The Conestoga Area Historical Society, 51 Kendig Road, Conestoga, will hold its annual Spring Fling on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There will be an Easter egg hunt for kids ages 2 to 8 starting at 10 a.m., and the Easter Bunny will be on hand to oversee the proceedings. An artist will provide free face painting.

Spinners, wheelers, and blacksmiths will demonstrate their crafts, and visitors can take self-guided tours, with docents available to answer questions. "All of these events are free, but donations are greatly appreciated," Conestoga Area Historical Society vice president Jim Kauffman said.

Craft vendors will sell their wares, and there will also be food trucks.

"What we're trying to do is attract new people to come to the museum," Kauffman said. "We want to get the word out about who we are and show people what we have. We want people to be interested, and we are always looking for volunteers."

The Spring Fling serves as opening day for the museum, which will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. through Sunday, Dec. 14. Volunteers are present to guide visitors around the premises.

Kauffman noted that there are 250 members of the organization, which offers life memberships, annual memberships, and family memberships. Members receive a quarterly newsletter.

The Conestoga Area Historical Society curates artifacts from bygone days in Millersville Borough, Manor Township, Pequea Township, Martic Township, and Conestoga Township. "We're preserving the history of the Penn Manor School District," Kauffman said. "That's what we do."

There are several buildings of historical significance on the museum's grounds, according to the organization's website, http://www.pennmanorhistory.org.

The main building houses an exhibit area on the ground floor and a museum on the first floor, as well as a meeting room, a library, and four craftsman's shops.

The Steven Atkinson Log Cabin, built in 1753, was originally located in the Sunnyside district of Lancaster on the Conestoga River. The house is decorated and furnished with period reproductions by local craftsmen.

The Tobias Stehman Blacksmith Shop, constructed in 1880, was originally located on the Stehman farm in Pequea Township. It is a fully equipped, working blacksmith shop.

The Michael Harnish Stone House, built in 1740, was originally located along Main Street in Conestoga. It contains a display of Harnish family photos, documents, deeds, and a family Bible.

The Elmer Hoak Broom Shop is a toll booth from the Slackwater area of Manor Township.

The Stella V. Caldwell Research Center contains books, photographs, and diaries. It may be used by members and nonmembers.

The Sweitzer Bank Barn contains agricultural items and two Conestoga wagons.

Susquehannock, Seneca, Delaware, Shawnee, and Conoy Indians inhabited the area.

Kauffman said immigrants from a variety of countries had jobs at ironworks in Safe Harbor, Colemanville, and Martic Forge. "There is so much history in this area," Kauffman said.

The Conestoga Area Historical Society is also home to the Zercher Diaries. In 1889, Andrew Zercher, who was a local cabinetmaker in Conestoga, went into the undertaking business. As a cabinetmaker, he could make his own caskets. Zercher kept a daily diary from 1889 until 1918. He gave these diaries to a friend and had him promise that he would destroy them when he passed away. Kauffman said the diaries got into the hands of a man in Conestoga who donated the diaries to the CAHS museum. Museum members transcribed the diaries, and those transcriptions are on the historical society website.

The Conestoga Area Historical Society also holds a Fall Festival and an Early American Candlelight Christmas.

For more information about the Spring Fling and Conestoga Area Historical Society, email Conestogaarea95@gmail.com or call 717-872-1699.