Historic Village.
In addition, food and beverages provided by Common Plea Catering will be available for purchase between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. both days. Proceeds will benefit Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village.
Special thanks to Range Resources for its generous support of Meadowcroft Community Days.
For more information, visit heinzhistorycenter.org/meadowcroft or call 724-587-3412.
Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village operates in association with the Senator John Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian and Pennsylvania’s largest history museum. Meadowcroft, a National Historic Landmark, is the oldest site of human habitation in North America and features a massive rock overhang used by the region’s earliest inhabitants for shelter more than 19,000 years ago. The 16th century Monongahela Indian Village includes wigwams, recreated prehistoric artifacts, and hands-on activities related to agriculture. Two 18th century structures help to spotlight the similarities and differences between the everyday lives of European settlers and American Indians in the Upper Ohio Valley. Meadowcroft’s 19th century village features a covered bridge, one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and church that create a charming country village setting. Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village is located in Avella, Pa., Washington County, within an hour’s drive of Pittsburgh. For more, visitwww.heinzhistorycenter.org/meadowcroft.
Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village in Avella, Pa., will offer free admission July 20-21 during Meadowcroft Community Days, presented by Range Resources.
Visitors to Meadowcroft’s 19th-century historic village can step back in time to watch a blacksmith forge red-hot iron or enjoy a lesson in a one-room schoolhouse.