Renfrew’s Women Through History program will kick off our 2017 season on April 22 and will consist of displays throughout the Museum House, Summer Kitchen, Visitors Center and the Wagon Shed. Renfrew will also host five seminars and one class highlighting the impact that women had on history with their various jobs and duties during the 1800-1900’s. The program will end on June 30. The seminars and class will be free of charge to the public.

Renfrew is seeking the communities help with acquiring additional period appropriate items to be loaned to the museum to use in our Women Through History exhibit. We are looking for the following items: quilts, coverlets, handwork samplers, drawing and paintings, letters, ledgers, woman’s clothing, pottery, and food preparation items. Please contact Cindy Fink to arrange a time to bring your items into the Visitors Center to see if the items would be appropriate for our display. Accepted items and the families loaning them will be given credit during our Women Through History Program.

The Women Through History Program seminars will be held on May 9: A Portrayal of Growing up and Living in an early Brethren Family – The lives of Catherine and Nancy Royer, presented by Susie Etter in first person; May 16: The Story of Emma Nicodemus, as told by Ed Miller; May 30: Herbs in History and Modern Times; presented by Pat Holmgren; June 13: Preserving Food in the 18th and 19th Century, presented by Pat Holmgren; and June 20: The Summer Kitchen Program presented by Cindy Fink and Doug Parks. All seminars begin at 7 pm and will be held inside the Wagon Shed of the Visitors Center.

The Women Through History Program class, Caring for Your Family Heirloom Textiles, taught by Dr. Karin J. Bohleke, will be held on May 23 at 7:00 pm. Dr. Bohleke, who is in charge of the Fashion Archives and Museum at Shippensburg University, will make a Power Point presentation and guests are encouraged to bring materials to take notes.

Renfrew Museum and Park received a $3000 grant from The Franklin County Foundation (FCF), a regional foundation of the Foundation for Enhancing Communities, to promote a Woman Through History program.