An exciting excursion to the Priestley house in PA!
We will need to bring chairs and tables, food, and drink, and musical instruments. It takes about ~75 minutes to Northumberland by Route 80, and a little longer on Route 45 or 192, although they are more pleasant.
Plan on leaving about 10:30 from State College, set up picnic around noon. Have a brief speech, and then impromptu music and poetry and whatever. We will eat and park by the chapel. The house/Laboratory site is a few blocks’ walk away. This is informal, so you can come and go as suits your schedule, but do plan to be there from 12-1:30 at least.
Who was Joseph Priestley?
Why are we driving 75 minutes to Northumberland for a fun potluck picnic? And what has this to do with the 75 Anniversary Celebration?
Northumberland is where Joseph Priestley built a house, a laboratory, and a chapel after he was chased out of England. He is buried there.
So, why was Joseph Priestley important to the founders? In many ways. You may know Priestley as the discoverer of oxygen (and of carbonated drinks) and as an educational reformer. However, our founders recognized an inspirational figure sharing some of their experiences.
Like them, Priestley was a scientist and educator, and very concerned with improving society. Like them, Priestley was concerned with starting Unitarian communities. He co-founded the first Unitarian church in England and then came to the US and did it again in Philadelphia. Like Gerald Moser, a founder who fled Nazi Germany, Priestley was forced to leave his country because of his social and religious beliefs, finding a safe place in Central Pennsylvania.
Priestley’s beliefs influenced the founders of our country, particularly founders Jefferson and Franklin.
So, between 1952-1993, our Fellowship founders made 19 “pilgrimages” to Northumberland and Priestley sites, sometimes meeting other UU congregations there. One time they camped out. They had potluck picnics, sang, had a brief service, visited the Priestley House, and generally hung out together.
The Priestley house and laboratory are active historical sites, with guided tours ($6-8/person) maintained in part by the American Chemical Association. It is located a few blocks from our main site. https://joseph-priestley-house.org/
The Priestley Chapel will be our main site. It is also well maintained. We have rented it for the day, so we have parking and a place for picnicking on the lot next door, a place to sit and listen to whoever chooses to play or recite poetry, and a bathroom (and additional porta potty). priestleychapel.org
