Egg-stravaganza at Historic Trappe

Historic Trappe will celebrate the Pennsylvania German tradition of making scratch-decorated eggs with two unique events. First, there will be a special exhibition at the Center for Pennsylvania German Studies featuring antique Easter eggs on loan from the Pennsylvania Folklife Collection, part of the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College. Decorated with flowers, birds, horses, buildings, hearts, and more, each egg is an intricate work of art. A special highlight is the oldest known American decorated Easter egg, made in 1774 and decorated with crowns and tulips. The exhibit will open on March 2 and runs through April 14; it is included with regular admission to the Center for Pennsylvania German Studies, which is open Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays from 12 to 4 pm. Second, there will be a hands-on workshop offered on Saturday, March 2, to make your own scratch-decorated Easter egg. Fraktur artist Lisa Short will lead the workshop. Participants must register in advance for one of three time slots: 10 to 11:30 am; 12 to 1:30 pm; and 2 to 3:30 pm. Registration is available online at https://historictrappe.org/events/. We will supply pre-dyed eggs, sample designs, and all necessary tools. The workshop is $20 for members and $25 for non-members; this includes two eggs. The Center for Pennsylvania German Studies is located at the Dewees Tavern, 301 W. Main Street, Trappe, PA 19426. For questions, contact info@historictrappe.org or call 610-489-7560.

Photo credit: Pennsylvania German Easter eggs from the collection of the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College. Photo by Gavin Ashworth