Second Annual Americana Symposium to Focus on Pennsylvania German Redware at Historic Trappe
The second annual Americana Symposium returns to Trappe, Pennsylvania, March 13–15, with a deep dive into Pennsylvania German redware, its makers, and its enduring legacy.
Trappe, Pennsylvania – January 10, 2026 – Americana Insights and Historic Trappe are co-sponsoring the second annual Americana Symposium, which will focus on Pennsylvania German redware and take place from March 13–15 in Trappe, Pennsylvania. Focusing on redware production, use, and collecting in southeastern Pennsylvania from the mid-1700s to the mid-1900s, the symposium provides fresh insights into renowned potters such as Georg Hubener and Samuel Troxel, as well as lesser-known figures. It also delves into the work of twentieth-century potters, including Jacob Medinger, considered the last of the traditional Pennsylvania German potters; Henry Chapman Mercer, founder of the Moravian Tile Works and Mercer Museum; and Mildred Weekes Keyser, a pioneering female potter. Held in conjunction with Historic Trappe’s current exhibition on Pennsylvania German redware and Americana Insight’s third volume, this year’s Americana Symposium is not to be missed!
The main symposium will be held on Saturday, March 14, and begins with a keynote lecture by Johanna Brown, Chief Curator & Director of Collections, Research and Archaeology, Old Salem Museums & Gardens, and the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. The morning session includes a talk on Philadelphia’s 18th-century earthenware industry by Deborah Miller, Archeologist & Curator of Archeological Collections, Independence National Historical Park; this talk is sponsored by Ceramics in America. Laini Farrare, a graduate student at the University of Delaware, will speak on sgraffito teaware in Pennsylvania, and Lisa Minardi, executive director of Historic Trappe and editor of Americana Insights, will share research on Montgomery County potters Georg Hubener and Jacob Medinger. After a lunch break and time to explore Historic Trappe’s museums, the afternoon session includes lectures by Christopher Malone, curator at Historic Trappe, on unraveling the mystery of the potter once known as Solomon Grim; Justin Thomas on potter Nathaniel Sellers; and Karl Pass on Mildred Keyser, the colonial revival potter from Plymouth Meeting, PA. The symposium concludes with talks by Adam Zayas, Independent Scholar and Retired Potter, Moravian Tile Works, on Henry Chapman Mercer’s legacy in Bucks County and a final talk by Greg Shooner, noted contemporary redware potter, offering his perspective on the art and craft of making redware. The talks will be held at St. Luke’s Fellowship Church in Trappe, with a reception to follow at the Dewees Tavern’s Center for Pennsylvania German Studies.
Symposium attendees have the option to sign up for two additional days of activity. On Friday, March 13, there will be a bus tour offering exclusive access to several outstanding private and museum collections with an emphasis on Pennsylvania German redware. Lunch, dinner, and round-trip bus transportation to and from Historic Trappe is included. To ensure an optimal experience, the bus tour is capped at 25 people. For those not attending the bus tour, Historic Trappe’s museums and the redware exhibition will be open on Friday from 10 am to 4 pm.
On Sunday, March 14, there will be morning and afternoon workshops offered. Greg Shooner and Christopher Malone will give a special tour of the redware exhibit, with an emphasis on the technical challenges and techniques of how various pieces are made. There will also be a pop-up display of teaching pieces from Greg Shooner's personal collection to further illuminate the potter's art. Attendees can also sign up for an exclusive sneak peek of the Speaker’s House and go behind-the-scenes to explore the house during the final weeks of restoration in preparation for its grand opening in mid-April. Historian Emily Sneff will share stories from Frederick Muhlenberg's life and political career, while restoration manager Eric Hundertmark offers insights on this twenty-five-year effort. Lastly, guests may also take a special tour with Lisa Minardi of the Muhlenberg House, which has been refurnished to reflect the family's life in 1776-78, when the American Revolution reached Trappe and the Philadelphia countryside.
Registration for the second annual Americana Symposium is now live at AmericanaSymposium.org. For questions, please contact Historic Trappe at info@historictrappe.org or (610) 489-7560.
