Dr. Alfred L. Shoemaker, celebrated authority on Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs, noted these (hex signs) folk art symbols were found locally on Christian made fraktur birth and baptismal certificates ...

I wanted to see distelfinks. But they were hard to find. In Pennsylvania Dutch country, the distelfink, a goldfinch that eats thistle seeds and builds thistledown nests, is a good-luck bird. It also ...

Editor’s note: Welcome to the world of “Paranormal PA,” a PennLive series that delves into Pennsylvania-grown stories of spirits (like the ghost of a murdered girl whose cries can be heard in one of ...

In reference to the June 24 Sunday magazine article “Star Bright,” I thank The Morning Call for not using the word “hex” in bold type within the pages. Ever since the explosion of tourism, folk ...

Perhaps nothing symbolizes Pennsylvania Dutch culture more than the hex sign. Some believe hex signs were first added to barns as a kind of painted prayer, usually for blessings and as protection from ...

The Germans’ love of color and decoration led to their putting designs and color on every surface that stood still, and even some that didn’t. An 1810 watercolor by Lewis Miller of York depicts a ...

I wanted to see distelfinks. But they were hard to find. In Pennsylvania Dutch country, the distelfink — an imaginary goldfinch that eats thistle seeds and builds thistledown nests — is a good-luck ...

KUTZTOWN, Pa. - For one local artist, creating art is not just a job but an adventure he shares with people every year at the Kutztown Folk Festival. "I paint Hex signs and I paint barn stars," said ...

It was in her late 20s when Rachel Yoder realized she didn’t know much about her heritage. She yearned to feel connected to her roots, and for Yoder, art was a natural way to do so. “It was my ...