(Ambridge, PA) On Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Old Economy Village, a National Historic Landmark site, will present, “Leatherworking Trades Workshop”. Adults will have the opportunity to apprentice with skilled leatherworker Kevin Cohn and other members of the Pitt Pounders Leather Guild to learn the historic craft of leatherworking. Participants will learn the different types of leather and tools and the specialized uses of each. All will create several tooled pieces using traditional trade equipment and develop their skills in the historic craft. Registration and prepayment is required by Monday, April 21st, lunch is included in the admission fee. Cost is $45.00 for non-members, $40.00 for Friends of Old Economy Village members. Call (724) 266-4500, x101 to register. Space is limited to the first twenty registrants.

Old Economy Village’s annual workshops are an exciting and fun way to learn the customs, trades and crafts practiced by the 19th-century Harmonists, a German communal society known for its industrial prosperity in textiles and manufacturing, winemaking and railroad investments. The program aids in preserving the old traditions and technologies as it builds an appreciation for a dying art form. Centuries-old structures, like Old Economy Village, are sources of information about the careers of craftsmen in the 1800‘s. Accomplished instructors help individuals learn traditional skills as well as some modern-day techniques amidst the period setting of Old Economy Village's historic buildings. This class will introduce all participants to the history and rudiments of leather-making, becoming knowledgeable in construction techniques and leather processing. Apprentices will discover the art of working leather using the same methods used by Harmonist shoemakers and leatherworkers – identifying skin properties and types, utilizing stitching to add beauty and durability, and gaining skills in tooling, and embossing, stitching, dyeing and finishing leather. Students will work with tools developed over centuries including mallets, calipers, borders and geometric stamps to create spectacular designs.

In the leather shop at Oekonomie (Economy), the apprentice had to master new skills in order to produce the needed saddles and harnesses and the system of straps connecting an animal to a vehicle. This required a lengthy apprenticeship, which usually began in childhood, in cutting, stitching, and assembly.

Masters started apprentices on small jobs working with small pieces of leather, keeping expenses low when the inevitable early learning mistakes occurred. Dry belts were produced for the factory, and leather boxes were made for community members and for “outsiders” by special order. Apprentices began their training in stitching by producing the thread that a shop would use. It often was made from flax or hemp, which was coated with beeswax. Craftsmen used steel needles as well as tools that could punch holes in leather or slit the material. The finished product reflected pride of craft, skill, and a thorough knowledge of the material, much as Workshop attendants will feel on April 26th when they depart with their hand-crafted masterpieces.

In the future, Economy plans to recreate the industrial workings of an early 19th Century Harmonist community, including working shoe and leather, woodworking and tinning shops. On a daily basis visitors will be able to step back in time and gain an appreciation for how a Harmonist Tradesman practiced his craft in the 1800s. This program of historic Harmonist crafts and trades will not only engage and educate the public, but perpetuate crafts and trades that are rapidly disappearing. The objective of this interpretive program is to develop and bring to life aspects of daily life which were integral to the physical and economic survival of the Harmony Society as a whole. It will focus on the craftsman’s role within the community explaining how the interdependent nature of the community sustained the town. It will be a window into the world of a 19th century Harmonist living in the community, and in turn, inviting comparison with the 21st century.

Old Economy Village was the third and final home of the Harmony Society. In 1824, the group purchased approximately 3000 acres in southern Beaver County along the Ohio River. By 1828, the Society had constructed a village, housing over 500 members, in addition to a Feast Hall/Museum Building, Meeting House, cotton, silk and woolen textile mills and shops for many different crafts and trades. The Old Economy Village Visitor Center offers visitors an orientation film, a permanent exhibit on the Harmony Society, the Museum Store and a new exhibit entitled Out of Harmony, which discusses the tensions and divisions which existed within the outwardly peaceful Harmonist community.

Economy’s regular hours of operation are Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Sunday, Noon to 5:00 p.m.; the site is open thru December 31st. The site is closed Mondays and holidays, except Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day (call for hours). Please allow 2 hours for a visit. Daily admission is charged: Adults (18 years and older), $7.00; Youth (6 years - 17 years), $5.00; Senior Citizens (60 years and older), $6.00; Under 6, No Charge. Persons with disabilities who need special assistance or accommodation should call (724) 266-4500 in advance to discuss their needs. Pennsylvania TDD relay service is available at (800) 654-5984.

For more information call (724) 266-4500 or e-mail: ra-oldeconomy@state.pa.us or visit our website at www.oldeconomyvillage.org. Old Economy Village is one of 25 historic sites and museums on the Pennsylvania Trail of History®, administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. For more information or to request a free 24-page visitor guide, visit www.phmc.state.pa.us or phone toll free 1-866-PA TRAIL. For more information on Old Economy Village visit www.oldeconomyvillage.org.