Charter Day
Celebrate the 342 Anniversary of Pennsylvania's formation with a free admission to select on the Pennsylvania Trails of History.
Pennsylvania was created when England’s King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn in 1681. Once each year, the Pennsylvania State Archives exhibits the original document for a limited time at The State Museum of Pennsylvania. The 342-year-old Charter is written on parchment using iron gall ink. The State Archives preserves the document in a high-security vault, shielding it from strong light and environmental fluctuations.
The Somerset Historical Center will be participating in the celebration with FREE Admission to the museum. Charter Day coincides this year with the Somerset County Maple Taste and Tour Weekend, where the Somerset Historical Center is just one of 24 stops in the area.
The Pennsylvania Trails of History comprises museums and historic sites administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, organized along four theme-based “trails” crossing the commonwealth: Military History, Industrial Heritage, Historic Homes, and Rural Farm & Village