LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, has announced two programs.

"Urban Metabolism: Greek Immigrants and the Progressive Era in Southeastern PA" will be presented on Thursday, Dec. 7, at 5:30 p.m. Doors will open and a reception will begin at 5 p.m. The lecture will also be livestreamed via Zoom. Franklin & Marshall College's Konstantinos Kourelis will share his research on Lancaster's Greek community in the early 20th century.

Greek immigration to the United States was one of the most significant demographic movements for modern Greece. The migration also played an important role in shaping immigrant communities in southeastern Pennsylvania. In Harrisburg, the city's urban reformers promised better housing and living conditions for all of the city's residents, but the demolition of the Old Eighth Ward and the construction of more expensive housing between 1910 and 1930 made it harder for new Greek immigrants to make a living and a home in the city. However, Greeks coming to Lancaster during the early 20th century found a relatively stable city that experienced neither the rapid growth nor the major upheavals of urbanization. Kourelis will discuss his research and the demographic and geospatial data for Greek immigrant communities in Harrisburg and Lancaster to highlight the different challenges and opportunities of Greek community during the City Beautiful movement.

Kourelis is an architectural historian, archaeologist, and associate professor of art history at Franklin & Marshall. His fieldwork focuses on settlements, landscapes, and vernacular architecture of migration from the medieval period to the present. He also explores the history of humanitarianism and the relationship between radical art practices and archaeology during the 20th century. Kourelis' current fieldwork centers on refugee camps in Greece from 1821 to the present, Japanese incarceration camps in the American West, and Philadelphia's Greektown.

This program is free and open to the public. In-person attendance requires advance registration, and due to capacity restrictions, tickets may not be available at the door. Virtual attendance requires advance registration in order to receive the Zoom link. To register online, visit http://www.lancasterhistory.org and click Events or call 717-392-4633. Registration will close online on Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m.

LancasterHistory will host Candy Canes and Cocoa on the Campus of History on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 10 to 11 a.m. The event will include a candy cane hunt, a story read aloud, a holiday craft to take home, a peek at historic children's items from the LancasterHistory Collections, and hot cocoa.

Attendees should dress appropriately for the weather as the outdoor candy cane hunt is weather-dependent. All other activities will take place indoors. In the case of inclement weather, Candy Canes and Cocoa will take place on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 10 a.m.

Tickets are free for children age 5 and under. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian age 18 or older. Tickets are available for purchase at the aforementioned website or by calling the previously mentioned number.