Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, will host an 18th-Century Historic Fashion Symposium on Sunday, Aug. 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. The event will consist of three lectures; a self-guided tour of the General Hand Mansion, including the opportunity to see the 18th-century gown owned by Katharine Hand; and a catered dinner by Gourmet Julie's Way, with gluten-free and vegetarian options available. The lectures will be held in the Langmuir Education Room, located on the first floor of the Rock Ford Barn. The symposium is open to people with all levels of experience in historical dress.

The presenters and their lectures will be Christina McSherry, "Katharine Hand: Discovering a Person Through Clothing"; Angela Burnley, "From Cottage to Factory: The Evolution of Textiles for Fashion in the Last Quarter of the 18th Century"; Brooke Welborn, "Cutting to the Figure: The Evolution of Mantua-Making in the Last Quarter of the 18th Century."

McSherry is executive director of Historic Rock Ford and an adjunct professor of anthropology at Franklin & Marshall College. She has a Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Burnley holds a Bachelor of Science in interior design from the University of Cincinnati. Prior to founding Burnley & Trowbridge in 1994, she owned a multi-discipline design firm in Oyster Bay, N.Y., and taught as an adjunct in the discipline at the New York Institute of Technology. Her strong interest in historic textiles for interiors and her love of sewing led her down the path of historic textile discovery within the fashion world. She has spearheaded the many offerings of Burnley & Trowbridge, from products to hands-on and online workshops, all while pursuing her personal research in 18th-century textiles.

Welborn received a Bachelor of Arts in theater from William & Mary, with a focus on costume design and construction and a minor in history. She was an apprentice in millinery and mantua-making in the Historic Trades Department of Colonial Williamsburg, receiving her journeywoman papers in 2007. Since then she has continued to study independently the cut, fit, and construction of 18th- and early 19th-century women's gowns and jackets in numerous museum collections; apply her knowledge in creating garments for customers and museums; and share the skills of 18th-century mantua-making with others as lead instructor and education coordinator for Burnley & Trowbridge.

There is a fee, and advance registration is required at http://www.historicrockford.org/special-events.

In addition, Historic Rock Ford's Untold Stories of the American Revolution Lecture Series will continue on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 6:30 p.m. with "The Archaeology and Memory of the Paoli Battlefield." The lecture will focus on the archaeology of the Paoli battlefield and how it is remembered throughout history. In addition to covering the history of the battle, presenter Matthew Kalos will discuss how memory is created in different historical moments and how archaeologists can approach the production and maintenance of mnemonic practices.

Kalos is an assistant professor of anthropology and human geography at Brookdale Community College and a research fellow for the Center for Integrative Research in Conflict Archaeology (CIRCA). He earned his Ph.D. in anthropology from Temple University, where he wrote his dissertation on the Battle of Paoli, which took place in Malvern. The focus of his research centers on the interpretation of memory and mnemonic landscapes associated with the American Revolution. In addition to studying the Paoli Battlefield, Kalos worked for the National Park Service at Valley Forge National Historical Park for six years, where he led public archaeology programs. Recently, he co-edited the volume "The Archaeology of the American Revolution."

The presentation will be held in the Langmuir Education Room, and it will be approximately 1.5 hours in length. Admission is for the lecture and does not include the Snyder Gallery. To purchase tickets, visit the aforementioned website.