In the 1800s, Samuel Haldeman was a world-famous naturalist who studied and taught in Bainbridge. To mark his 212th birthday, the Haldeman Mansion Preservation Society will host Samuel Haldeman Day. The party will be held at Haldeman Mansion, 230 Locust Grove Road, Bainbridge, on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The celebration will include hands-on activities and displays highlighting Haldeman's interests.

"We will have various clubs coming in," said Tina Mark, recording secretary of the Haldeman Mansion Preservation Society. "We'll have the Fossil and Mineral Club from Lancaster and the Lancaster Butterfly and Entomology Club." Other groups on-site will include the Lancaster Conservancy and the Natural History Club.

Representatives from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will also participate. "Sam discovered a little fish called the logperch, so they're bringing a video on that," Mark said. "He also studied freshwater mollusks, so they are hopefully bringing some of those. Kids will be able to touch them and see what they feel like."

A Native American area will be set up as well, featuring games, a teaching table and a storyteller. "There's going to be animal skins, scat, skulls and tracks, and the kids can try to figure out what they are," Mark said. "Adults can try, too. This is for people of all ages."

A talk will be given at 1:30 p.m. on fossils of Lancaster and York counties. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, with cake and ice cream to mark Haldeman's birthday.

Tours of the Haldeman Mansion will be offered as well. Built in the early 1800s, the mansion overlooks the Susquehanna River. Haldeman lived from 1812 to 1880 and was an amateur scientist who became a respected scholar mostly through self-study. He contributed to the fields of zoology, linguistics, archaeology, geology, chemistry and natural history.

"If you enjoy nature and learning about it, this is the place to come," Mark said. She noted that the preservation society used to hold Samuel Haldeman Day years ago, and when she was teaching a homeschool class on the property recently, the idea came up to host the day again.

"We thought it would be a good opportunity for more people to come here and see this place and enjoy it," Mark stated. "It's a beautiful place to spend a day. Bring lawn chairs or blankets, and spend as much time here as you'd like."

There is no admission charge for Samuel Haldeman Day.