December 27: Marietta History Holiday Hike Ticket

Description

📅 Saturday, December 27, 2025
⏰ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
📍 Meet at Marietta Borough Municipal Office, 111 East Market Street, Marietta, PA

Uncharted Lancaster invites you to lace up your walking shoes and uncover the fascinating stories of one of Lancaster County’s most historic river towns. Join retired history teacher and longtime Marietta resident Jeffrey Hudson for a 2-mile guided history hike through the charming streets and alleys of Marietta. Over 90 minutes to two hours, Hudson will bring Marietta’s past to life with tales that connect local landmarks to national history.

Added Bonus: Experience Marietta at its most magical as the town’s historic homes and storefronts are dressed in their holiday best. This special Marietta History Holiday Hike offers a rare chance to enjoy festive Christmas decorations while you explore the stories behind the borough’s centuries-old streets.

What You’ll Discover

On this engaging walk, you’ll explore:

• The true origins of Marietta’s name and the town’s earliest days.
• How Marietta thrived as both a river and railroad town.
• The borough’s Civil War connections and even a presidential visit.
• Stories from the Underground Railroad that once ran through these very streets.
• The oldest continuously operating tavern in Lancaster County.
• A rare chance to step inside the 1848 Old Town Hall and explore its museum, courtesy of the Marietta Restoration Association.
• Curious local characters, including surprising links to early vaccine development in America.

Hudson’s deep knowledge and storytelling style promise to make history not only educational but unforgettable. As a former social studies teacher at Lampeter-Strasburg High School, Vice President of Marietta Borough Council, LNP columnist, and co-producer of the podcast History, Politics and Beer, Hudson knows how to blend facts, fun, and perspective into a lively walking tour.

Event Details

• Distance: About 2 miles round trip.
• Duration: 90 minutes–2 hours (depending on Q&A).
• Terrain: Sidewalks with multiple street crossings, plus some of Marietta’s hilly side streets and alleys.
• Includes exclusive first-floor access to Marietta’s 1848 Old Town Hall.
• Weather: Runs rain or shine. (Severe weather cancellations will be made on-site.) Dress for the weather, as most of this tour is outside.
• Parking: Free on East Market Street and Front Street.
• Capacity: Limited to 20 participants.
• Cost: $20 per person.

Reserve Your Spot

Don’t miss this opportunity to see Marietta through the eyes of one of its greatest storytellers. Space is limited—and tickets will go fast!

Step into history. Explore the stories. Experience Marietta like never before.

Supersize Your Adventure

Supersize your adventure by including one of Adam Zurn’s books with your adventure ticket purchase.

📖 Learn about the many unique places Lancaster County has to offer when you step off the beaten path with Uncharted Lancaster: Field Guide to the Strange, Storied, and Hidden Places of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This one-of-a-kind 239-page guidebook uncovers 56 fascinating sites, from the county’s very own fountain of youth to the oldest continuously operating short-line railroad in the western hemisphere.

📖 Uncharted Lancaster’s Ghosts, Monsters, and Tales of Adventure takes readers on a spine-tingling journey through Lancaster County’s haunted history, eerie legends, and hidden treasures. From ghostly apparitions to outlaw loot, these 64 true local stories blend real history with gripping folklore.