Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, has planned three programs, all of which will take place in the Langmuir Education Room, located on the first floor of the Rock Ford barn. Tickets to the programs may be purchased at http://www.historicrockford.org/special-events.

"The Revolution's Last Men: The Soldiers Behind the Photographs," a presentation by Don N. Hagist, will be held on Wednesday, July 15, at 6:30 p.m. Hagist will present information on six Revolutionary War veterans. These veterans were photographed and interviewed for a book published in 1864, but the biographies were garbled and distorted, containing information that ranged from inaccurate to implausible. Now the military careers of these men have been researched in detail using a wide range of primary sources. The result is a new perspective on the actual service of these soldiers, from enlistment to discharge, along with new details of their relatively quiet post-war lives.

Hagist is managing editor of Journal of the American Revolution, and his historical studies focus on presenting an accurate picture of individual soldiers and their families, especially those of the British army who served in America. He was a consultant for the PBS documentary "The American Revolution" produced by Ken Burns and has written several books, including "Noble Volunteers: The British Soldiers Who Fought the American Revolution" and "The Revolution's Last Men: The Soldiers Behind the Photographs." He is also an engineer for a medical device manufacturer and writes for several syndicated cartoonists.

The presentation will be approximately two hours in length. Admission is for the lecture only and does not include the Snyder Gallery.

"Buff & Blue: How George Washington Fashioned the Revolution" will be offered on Sunday, July 19, at 2 p.m. Fashion designer and historian Chloe Chapin will share the history of the iconic buff and blue color scheme and its lasting impact on American style. The color scheme was used by George Washington in designing his own military uniform, and within 15 years men across America, England, and France were copying his look.

In her forthcoming book, "Suitable: The Sartorial Revolution and the Fashioning of Modern Men," Chapin investigates the materiality, manufacture, and meaning behind men's suits between the American Revolution and the Civil War. Chapin holds a doctorate from Harvard. Previously, she costumed rock musicals on Broadway.

Visitors may park in the area located behind the barn. Prior to the lecture, attendees may visit the Snyder Gallery and the 2026 Focus Exhibit. The Snyder Gallery closes at 4 p.m.

Karin Wulf will present "Lineage: Genealogy and the Power of Connection in Early America" on Sunday, July 19, at 5 p.m. The lecture is based upon Wulf's book of the same name and explores how genealogy was a powerful force in 18th-century America, shaping society, law, and identity for all people, not just the elite. The book argues that family records, created in diverse forms from documents to artifacts, were crucial for individuals and institutions to claim status; define freedom, especially in relation to slavery; and navigate legal and social structures, connecting personal emotion with political power.

Wulf is the director and librarian of the John Carter Brown Library and professor of history at Brown University. A historian of early America focused on gender, family, and politics, she writes widely for both public and academic audiences about history, the worlds of research and scholarship, and libraries and archives. She serves on a variety of nonprofit boards, is involved in planning for the United States' 250th anniversary celebration, and is a vice president of the American Historical Association.

Admission is for the lecture only and does not include the Snyder Gallery.