Join us this April for our annual Spring Show. Antique vendors will be on hand selling a variety of items like furniture, glassware, coins, books, clothing, and collectibles. A selection of historic trades, including the museum’s birch still, will be demonstrated. See the Eastern Loggers model railroad display in operation. PALMA members Jan and John Halter will present a cooking demonstration and tasting featuring wild leeks from 11am-1pm both Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday (April 26) only, visitors will be able to watch the museum’s re-created 19th century steam-powered circular sawmill in operation.
Access to all museum exhibits and attractions is included in the price of admission to the show. Food and drink will be available on-site for purchase. No ATM on site so plan your visit accordingly. Antique vendors interested in participating can call (814)435-2652 to reserve a space for the event. Come for the fun and, perhaps, leave with a new treasured heirloom and a better understanding of the lumber and forest history of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Lumber Museum | 5660 US Route 6, Ulysses PA 16948 | 814-435-2652 | palumbermuseum@gmail.com
All events listed below are subject to change. Please check the museum website and Facebook page for the latest event information.
July 5-6–Bark Peelers’ Festival: This year marks our 50th Anniversary! As our BIGGEST event of the year, the festival treats thousands of visitors to lively special activities, contests, and demonstrations that celebrate “woodhick” skills. Unique food and craft vendors provide guests with ample shopping and culinary opportunities. There is live music throughout the weekend, crafts and games at the kid’s corner, operating demonstrations of our steam-powered circular sawmill and birch still, blacksmithing, chainsaw carving, and lumber camp cooking. See the Eastern Loggers Model Railroad display in operation.
August 1-2–History Camp: Looking for a unique experience for your child this summer? Our hands-on history camp is like no other! Children ages 10-18 will explore the history of PA’s forests and immerse themselves in the lifestyle of 19th-century “wood hicks” by learning the skills of the trade. Pre-registration is required.
August 16, 10am-2pm–Summer Basket Making Class: Joining local basket artist Cathy Snyder for a basket making class hosted at the PA Lumber Museum. Learn how to make your own colorful handmade original utensil storage basket. Choose from a variety of hand-dyed reeds to create a custom look. Class size is limited, and reservations are required. Bring a snack, a drink, and a friend for this enjoyable day of handcrafting fun!
September 13, 4pm-7pm–Lagers & Lumberjacks: Put on your flannel, grab a mug, and join us for an evening of lumberjack competitions, craft beer, live music, food, and fun! Watch as up to 15 semi-professional lumberjacks compete in six different events for cash prizes, as administered by members of the Pennsylvania Professional Lumberjack Organization. Straub Brewery of St. Marys, PA, will be on-site to serve a variety of their beers for attendees to enjoy. There will be live music and food trucks to serve up tasty eats. Attendees can try their hand at using a 2-person crosscut saw or throwing some hatchets with quick instruction provided by museum personnel. Tickets for the event will go on sale after the July Bark Peelers’ Festival.
October 11-12–Fall Show: The museum grounds will come alive with historic demonstrations at our birch still, blacksmith shop, lumber camp kitchen, and Eastern Loggers model railroad display as well as food and craft vendors. Inside Antique vendors will be selling a wide variety of items. On Saturday (ONLY) our steam-powered circular saw will be running.
October 18, 5:30pm-8:30pm–Spooky Lantern Tours: Join us for a walk through the site by lantern light. Listen to ghost stories and trick-or-treat along the way. Take a wagon ride and see if you can spot fearsome creatures like Sasquatch and Squonk. Decorate pumpkins, make pinecone birdfeeders, and have some refreshments in the museum program room. Costumes encouraged. Lantern tours are on-going. Ghoulish fun for the whole family. $5 per person, children under 4 free.
November 1, 10am-2pm–Fall Cookie Basket Making Class: Join local basket artist Cathy Snyder for a basket making class hosted at the PA Lumber Museum. Learn how to make your own colorful handmade original cookie basket. Choose from a variety of hand-dyed reeds to create a custom look. Class size is limited, and reservations are required. Bring a snack, a drink, and a friend for this enjoyable day of handcrafting fun!
Log Holding Pond: Logs were easier to manipulate when floating in water. Keeping the logs saturated also helped to prevent cracking and splitting of timber waiting to be sawn.
Saturday October 11 & Sunday October 12, 2025
Rain or Shine, 9 AM to 4 PM
$8.00/ Adult, $5.00/ Youth (ages 4 to 11)
This year’s Fall Antique Show & Sawmill Run will be held on Saturday October 11th and Sunday October 12th. The Fall Show is always scheduled for the weekend before Columbus/ Indigenous People’s Day Monday. Northern Pennsylvania typically reaches peak fall foliage conditions around this time so the forests surrounding the museum will (hopefully) be decked in rich and beautiful colors.
The Antique Show features multiple antique vendors that will be selling their wares in the museum program room. Our vendors have a little bit of everything, including antique tools, vintage clothing, collectible coins, glassware, books, and furniture. Vendors open 9am-5pm Saturday and 9am-3pm Sunday.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase. There is no ATM on site so plan your visit accordingly.
Outside, the museum grounds will come alive with historic trade demonstrations. Saturday 10/11 of our steam-powered circular sawmill will be running from 10 AM to 3 PM. Other demonstrations will be happening over both days of the event at the birch still, blacksmith shop, lumber camp kitchen, and the Eastern Loggers model railroad display.
Antique vendors interested in participating can call (814)435-2652 to reserve a space for the event.
It’s a great time to visit the museum. Hope to see you there!
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Pennsylvania Lumber Museum | 5660 US Route 6, Ulysses PA 16948 | 814-435-2652 | palumbermuseum@gmail.com
The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum Association (PALMA) is a volunteer based, not-for-profit organization. Becoming a member of PALMA helps to support the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum’s mission by providing funding for publicity, staff, and special projects.
Benefits of membership include:
Free admission to the museum and PALMA-sponsored events for twelve months.
Reduced admissions to educational workshops, seminars, camps, and evening programs
10% discount on purchases made in the museum store
Subscription to the quarterly Woodchips newsletter
Invitation to annual fall PALMA membership meeting
Memberships can be purchased on this page through the PayPal Buy Now button or by printing and returning this form along with a check payable PALMA to PO Box 239, Galeton, PA 16922.
PALMA membership is open to the public. Membership dues support museum programming and activities and are paid yearly. The twelve-month membership term expires on the last day of the month in the month prior to which membership dues are paid, in the following year (i.e., a membership taken or renewed in July will expire on June 30th the following year).
As an added benefit, Pennsylvania Lumber Museum Associates are eligible for a discounted membership to the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation. To claim that benefit today, purchase your PALMA membership through the PayPal Buy now button below.
As the Lumber Museum’s fundraising arm, the associates have supported a wide range of projects, including:
Construction of two log cars for the camp
Restoration of the Barnhart Log Loader
Implementation and financing of numerous sawmill demonstrations
Educational programming
Relocation and preservation of the 1936 CCC chestnut cabin
Acquisition and restoration of the 1945 Brookville Switch Engine
Purchase of a 1917 Ford Model T Runabout
Operation and management of the Gift Shop
Construction of the Birch Still
A supporting gift of $50,000 for the 2015 Visitor’s Center expansion/renovation project
Restoration of the 1917 Ford Model T for inclusion in the Challenges & Choices exhibition
Repair/stabilization of the Shay Locomotive
The PALMA Board is…
Board of Directors: Roger Hetrick – President, Michael Callahan – Vice President, John Halter – Treasurer, Patricia Berberich – Secretary
Duane Herr, Curt Weinhold, Steve Perrine, Ken Wingo, Cliff Wood, Holly Komonczi, Paul Lilja, Janifer Halter, Edward Szymanik
Associate Staff: Lynn Thornley – Bookkeeper, Barbara Peters – Customer Service/ Gift Shop, _______ – Visitor Services Assistant
PALMA is a Federally-recognized 501-c(3) non-profit organization, and is registered with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations (Cert.# 2317). A copy of PALMA’s most recent Federal non-profit tax filing return (Form 990 EZ) is available here:
Our Team
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The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum is supported by the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum Associates.
The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Josh Shapiro, Governor. Haley Haldeman, Chair. Andrea Lowery, Executive Director.
Curator’s Corner A recent addition to the museum’s collection is the group of objects related to Fred Newell. Fred was a farmer and a carpenter who lived on his family farm in Newelltown, PA in Tioga County. During the winter months he would find work in lumber camps. It was not uncommon for farmers to supplement their income by working in the lumber camps during the winter when there was not as much work to be done on the farm. In 1900 at the age of 34 he was killed when he was struck on the head by a falling tree limb, while working at a lumber camp near Corbett, PA.
Donald Newell, Fred’s grandson, donated a collection of photographs to the museum on behalf of the Newell Family (in addition to a wood beam boring machine). The photographs are of Fred, the Newell Family at the farm as well as several photos of lumber camps. These photos were passed down through the Newell family. Unfortunately not much is known about them other than one photo that identifies the camp location as Corbett, PA. These photos are however a very exciting addition to the collection. Not only is there a connection though a specific individual but they also provide a good visual of camps at the time. In addition a couple of photos show women and children who were known to occasionally be at the lumber camps but are underrepresented in the museum collection. One of the photos is particularly interesting as it shows an African-American gentleman front and center in a group shop. As far as we can tell this is the only image in the museum’s collection that shows an African-American at a lumber camp of this time period.
