LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, has announced its upcoming events. All operations of LancasterHistory will be closed to the public through Monday, Jan. 15, and the organization will reopen for the 2024 season on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

In 2024, LancasterHistory will be open on Mondays through Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the public. Tours of Wheatland will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Research Center will be open on Wednesdays to Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for appointments.

LancasterHistory is continuing its exhibitions "Thieves & Vagabonds: A History of Law and Justice in Lancaster County" and "Black Lancastrians in the Arts: A Lasting Legacy."

"Plain Dress on the Docket: Lillian Risser, the Pennsylvania Garb Law, and the Free Exercise of the Anabaptist Religion, 1908-1910" will be presented on Thursday, Jan. 25, at LancasterHistory. Doors will open and a reception will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the presentation at 5:30 p.m. This program is the first event in the 2024 season of the Regional History Colloquium. The lecture will also be livestreamed via Zoom.

In 1895, Pennsylvania passed a law commonly known as the "Garb Law," which prohibited public school teachers from wearing religiously distinctive clothing. Although originally aimed at Catholic nuns in western Pennsylvania, the law was first enforced in Lancaster County against Plain-dressed Mennonite and Brethren school teachers. The 1908 prosecution of Mennonite Lillian Risser and the Mount Joy Township school board that hired her was the first case to test the law. In this talk, Steve Nolt and Jean-Paul Benowitz will examine the issues involved in this case as it passed from the Lancaster County Courts to the state's Superior and Supreme courts. The Risser case remains an important episode in the ongoing debate over the boundaries of religious liberty in Pennsylvania, and all the more because the 1895 law remains on the books today.

Nolt is a professor of history at Elizabethtown College and a Senior Scholar at the college's Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. He is the author or coauthor of 15 books on Mennonite, Amish, and Pennsylvania German history. He also serves as series editor for Young Center Books in Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, published by the Johns Hopkins University Press, and as coeditor of the Journal of Plain Anabaptist Communities.

Jean-Paul Benowitz is the director of public heritage studies and prestigious scholarships and fellowships at Elizabethtown College. He teaches Honors Program courses about local and regional history with a focus on historic preservation. He has authored articles, books and book chapters. Much of his scholarship and published works have dealt with 20th-century American political history with a focus on the Historic Peace Churches.

This program is free and open to the public. Registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendees by visiting http://www.lancasterhistory.org or calling 717-392-4633. Due to capacity restrictions, tickets may not be available at the door.

History Happy Hour at the Horse Inn will be held on Monday, Jan. 29, at the Horse Inn, 540 E. Fulton St., Lancaster. The doors and bar will open at 5:30 p.m., and the program will begin at 6 p.m. Attendees are welcome to stay until 7 p.m.

The event will celebrate the Horse Inn, a 104-year-old Lancaster city restaurant, and its history. Questions to be answered include "Why is the Horse Inn down an alley and up a steep flight of stairs?" and "Why does the inn look like it was once a stable?"

Ticket sales will open Monday, Jan. 8. Ticket includes admission to the program, light refreshments, and one complimentary beverage. Additional drinks, along with food and merchandise, may be purchased separately at the event. The event is suggested for people age 18 or older, and individuals must be 21 or older to consume adult beverages.

The 20th annual Valentine's Day Gala will take place on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Hamilton Club, 106 E. Orange St., Lancaster. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be available at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. After the meal, the event will feature dancing and live music by the Mama Tried Band.

The theme this year is inspired by Moulin Rouge, the famous French cabaret. Guests are encouraged to dress in accordance with the theme. A celebration of romance and history, this event will benefit educational programming at LancasterHistory.

For more information and to purchase tickets by Monday, Feb. 5, visit http://www.lancasterhistory.org/valentines.