History Camp

August 1-2, 2025

$50 non-member/$45 museum member, scholarships available

Looking for a unique experience for your child this summer? The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum is excited to present its hands-on History Camp.  Children ages 10-18 will spend two full-days immersing themselves in the rough and tumble lifestyle of a 19-century woodhick.  On day one, campers will try activities like using a crosscut saw, rolling on a log, and peeling bark.  They’ll play games like horseshoes, seed spitting, and model log raft racing.  They’ll help prepare their own breakfast on a wood-fired cookstove and watch horses skid logs. On the second day, participants will demonstrate their new-found skills at the Galeton Rotary’s Cherry Springs State Park Woodsmen Show.   

2025 History Camp Description Schedule

Registration to History Camp includes:

  • Admission, breakfast, and lunch at Pennsylvania Lumber Museum on Aug. 1
  • Admission to Galeton Rotary’s Cherry Springs State Park Woodsmen Show Aug. 2

Advanced Registration is required. Download registration form below and return to the museum by July 12.

2025 History Camp Reservation & Contact Forms

Scholarships covering the $50 registration fee are available for a limited number of campers. Interested campers must submit a 200-250 word essay explaining “Why I want to go to History Camp,” to be judged by the museum’s Event Committee for content. Essays must be submitted by June 27 and can be emailed to palumbermuseum@gmail.com or mailed to: PA Lumber Museum PO Box 239 Galeton, PA 16922. Scholarship recipients will be notified by July 3.

Group of children cooking
Two children making a wooden raft
Two children on a log on a log pond attempting to roll the log to get their opponent to fall into the water

Daily Schedule:

  • Friday, August 1:  Camper should be dropped off promptly at 9am at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum.  They will assist in the preparation of their own breakfast just like woodhicks used to eat.  Activities for the day will include a tour through the museum and training in the use of a crosscut saw, log rolling in the pond, log peeling, board drilling (the old fashion way), axe throwing, sunflower seed spitting contests, and model log raft racing.  Campers will also learn about the transportation of lumber from the forest and watch a demonstration of log skidding using real horses.
  • Saturday, August 2:  Camper should be dropped off promptly at 9am at the Woodhick Grove at Cherry Springs State Park.  Campers should bring/purchase a lunch and water.  Campers will demonstrate their newly acquired skills to the public at the Woodhick Grove in the morning, then watch the semi-pro logger presentations in the arena. Camp activities conclude at 2pm.

What to bring and wear:  Campers should dress comfortably.  Hats, hiking boots, sunscreen, and insect repellent are highly recommended.  To get into the immersive spirit, campers can choose to wear their own logger style clothing. Swimming gear and a towel are required for Friday.

Questions: Contact Jennifer Haines, Museum Educator, at jenhaines@pa.gov