Conococheague Institute

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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05/30/2026

It's the weekend, and that means two days of Revolutionary Homestead programming at the Conococheague Institute!

Haven't visited recently and wondering what that means? Check out the Good Day PA on ABC27 feature that aired yesterday.

Our focus is the American Revolution, but rather than battles, we showcase the tangible day-to-day life skills of the period: what people grew in their gardens, the food they cooked in the hearth, daily chores and trades, animal husbandry, games, dance, music, and more.

In addition to 18th-century living history, visitors can enjoy a variety of exhibits in our Visitor Center, pick up a souvenir in the gift shop, and explore our nature trails, playgrounds, and picnic areas.

No RSVP is required. Join us from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thanks to support from the Americana Corner Preserving America Partners Program, admission is free.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend at 12995 Bain Road, Mercersburg, PA 17236!

We’re excited to share that the Conococheague Institute was recently featured by Good Day PA on ABC27 as part of a spotl...
05/29/2026

We’re excited to share that the Conococheague Institute was recently featured by Good Day PA on ABC27 as part of a spotlight on our summer Revolutionary Homestead programming! Supported by the Americana Corner Preserving America Partners program, this special on-site filming focuses on the expansion that begins this weekend of our programming hours: extended to Sunday through to Labor Day!

Tune in today between 10 AM and 11 AM on ABC 27 to catch the segment. You may also be able to watch live online here: ABC27 Live Stream or through your regular tv services.

If you miss it, don’t worry, we’ll share the YouTube link once the segment is posted online! We can't wait!

05/28/2026

We have a few more weeks of school bookings before summer hits, and a busy lineup of summer camps ahead, but our spring education programs are wrapping up their busiest stretch of the year. Throughout our educational experiences with schools across the Tri-State area, we’ve captured videos here and there, and Mikaela just finished editing them into this spring 2026 compilation video!

From Washington County Public Schools to Gettysburg Montessori and beyond, thousands of students gain hands-on experiences in frontier life at the Conococheague Institute each year. These programs are made possible through the generous support of Patriot Federal Credit Union and M&T Bank, and we’re incredibly grateful for their support, as well as for every teacher, chaperone, and parent who helps make each trip a success!

Our Executive Director Matthew is enjoying his vacation in Sicily (and is still wearing his CI swag at times), from Mt E...
05/27/2026

Our Executive Director Matthew is enjoying his vacation in Sicily (and is still wearing his CI swag at times), from Mt Etna to the Valley of Temples in Agrigentum! As well taking a break with family, his mind still lingers with CI...he found a heritage breed goat that thrives on the temple plateau, and a milestone that would very well for a apple cider mill...but it's beyond the luggage weight limit!

Just outside the tavern, our hop yard is beginning to climb skyward!This season, we installed two hop poles with a rope ...
05/26/2026

Just outside the tavern, our hop yard is beginning to climb skyward!

This season, we installed two hop poles with a rope stretched high above and lines trailing down to each plant below. Hops are not vines, but bines, winding their way upward in graceful spirals around the string as they grow.

By the fall harvest, these hops will be carefully picked and dried for use in brewing beer, making teas, and preparing traditional medicines. In early America, hops were an important household crop, valued not only for flavor, but for their many practical uses.

As you walk the grounds at the Conococheague Institute, you’re seeing more than a garden, orchards, and hop yards. You’re seeing the rhythms of daily life in the 1700s coming back to life, one bine at a time.

This Memorial Day, as our nation approaches the 250th anniversary of 1776, we pause to remember those who gave their liv...
05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, as our nation approaches the 250th anniversary of 1776, we pause to remember those who gave their lives in the founding struggle for American independence.

Across the colonies in that pivotal year, ordinary men faced extraordinary sacrifice at battles such as New York, Trenton, and White Plains, fighting for the uncertain cause of liberty and self-government. Many never returned home.

Here at the Conococheague Institute, we preserve our Old Welsh Cemetery, allowing the community to reflect on the generations who came before us, the Ross', Bowen's and Lawton's, including those believed to have served during the Revolutionary era, and honor all who have sacrificed in service to this nation.

Their stories, whether recorded in history books or remembered only through weathered stones and quiet fields, remain part of the American story.

This Memorial Day, we invite you to join us in remembrance as we continue preserving the history, lives, and legacy of early America.

A closer look at a work in progress for donation to the Conococheague Institute: a recreation of the 17th century Penn T...
05/24/2026

A closer look at a work in progress for donation to the Conococheague Institute: a recreation of the 17th century Penn Treaty wampum belt.

Traditionally made from hand-shaped shell beads in white and deep purple-blue tones, wampum held cultural, diplomatic, and ceremonial significance for many Indigenous peoples of the Northeast. Beyond their visual beauty, wampum belts served as records of agreements, important events, and shared memory across generations.

This reproduction recalls the treaty traditions associated with William Penn and the Lenape during the colonial period, while also providing an opportunity to reflect on the complex and often painful history that followed for Indigenous nations in the 17th and 18th centuries, including dispossession, conflict, and displacement.

We are grateful to Adam Mumma for the care and craftsmanship being devoted to this recreation for our collection. We look forward to sharing the completed belt and exploring the history, artistry, and cultural significance of wampum traditions in greater depth.

Not the weekend weather anyone was hoping for, but if you have family in town and your outdoor sports or BBQ plans are r...
05/23/2026

Not the weekend weather anyone was hoping for, but if you have family in town and your outdoor sports or BBQ plans are rained out, our Revolutionary Homestead programming has you covered.

Start your historic experience in our Visitor Center, where our new 250th anniversary exhibit spotlights an original musket from the Revolution, along with displays on music, medicine, and more.

Living history happens every Saturday in the cabin, rain or shine, as we demonstrate daily life skills from the 18th century. Learn how to start a fire with flint and steel or try your hand at simple household chores.

We are located at:
12995 Bain Road
Mercersburg, PA 17236

Swing by today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No RSVP required.

Rain didn’t stop our volunteers, and you’ll be amazed at everything accomplished during yesterday’s United Way of Frankl...
05/22/2026

Rain didn’t stop our volunteers, and you’ll be amazed at everything accomplished during yesterday’s United Way of Franklin County May of Caring at the Conococheague Institute!

We were joined by employees from Franklin County, PA, Middletown Valley Bank
and SEK all longtime friends of the site. Armed with good cheer and raincoats, they installed brick borders around our gardens, weeded plots, planted successive crops, completed a full spring cleaning of our historic structures, weeded the apple orchard, and even tackled some indoor painting projects.

Thank you to everyone involved! With free programming every Saturday (and Sundays from Memorial Day through Labor Day), along with our many midweek educational bookings, having helping hands to keep our site shining is greatly appreciated by all of us.

This week, our grounds hosted the Fulton County Painting Group and the Chambersburg Plein Air Group, who created wonderf...
05/21/2026

This week, our grounds hosted the Fulton County Painting Group and the Chambersburg Plein Air Group, who created wonderful works inspired by our woodland views, gardens, and historic homes. This is just one creative way to enjoy our open grounds throughout the year, and we welcome artistic groups to reach out for guidance on the best places to set up and paint.

Local painter Jean Frey has generously offered to donate a beautiful painting of the cabin, which we will display in the Visitor Center in hopes of inspiring other artists to create their own works here as well.

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

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