Living History Programs & Visiting Hours

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Surrounded by history
As a mostly intact mill village from the 1770s, Jerusalem is a perfect setting for living history interpretation and storytelling. The Grist Mill, General Store, Spring House, Tenant House, smokehouse/dairy, Blacksmith Shop, covered bridge, Jerusalem Mansion and Miller’s House (behind the Mill) are original buildings that have been or are being restored. The Grist Mill was reconstructed and adapted for use as the Gunpowder Falls State Park headquarters and our visitor center. The Bank Barn is currently undergoing reconstruction.

Step back in time
Every weekend and during special history events, our interpreters not only engage visitors in show & tell about life in the past, they also connect history to universal concepts that most of us can relate to based on our own experiences. While cooking or sewing, we’re as likely to talk about the significance of spices in the global economy and local households, or the way fabric and clothing indicate social class and occupation, as we are about the tasks we’re engaged in. Through training, research, and a passion for the past, our interpreters can discuss the role that tools and processes of long-ago life played in the survival of the entire community.

Besides forging a better future by preserving the past, we want to give visitors a personally relevant experience and the desire to return again and again.

Surrounded by history, our interpreters strive for an accurate portrayal of life in Jerusalem Mill Village from the 1770s through the 1950s.

All times listed below are subject to the availability of our volunteer docents and history interpreters. If you’d like to help us extend our open hours, please consider becoming a docent or history interpreter. There’s no prior experience or prior knowledge of village history required.
We’ll help you with both! Just call us at 410-877-3560. Note: We are closed on Easter and Christmas.

Living History Visiting Hours

  • The Gristmill Museum & Visitor Center

    Open Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays from 1 PM to 4 PM. Also open most weekdays from 8 am - 3:30 pm. Learn about the village, explore our artifacts, and see how a 1772 gristmill operated.

  • Blacksmith Shop

    Open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 PM to 4 PM. See the forge in operation as our blacksmiths demonstrate their trade.

  • McCourtney’s General Store

    The General Store Museum and gift shop are open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 PM to 4 PM. Learn about the village’s connection to the Civil War, step into a 1930s general store, and browse our gift shop for a variety of souvenirs including items made by our own blacksmiths.

  • Miller's House

    Open Sunday afternoons from 1 PM to 4 PM. Experience family life in the 19th century, where period-attired interpreters will describe cooking methods, social life, gardening, and more.

  • The Lee Gallery

    Open Saturdays 1 PM to 4PM or by appointment (410-877-3560). The Lee Gallery houses rotating art exhibiis and is located in The Lee Mansion. For the past two years, volunteers and contractors have been restoring this late 18th century home.

  • Springhouse

    Open on Saturdays from 1 PM to 4 PM. Step inside and see how 19th century families stored perishable foods in the days before refrigeration. The springhouse is still fed from a natural spring, which helps to keep the inside temperature at about 56 degrees.

  • Jericho Road Covered Bridge

    This restored covered bridge is one of only three covered bridges in the entire state that is still in operation. This is a public road so please use caution when visiting.

  • The Joinery

    Open Sundays from 1 PM to 4 PM. The Joinery is located in the front room of the Carriage House, adjacent to the mill. Watch our volunteer woodworker demonstrate the tools and techniques used in colonial times.

All times listed above are subject to the availability of our volunteer docents and history interpreters. If you’d like to help us extend our open hours, please consider becoming a docent or history interpreter. There’s no prior experience or prior knowledge of village history required.
We’ll help you with both! Just call us at 410-877-3560. Note: We are closed on Easter and Christmas.

Living History School Program - Field Trips

An Educational Field Trip to Jerusalem Mill Village is an experience for children grades 4 through 8.  Groups of 8-10 students accompanied by an adult chaperone, rotate through an assortment of colonial activities: Writing with a Quill; Colonial Militia; Colonial Games; Home Life in a Colonial House; Blacksmithing and/or Tinsmithing demonstrations; Colonial Gardening and Herbal Apothecary; Colonial Magic and Entertainment; Colonial Woodworking; Colonial Grist Mill operations and Mill economics; Colonial Flags; Colonial Music making and other presentations.

Students are scheduled for ( 8 ) 25-minute rotations during the visit with a 25 minute lunch break. 

Students and parents pay a donation for the visit that includes all activities and supplies. Teachers and paid staff are free.    Educational visits are scheduled Thursdays in October and May.  Visits generally start 9:30-10:00am and run until 1:30-2pm depending on transportation schedules.  Parking is reserved. The Living History program takes place rain or shine.  Indoor or sheltered areas will be available for the programming.  All thoses attending should dress appropriately.  

We have a dedicated volunteer available to meet you at the bus in the morning and help provide directions to the students/teachers/parents as they pass through the village during the visit.