Skip to main content

 Natural Awakenings Lancaster-Berks

Landis Valley Exhibits Weathervane Collection

Weathervanes: Three Centuries of a Pennsylvania Folk Art Tradition, is on display in Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum’s visitor center gallery, through December 31. “This exhibit has over 40 rarely seen weathervanes from the Landis Valley collection, other institutions and private collections,” shares Landis Valley curator Jennifer Royer. “We were privileged to work with guest curator John Kolar, who helped us procure exceptional examples.”

The earliest piece on display—a simple, worded vane dated 1699—was commissioned by William Penn, Samuel Carpenter and Caleb Pucey, and stood on a grist mill on Chester Creek. Other early examples include a stylized rooster dated 1759, and two multi-tiered, bird-capped pieces dated 1753 and 1809. The rest include a menagerie of farm animals, birds, fish, people— both real and imaginary—folk art forms and tools of their owners’ trades.

Three vanes have direct links to Landis Valley: a rooster made for museum founder George D. Landis, a deer made for his father, Henry H. Landis, and an Indian made by Henry Brackbill, who kept the Landis Valley House Hotel.

Situated on 100 acres in Lancaster, Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum is a living history crossroads village that collects, preserves and interprets Pennsylvania German community history and material culture from 1740 to 1940. It is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, with active support from Landis Valley Associates, a registered charitable organization.

Location: 2451 Kissel Hill Rd., Lancaster. For more information, call 717-569-0401 or visit LandisValleyMuseum.org.