PA's 330th Birthday to be Commemorated

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission will honor the commonwealth’s 330th birthday by displaying the original Penn Charter in an exhibit that will open on Charter Day, Sunday, March 13, at The State Museum in Harrisburg.

The Charter, in which Britain’s King Charles II granted the land that is now Pennsylvania to founder William Penn, is sometimes referred to as the state’s “birth certificate.” It was Penn’s personal copy.

“A priceless document cared for by the State Archives, the charter possesses so much meaning to the commonwealth and its residents,” said Barbara Franco, PHMC executive director. “The fragile historical parchment is exhibited in a special protective Plexiglas case with low light and temperature levels.”

The exhibit will also feature Penn’s Great Law of 1682 and the 1698 William Penn Family Bible, which was used by Gov. Tom Corbett in taking the oath of office. Franco said the Great Law established liberty of conscience, extended manhood suffrage and limited the death penalty to relatively few offenses.

On Charter Day, programming runs from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free, including visits to the Curiosity Connection and the Planetarium. Guests can also greet William Penn as portrayed by William Kushatus, meet Pennsylvania’s 2010 National History Day Winners or take in a lecture on the history of the state’s forests.

Visitors can also learn about Victorian life with the Victorian Dance Ensemble and hear tales of bygone days as Pennsylvania Jack tells stories full of characters from the Keystone State. PHMC staff and professionals from the region’s many historical societies will also be available to answer questions.

In addition to The State Museum’s programming, many sites along the Pennsylvania Trails of History® will offer free admission on March 13. Participating sites include: Brandywine Battlefield, Conrad Weiser Homestead, Cornwall Iron Furnace, Daniel Boone Homestead, Drake Well Museum, Eckley Miners’ Village, Ephrata Cloister, Erie Maritime Museum, Graeme Park, Joseph Priestley House, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, Old Economy Village, Pennsbury Manor, Pennsylvania Military Museum, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and Washington Crossing Historic Park.

For more information on Charter Day 2011, call (717) 772-3257 or visit the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission online at www.phmc.state.pa.us. The special exhibit will run through March 20. After March 13, regular admission rates will apply.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, located at 300 North Street, Harrisburg, is one of 25 historic sites and museums on the Pennsylvania Trails of History® administered by the Historical and Museum Commission.

Pictured, "Colonel" Edwin L. Drake (right) and his good friend Peter Wilson, a Titusville pharmacist, in front of the historic Drake well in 1861. This was the second derrick and engine house - the first one burned down in 1859. Photo by renowned oilfield photographer John A. Mather, courtesy of the Drake Well Museum, Titusville. Provided by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.