Here's what to expect when wagons roll into Addison this year for National Road Festival.
Pioneer days are coming to Addison starting Sunday when the National Road Festival kicks off.
A project of the Old Petersburg-Addison Historical Society Inc., the National Road Festival in Addison is based mainly along the Main Street of the town. The festival runs May 15-21.
"We've been doing the festival at least 10 years. It's a very busy time right now," festival President Joan Whetsell said.
"Old Pike Days" are to begin at 9 a.m. May 15 with a combined service in St. John's Lutheran Church including a blessing of pets. Participants are asked to bring their animals to church that day to be blessed.
Past:Wagon Train visits Addison for National Pike Festival
From 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. a car show in the church parking lot along Main Street is planned. Trophies, dash plaques and door prizes are to be awarded with music provided by Johnny B Good. The history house welcoming center, museum and Petersburg Toll House are to be open, in addition to the one-room Humbertson School.
A chicken barbecue at the Addison Volunteer Fire Co. fire hall is to start at 11 a.m. Vendors are welcome. Guests may bring a tent, table or car boot. Call 814-395-5584 for more information.
On May 19, a wagon train is to arrive in Addison for an overnight stay. Visitors are invited to say hello to the pioneer re-enactors.
"The wagon train will camp overnight opposite the toll house if the weather is nice, but in case of inclement weather, it will be at the pallet shop, at the intersection of Route 523 and Route 40," Whetsell said.
On May 20, the wagon train heads west down through Addison and over the "Old Pike" as the train journeys to the end of the trail in Uniontown.
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Pioneer students
Also on May 20, the Humbertson School is to open for classes.
"Thirty-eight students from Friendsville Elementary School will be coming. They are third- and fourth-graders because the students couldn't come last year because of COVID," she said.
"We've been inviting students within a 15-20 mile radius of Addison. It's free and a good field trip for the students. They will be going back in time. The school is completely furnished with wooden desks for the students and the teacher."
Class is to be taught by Susan Johnston.
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"She will have the students write math problems on slate. They will have lessons on elocution (the skill of clear and expressive speech), reading and art," Whetsell said.
The students can also participate tin punching with Whetsell. She brings in a pie pan, and students use a mallet to do a punch design.
"It's a lot of noise, but when they're done, they have a sun catcher to take home with them," she said.
"The schools create posters and we'll put the posters up all over the walls. This gives the students a sense of pride."
Johnston is also taking the program on the road May 19 to Marclay School in Makleysburg, she said.
Honoring Armed Forces
May 21 at 11 a.m. is the Armed Forces Day program at the Addison United Methodist Church. Stories, music and more are to be featured as organizers and guests honor all veterans. Ranger Brian Reedy from Fort Necessity is the scheduled storyteller.
Members of Boy Scout Troop 150 are to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. A local resident is perform the national anthem, and piano solos are also to be performed.
The program is to last from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Whetsell said. Refreshments are to be offered after the program.
More heritage of the area can be enjoyed by visiting the Frederick Augustine History House, the one-room Humbertson School, the Old Petersburg-Addison Museum and the Petersburg Toll House. The Historic Newbury Cemetery is the resting place to 11 veterans, and the Addison Cemetery has more than 300 veterans interred. Visitors may see all the American flags that decorate the graves on Memorial Day.
In addition, a tag sale of antiques and collectibles is to take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 3-4 at the Frederick Augustine History House and the Petersburg-Addison Museum. A town-wide yard sale is to also take place in the village.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: National Road Festival coming to Addison May 15
