The Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County

Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County Presents

3rd Saturday Summer Programs
Saturday, August 17, 2024

Our 3rd Saturday Programs are back this year! We will be offering these site-wide programs May through September. Program begins at the White Horse Inn unless otherwise noted. Suggested donation $2/person. All proceeds benefit the Trust.

The Pennsylvania Long Rifle
August 17, 2024 • 11am

On August 17th , Kevin O’Donnell will present an exciting program on the history and artwork of the Pennsylvania Long Rifle. While the iconic rifle used in the settlement of the United States is often called the Kentucky rifle, its origin is mainly here in Pennsylvania. The various places where the rifles were made developed their own specific styles. These styles are distinctive to the areas where the rifles were made. These rifles were beautiful as well as functional. They have artistic designs and figures that are carved
into the wood or engraved into the metal decorations. Kevin is a reenactor with the First Pennsylvania regiment which portrays riflemen from the early part of the Revolutionary War and has been shooting flintlock rifles for 40 years. Kevin was trained as a gunsmith at the Jacobsburg Historical Society where he took apprentice classes.
The HPTBC is a non-profit organization that acquires, preserves, and maintains historically and architecturally significant properties in Berks County, Pennsylvania and educates Berks County and its’ visitors about the role these sites played in Pennsylvania and American history. The Trust seeks to foster community involvement and
support in promoting awareness and appreciation of historic structures and encouraging their adaptive reuse. The Trust currently owns and maintains eight historically significant buildings in the greater Reading/Berks County area. Our office is located in the White Horse Inn on Old Philadelphia Pike in Douglassville. If you are interested
in donating to the Trust please call 610-385-4762 or visit www.historicpreservationtrust.org.