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Conococheague Institute

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Mercersburg, PA
Conococheague Institute

Where history, nature, and community meet! Explore 18th-century life at the Conococheague Institute located at 12995 Bain Rd, Mercersburg, PA 17236.
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09/07/2026

Theater News x 2! History has its eyes on us, and we have some exciting news to share!

First, we were delighted this summer to be invited to consult for a fall production of The Rivals, Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s comedy set in 1775 Bath. It’s a far cry from the Pennsylvania frontier (though Matthew did live nearby in England!), but there are plenty of connections: the cultural norms of 18th century society, how to move and behave in historic clothing, and so much more. These are lessons we’re delighted to share with the Stony Batter performers at Mercersburg Academy.

We’ve had two sessions so far and are having a blast! And you can look forward to an invitation to attend the free performances this October 23rd and 24th.

And then there’s Lin-Manuel Miranda. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because he created Hamilton, the hit Broadway musical. With our quarterly newsletter, The Pioneer Times, we often send copies to people who have made an impact on our community. And with so many young visitors inspired by Hamilton to explore and interpret the 18th century, Miranda seemed like a perfect choice.

So imagine our delight when a letter came back! It was a real honor, and Hawthorne thinks Hamilton is the GOAT, so naturally he wanted to open the mail himself.

The fall Pioneer Times will be published at the end of this week. Check your inbox Friday, and make sure your membership is current so you don’t miss your invitation to our upcoming member events!

History has its eyes on us! Have you seen The Rivals performed before? Do you know someone obsessed with Hamilton? Let us know in the comments!

09/06/2026

Happy Labor Day weekend!

We had our busiest day of the summer yesterday for archery, thank you to everyone who came out to visit!

Today is the LAST Sunday Revolutionary Homestead of 2026, so make good use of the time! Bring your family out to learn about 18th century families, get up close and personal with our animals (and perhaps even help us exercise them!), and enjoy the beauty of nature.

For all you nature lovers, our wildflowers are blooming, and it’s a great weekend for spotting butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. We even have Monarch caterpillars right outside our Visitor Center! Our team can show you why pollinator gardens are so important and how they help support these amazing creatures.

Our free Revolutionary Homestead programming is made possible by the Americana Corner Preserving America Partners program and runs today from 10 AM to 4 PM.

12995 Bain Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236

Come spend the day with us, see you there!

09/05/2026

Step back into 18th century life with our Revolutionary Homestead programs today from 10–4! Admission is , and there’s plenty to explore.

Enjoy free archery lessons at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. with Arrowheads and Archery , plus 30 acres of history and nature to discover. See what’s growing in the garden, take a walk along the trails, meet the animals, and more!

The storms have passed, so make plans to visit the Conococheague Institute today for a medley of family-friendly experiences. We’re located at 12995 Bain Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236.

We hope to see you soon!

09/04/2026

Check out this video, as Ellie Stine of Mercersburg Academy reflects on her summer as a public history intern at the Conococheague Institute, with our 'internviews series'.

Ellie has just started her senior year so be sure to take a couple of minutes to learn more about her summer, wish her well in her final year, and share some encouragement for Ellie in the comments!

From living history and authentic handcrafts to trying new things, stepping outside her comfort zone, and connecting with the public, Ellie brought a wonderful sense of curiosity and enthusiasm to her work at CI, and we loved watching her take on new challenges and grow in confidence throughout the summer. We hope she enjoyed her time here as much as we enjoyed having her!

Our paid internships are a rarity in the field, but so important for student career growth and for our organization. They are made possible by the Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations Grant and community donations, and we're grateful for the generous support.

We'll be seeing Ellie again with school volunteering, and perhaps she'll join us next year...or use her leadership skills to encourage a junior student to apply!

09/03/2026

Shoot arrows. Hit the mark. Win prizes!

Join us this Saturday, September 5th at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. for our Arrowheads and Archery program!

Learn the basics of traditional archery, how to nock, draw, and shoot a traditional longbow. Best of all, it’s free to participate! We’ll have bows for both youth and adults, so there’s a chance for everyone to let an arrow fly.

Feeling competitive? We’ll also be accepting contributions to our arrow fund, giving you the chance to test your skills, hit the mark, and take home a prize!

Think you’ve got what it takes to be the next Robin Hood, Katniss, or Legolas? Come give it a shot and see what you can win!

This Saturday at the Conococheague Institute located at 12995 Bain Road, Mercersburg, PA, 17236

11 a.m., 1 p.m., & 3 p.m.
Free archery instruction
Ongoing Revolutionary Homestead programs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

09/02/2026

It's Healthy Lands Week, and yesterday, the Franklin County Conservation District, PA brought conservation partners together for a networking meeting, and we were so happy to be there representing the Conococheague Institute!

The best part? Looking around the room and seeing so many familiar faces and organizations we’ve had the pleasure of working with: South Mountain Partnership, Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape, Pheasants Forever, Mercersburg Academy, Wilson College, Montgomery Township, PA and many others.

Different organizations, different missions, different corners of the landscape, but so much shared ground. That’s what conservation is all about: connecting, collaborating, and working together for the places we all call home.

And naturally, we had to get some selfies with the star of the show: Riffles, the District’s rescued box turtle mascot, named for the riffles that are an important part of their watershed restoration work.

Riffles may move slowly, but the message couldn’t be clearer: healthy lands and waters depend on all of us moving forward together. Interested in learning about what you can do to help our environment? From at home projects, to volunteering at your local nature area, it all makes an impact.

09/01/2026

While our interns are heading back to college and school, the impact they’ve left on the site remains. They’ve also created some virtual programs for you, and first up is Trey with an informative lesson on Great Mullein!

Learn more about this tall invasive plant, ways to remove it from your property, and some startling reasons people have used it throughout history, including in tinctures and even as a fish killer!

08/31/2026

We’re looking for apple advice!

We have two apples on our site this year, and it’s not because the goats have been snacking on them! The April frost that followed unseasonably warm temperatures destroyed an estimated 70–90% of apple blooms across the state, causing approximately $200 million in damages for farmers.

While not being able to pick our own apples for our 1776: Harvest on the Homestead program is a shame, we’re incredibly fortunate that our orchards are educational, not our livelihood. Our hearts go out to the growers and farmers who have been impacted by this devastating loss.

So, we’re asking for your help! If you know of a local orchard with surviving crops, or if you have apple trees at home that produced a harvest this year, please let us know. We need to procure bushels and bushels of apples for our c***r making programs!

08/30/2026

Another beautiful day to visit our Revolutionary Homestead programs, today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.!

It’s the final day of Jacob’s summer internship, so he’ll be leading tours around the cabins, gardens, and animal pastures, sharing all he’s learned this summer with the public.

As summer winds down and we head into our busy booking season, these relaxing days are the perfect opportunity to go into greater detail about the daily life and routines of an 18th century farm. We currently have 2,000+ students booked for this fall, so enjoy the quiet while you can!

We hope to see you soon at the Conococheague Institute:
12995 Bain Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236.

08/29/2026

We may be in the dog days of summer, but we're looking forward to an exciting weekend of programming today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.!

For our 18th century living history programming, we'll have flintlock weapons demonstrations today. In August 1776, the Battle of New York was underway, and on this day, George Washington faced the difficult decision to abandon Long Island to the British.

Here at the homestead, it's also summer harvest season, so we'll have a special focus on the garden today. We've got bags available, so be sure to stop by and grab some free tomatoes, peppers, beans, and cabbage!

And as a reminder during these dog days of summer, our site is family and animal friendly. You can walk your pets on the trails, meet our heritage breed sheep and goats, and you may even discover snakes and turtles in the wetlands area.

No RSVP is required. Just make your way to 12995 Bain Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236, and start a historic adventure with us!

Address

12995 Bain Road
Mercersburg, PA
17236

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 8pm
Tuesday	7am - 9pm
Wednesday	7am - 5pm
Thursday	7am - 5pm
Friday	7am - 5pm
Saturday	7am - 8pm
Sunday	7am - 8pm

Telephone

+17173282800

Website

http://cimlg.org/

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