DAMASCUS, PA — The Damascus Township Historical Society will host a program on heritage, edible and medicinal plants in northeast PA at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25.

One program will be led by master gardener Irene Soloway and discuss the paw-paw tree. The other will cover edible and medicinal plants and be led by herbalist and mycologist Nathaniel Whitmore. 

This is the first in a series of free public events courtesy of the historical society.

Few people are aware of the pawpaw, which is a deciduous tree native to the eastern United States and Canada. Its fruits are never in the markets and it’s not produced commercially. 

Many people are also not aware of the natural abundance of our fields and forests, which has been part of Nathaniel Whitmore’s life and work for decades.

“Since the plants that surround us, growing naturally in the fields and forests, have significant history as food, medicine, building materials and otherwise being intertwined with our own history, I am grateful for this opportunity to discuss the uses of local plants by colonists and Native Americans,” said Whitmore.

The Damascus Township Historical Society is committed to preserving the heritage of the community through its archives and collections as well as through public information programs and special events. It welcomes new members to be part of its ongoing work.

The program will be held at the Damascus Township Community Center at 60 Conklin Hill Rd. There is ample parking and the building is handicapped accessible.

Learn more about the historical society at www.waynehistorypa.com/places/id/213.