**NOTE FOR MEDIA: A dedicated press release about "Plain Dress on the Docket" will be released soon. Please check our Press Room for this release.**

On Thursday, January 25, join LancasterHistory as we kick off the 2024 season of the Regional History Colloquium and welcome speakers Dr. Steve Nolt and Dr. Jean-Paul Benowitz of Elizabethtown College who will discuss litigating religious liberty in Lancaster.

In 1895 Pennsylvania passed the so-called “Garb Law” which prohibited public school teachers from wearing religiously distinctive clothing. Although originally aimed at Catholic nuns in western Pennsylvania, the law was first enforced in Lancaster County against Plain-dressed Mennonite and Brethren school teachers. The 1908 prosecution of Mennonite Lillian Risser and the Mount Joy Township school board that hired her was the first case to test the law. In this talk, Dr. Steve Nolt and Dr. Jean-Paul Benowitz will unpack the issues involved in this case as it passed from the Lancaster County Courts to the state’s Superior and Supreme Courts. The Risser case remains an important episode in the ongoing debate over the boundaries of religious liberty in Pennsylvania, and all the more because the 1895 law remains on the books today.

Steven Nolt, Ph.D. is a professor of history at Elizabethtown College and a Senior Scholar at the College’s Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. He is the author or coauthor of fifteen books on Mennonite, Amish, and Pennsylvania German history, including The Amish and Seeking Places of Peace, the latter being the North America volume in the Global Mennonite History Series. He also serves as series editor for Young Center Books in Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, published by The Johns Hopkins University Press, and as coeditor of the Journal of Plain Anabaptist Communities.

Jean-Paul Benowitz, Ph.D. is the Director of Public Heritage Studies and Prestigious Scholarships and Fellowships at Elizabethtown College. A historian, he teaches courses in the Honors Program about local and regional history with a focus on historic preservation. He has authored articles and books about Old Order Mennonites, regional history, the history of Elizabethtown, and the history of Elizabethtown College; as well as chapters in monographs about teaching and academic advising in honors education. Much of his scholarship and published works have dealt with twentieth-century American political history with a focus on the Historic Peace Churches.

EVENT DETAILS & HOW TO REGISTER

This event is expected to take place in person at LancasterHistory on Thursday, January 25, 2024. Doors open and the reception begins at 5pm. The lecture will begin at 5:30pm. The lecture will also be streamed to Zoom at 5:30pm for those who wish to join us virtually.

This program is free and open to the public. In-person attendance requires advance registration in order to guarantee a seat. Due to capacity restrictions, tickets may not be available at the door. Virtual attendance requires advance registration in order to receive the Zoom link. Register online by clicking the appropriate link below or by calling (717) 392-4633. Registration will close online on Thursday, January 25 at 5:30pm.

REGISTER TO ATTEND IN PERSON

REGISTER TO ATTEND ONLINE

Event takes place at LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Avenue, Lancaster, PA

History Happy Hour at the Horse Inn

**NOTE FOR MEDIA: A dedicated press release about "History Happy Hour" will be released soon. Please check our Press Room for this release.**
 

Join LancasterHistory at the Horse Inn for a History Happy Hour celebrating this 104-year-old Lancaster City Restaurant and its rich history! Ever wonder why the Horse Inn is down an alley and up a steep flight of stairs? Why or it looks like it was once a stable? We’ll answer your burning historical questions about the Horse Inn over tasty drinks and snacks.

The doors (and bar) open at 5:30pm at The Horse Inn on Monday, January 29. The program will begin at 6pm. Attendees are welcome to stay until 7pm.

Ticket sales open Monday, January 8, 2024.

Tickets are $30/person. Ticket includes admission to the program, light refreshments, and one complimentary beverage. (Please note that additional drinks, additional food, and merchandise are not included in the purchase of a ticket.) Event is suggested for ages 18 or older, and individuals must be 21 years or older to consume adult beverages.

Event takes place at The Horse Inn, 540 E. Fulton Street, Lancaster, PA 17602

LOOKING AHEAD TO FEBRUARY...

The 20th Annual Valentine's Day Gala

Can-can you join us for the 20th Annual Valentine’s Gala? The theme this year is inspired by Moulin Rouge, the famous French cabaret. Guests are encouraged to dress in theme and enjoy dinner and dancing, with music by the Mama Tried Band at the Hamilton Club. A celebration of romance and history, this event benefits educational programming at LancasterHistory.

The Valentine’s Day Gala takes place on Saturday, February 10 at the Hamilton Club in Lancaster. The event begins with cocktails and hors’ d’oeuvres at 6pm, followed by fine dining at 7pm. After dinner, dancing and live music by the Mama Tried Band.

For more information and to reserve your tickets to the Valentine's Gala, please visit lancasterhistory.org/valentines. RSVP by February 5, 2024.

Event takes place at The Hamilton Club, 106 E. Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17602