RHC Programs

Resources & Programs

The Rural History Confederation aims not only to educate the greater public, but also the volunteers and staff of its member sites and those in the regional community.  The Administrators’ Committee organizes a one-day workshop every other year on a particular theme.  Recent topics have included Native Americans, childhood, and slavery.  On alternate years, the Educators’ Committee plans a half- or full-day workshop on basic museum studies topics, such as interpretation planning and collections.

Please feel free to contact us with proposed topics. We also encourage you to check back close to the end of each year for the specific details of the upcoming program, including topic, speakers, and the printable brochure. Hope to see you there!

Upcoming Workshops:

Telling the Whole Story: Interpreting Difficult Histories for America 250—is now open! We will gather on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at Pennsbury Manor for a half-day program, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

We have an incredible lineup of presenters to help us think through issues of race, religion, and nation-making.

  • Shirley Lee Corsey, Director of Gather Place Museum, will explore how museums can engage with the legacies of race and racism in our founding stories and local communities.
  • Devin Manzullo-Thomas, director of the Sider Institute for Anabaptist, Pietist, and Wesleyan Studies and author of Exhibiting Evangelicalism: Commemoration, Conservative Christianity, and Religion’s Presence of the Past, will discuss how museums can discuss issues of faith, spirituality, and ecclesiology around the 250th anniversary of America.
  • Doug Miller from Pennsbury Manor will guide participants through the complexities of defining “America” in 1776 and who was included (and excluded) from that vision.

Register at https://myphillytickets.com/e/telling-the-whole-story-interpreting-difficult-his. RHC member organizations may send two representatives free of charge to this training; use the code RHCMEMBER during registration. For non-RHC members or additional representatives beyond the two free spots, tickets cost $25. Lunch is included. If you experience any issues with registration, please contact Molly Jobson at director@morganloghouse.org.

Past Workshops:

2024 – America 250: Montgomery County Planning Workshop

2015 – At This Unseasonable Hour: Illuminating Night Life of Our Past

2013 – Mythbusting: Exploring and Debunking Myths at Historic Sites

2012 – Beyond Just Paper: Enhancing Your Marketing Strategy Using Social Media & New Technology

Is there a workshop you’d like to see? Let us know by emailing: RuralHistoryPA@gmail.com

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