Charter Day Open House

The Daniel Boone Homestead Associates are excited to kick off their 2023 season with their annual Charter Day Open House event. Charter Day recognizes the day William Penn received his land grant for Pennsylvania from King Charles II of England in 1681. In observance of Pennsylvania’s founding, the Daniel Boone Homestead will offer an exciting open house and living history event featuring eighteenth century demonstrations, trades, and hands-on activities. These include gun building, quill pen writing, spinning, quilting, leatherworking, candle dipping, and more. The event will also feature craft and specialty food vendors as well as food trucks and concessions.

Visitors can tour the spring cellar and first-floor rooms of the Boone House and will learn about the three families who lived there during the 18th and early-19th centuries. Volunteers will be cooking a hearty meal over the hearth in the kitchen. Additional historic buildings will be open for viewing including the smokehouse, blacksmith shop, and homestead barn. Throughout the historic area, visitors can learn about the detailed work of leatherworking and watch the skillful work of a gun builder. The Hopewell Quilters will demonstrate quilt making throughout the afternoon as well. Visitors will also have the unique opportunity to tour the three-room Bertolet Log House, and children and adults will be able to participate in various hands-on activities including quill pen writing, candle dipping, and eighteenth-century toys and games. Visitors will get to see the Bertolet Sawmill in operation during two afternoon demonstrations. The Sawmill is one of the oldest operating water-powered vertical blade sawmills in Pennsylvania. It was moved to the Homestead in 1972 from its original location in the Oley Valley.

We are excited to have the following vendors joining us for Charter Day:

Angelicity Designs

Bobbin and Treadle

Country Brooms

Frank’s Fine Swine and Beef

Hill Road Coffee Roasters

Humpty’s Dumplings

Inspiration Beads

Nacho Depot

Sow & Sew Mobile Boutique

The Fresh Soap, LCC

Wow Wagon

No admission is charged for this program, but donations are welcome.  Please no pets (except service animals) and no smoking on site. Several activities and demonstrations are weather dependent. Please check our website or Facebook page for the most up-to-date details. This program is sponsored and run by the Daniel Boone Homestead Associates.