Blue Rock Heritage Center (BRHC), 2251 River Road, Washington Boro, will hold an open house on Sunday, June 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. The annual event will highlight various items in its collection, including new additions and temporary displays. The open house will also feature demonstrations and educational activities offered by local nonprofit organizations and historical groups.

One of BRHC's most recent additions is an assortment of Native American artifacts that belonged to the late Eugene Shultz, a resident of Washington Boro and avid collector. The collection includes stone tools, arrowheads, brass items and glass beads that Eugene found in local fields and gardens between the 1930s and 1960s. Many of the items date to as early as the 17th century, and they were brought to BRHC by Eugene's son, David.

Attendees of the open house will have an opportunity to view a sneak boat that was donated last fall by Alan Dinkel of Columbia. The boat was made in the 1940s for duck hunting on the open waters of the Susquehanna, which has a large duck and goose population due to its shallow waters and rocky islands. The sneak boat was designed to be camouflaged and rowed with oars to avoid scaring waterfowl with a motor, including an oar on the rear that allows hunters to approach their prey undetected.

Four woven coverlets will be on display during the open house, including a coverlet that was made with a loom by Jacob Witmer in 1838. Rae Newhouse, who purchased one of the items during an auction near Quarryville, will give a presentation on how coverlets were made and their role in the Colonial era. Other demonstrations will include arts and crafts offered by Native American advocacy group Circle Legacy Center, as well as an active three sisters garden. This type of garden, which was commonly found in Native American villages, contains maize, squash and beans planted side by side.

"The open house is an annual way for us to highlight new additions to the collection or just some local history in the area," said Charlie Douts, president and charter member of Blue Rock Heritage Center. "We always try to showcase the local Native American history that was such a rich part of this area."

This year, members of the Lower Susquehanna Archaeological Society will attend the open house to identify fossils and artifacts residents of the area have discovered in nearby fields. Attendees are invited to bring locally found historical artifacts they wish to have identified. BRHC hosted the archaeological group on May 19 for a guest speaker event that included a talk from geologist Jeri Jones on various types of rocks found in York and Lancaster counties.

For more information, visit http://www.bluerockheritage.org.