BIRDSBORO PA – An annual Charter Day open house event during March at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Rd., will commemorate Pennsylvania’s 343rd birthday.
Charter Day recognizes the 1681 date on which William Penn received his land grant for Pennsylvania from King Charles II of England. Daniel Boone Homestead Associates, the caretaker group of the historic site, will use the March 10 (2024; Sunday) living history open house to kick off its 2024 season. The event is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m., is free to attend, and open to the public.
What’s planned at the Homestead
Visitors can tour the spring cellar and Boone House to learn about the three families who lived there during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Volunteers will cook a hearty meal over the hearth in the kitchen (above). Other buildings in the historic area – the Smokehouse, Blacksmith Shop, and Homestead Barn – also will be open for viewing.
The day is anticipated to feature several 18th century demonstrations, trades, and hands-on activities. Across the historic area, visitors can learn about the skillful work of a blacksmith, the detailed work of a leatherworker, and the intricate work of a gunsmith (at right). Visitors will also have the unique opportunity to tour the three-room Bertolet Log House, and enjoy colonial toys and games.
The site’s Bertolet Sawmill will be running at 1 and 3 p.m. so visitors can watch this rare piece of machinery in action. 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.
The event also expects to offer craft and specialty food vendors, food trucks, and concessions.
Several activities and demonstrations may depend on acceptable weather. Although no admission is charged on Charter Day, donations are welcome. Pets (with the exception of service animals) and smoking are not allowed on the grounds.
The Daniel Boone Homestead is the birthplace of the famed frontiersman, born in 1734. The Boone House, constructed in three stages throughout the eighteenth century, is a 10-room stone structure fully furnished to the period and situated on 579 acres of rolling countryside. The Daniel Boone Homestead is located halfway between Reading and Pottstown, one mile north of U.S. Route 422 near Baumstown.
Photos provided to Travels With The Post by the Daniel Boone Homestead
- March 10 Sunday, Charter Day Observance, noon to 4 p.m., free, with historic activity presentations and demonstrations for adults and children, and tours of the expansive site; Charter Day marks the anniversary of Pennsylvania’s founding in 1681; at the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Rd., Birdsboro PA
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