The Salem Witch Trials
2023-08-25 11:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
AHP hosted a special luncheon featuring guest speaker Rachel Christ-Doane, Director of Education of the Salem Witch Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. Rachel is a frequent author and lecturer on the Salem witch trials and spook to us about one of the most tragic events in Colonial America in the late 17th century.

Children of the Light: The History and Genealogy of Quakerism in Early America
2023-09-08 00:00
President Jay Dickey gave a Zoom lecture to members and guests of the “Genealogy Lab” of the Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada. The TMCC Genealogy Lab hosts weekly Zoom presentations by experts on a wide range of subject matters related to American history and genealogy. Jay’s talk was entitled “Children of the Light: The History and Genealogy of Quakerism in Early America.”

The Life of Anne Hutchinson
2024-05-21 00:00
AHP hosted an event in Carson City, NV featuring guest Kim Harris, who gave a “chautauqua” performance about the life of Anne Hutchinson, prominent figure in the history of New England who fought for religious freedom in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630’s; for her non-conformism she was banished, and later she and her children were murdered by Indians. The event was co-sponsored by the Nevada Mayflower Society and several other organizations.

Health Issues in the Jamestown Colony
2024-06-18 00:00
AHP hosted a luncheon event featuring guest speaker Matthew Bowdish, M.D. who spoke about the critical health crises confronted by the colonists in the early years of the founding of the Jamestown Colony, which led to a massive loss of life from malnourishment and disease. Dr. Bowdish, who serves as the Surgeon for both the California Sons of the American Revolution and the California Mayflower Society, discussed the many medical and surgical challenges Jamestown settlers confronted when Virginia was a raw frontier settlement with little or no support from the Colony’s overseers. Dr. Bowdish presented photos of health artifacts found at Jamestown, where archaeological excavations continue to unearth artifacts reflecting the harsh living conditions these early colonists faced. Dr. Bowdish has lectured frequently on subjects related to medicine and medical practices in early America. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and in Allergy & Clinical Immunology through the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. This special lunch event was co-hosted by the Jamestowne Society’s Northern California Company and the Nevada Mayflower Society. The luncheon was held at the Hilton Hotel in Concord, California.

Colonist Jamestown Colony

Hotel Reservations and Discount

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January 2022
2024-07-01 00:00
Jay Dickey gave a lecture to members of the Nevada State Genealogical Society entitled “The Great Migration: A Brief History of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1600’s”.

March 2022
2024-07-01 00:00
AHP’s Jonathan Dickey gave a Zoom lecture to the Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century about one of the seminal events in the history of the Jamestowne Colony, Bacon’s Rebellion. His talk was entitled “Bacon’s Rebellion: The First American Revolution.”

April 2022
2024-07-01 00:00
AHP hosted a luncheon featuring Professor Carla Gardina Pestana, Chair of the History Department at UCLA. Professor Pestana discussed her book, “The World of Plymouth Plantation.”

June 2022
2024-07-01 00:00
AHP Hosted a luncheon presentation by Dr. Matthew Bowdish, a noted expert in the field of early New England medicine, and the current Surgeon of the California Mayflower Society. Dr. Bowdish discussed the practice of medicine in Plymouth Colony in the 1600’s, and how the Pilgrims coped with a variety of infectious diseases.

August 2022
2024-07-01 00:00
AHP hosted the 2nd annual “American Roots Celebration,” held in Fallon, Nevada. The event was co-hosted by six other lineage and historical societies, and featured educational talks on a variety of topics related to American history. The event was attended by over 200 members of the public, and received press coverage in the local news media.

December 2022
2024-07-01 00:00
AHP hosted a breakfast even to commemorate the ratification of the Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791. At the breakfast, Jay Dickey gave a short talk about the history of the Bill of Rights, and the ratification process.

January 2023
2024-07-01 00:00
AHP’s Jay Dickey gave a Zoom lecture entitled “The Road to Ratification: Chaos in America, 1787-1791.”
Jay Dickey gave a luncheon presentation to the Daughters of the American Revolution on the subject of the Treaty of Alliance between America and France during the Revolutionary War. The talk was entitled “Franklin and France: The Treaty of Alliance 1777-1778.”

1783: The End of the War, and the Founding of the Society of the Cincinnati
2024-07-01 00:00
AHP’s Jay Dickey travelled to Prescott Arizona to deliver a talk to the local chapter of the Arizona Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. His talk was entitled “1783: The End of the War, and the Founding of the Society of the Cincinnati.”

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights
2024-07-01 00:00
President Jay Dickey gave a presentation at a luncheon of the Sagebrush chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Reno, Nevada on the subject of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Saving the Past: The Incredible Story of Jamestown Rediscovery’s Archaeological Work at Jamestown Colony, and Its Race to Save the Remaining Archaeological Record of the First Permanent English Settlement in North America
2024-07-01 00:00
Saving the Past: The Incredible Story of Jamestown Rediscovery’s Archaeological Work at Jamestown Colony, and Its Race to Save the Remaining Archaeological Record of the First Permanent English Settlement in North America
On September 13, 2025, American Heritage Partners and the Northern California Company of the Jamestowne Society are co-hosting a special luncheon featuring a fascinating lecture about the archaeological work being done at the historic Jamestowne Colony, and the thousands of artifacts that have been unearthed at the site of the original Jamestown Fort and surrounding areas on the James River. Our special guest speaker will be Mr. Michael Lavin, Director of Collections and Conservation at Jamestown Rediscovery, whose archaeologists have uncovered countless treasures and continue to make astounding discoveries. Mr. Lavin will share some of those discoveries with us and explain the critical role that archaeology has played in our understanding of life in the earliest permanent English settlement in the New World. He also will talk about how climate change is posing an existential threat to the Jamestown site, and why public and private support for Jamestown Rediscovery’s work is so critically needed to complete the work before priceless artifacts are forever lost.
Registration for the in-person luncheon will open soon.

Marquis de Lafayette’s Tour of America in 1824-25
2024-07-13 00:00
President Jay Dickey gave a lecture to the Washington State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution in celebration of the Marquis de Lafayette’s Tour of America in 1824-25. 2024 marks the 250th anniversary of the tour, which is being commemorated this year in multiple ways throughout the United States. Lafayette, the last living General of the Continental Army, visited all 24 states in America, traveling over 6,000 miles in a period of 13 months. The largest crowds in American history to that point turned out to greet him everywhere he went, culminating in his appearance in Boston in June 1825 to lay the cornerstone of the monument being erected to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. Hundreds of thousands of people attended the event, and afterwards, Lafayette filled several trunks with dirt from Bunker Hill to take home to France. The story of his Tour of America is one of the most compelling in American history.

Marquis de Lafayette in 1824-25
2024-10-19 00:00
Jay Dickey spoke to the Washoe Zephyr chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Lake Tahoe California about the American tour of the Marquis de Lafayette in 1824-25.

The “Constitution Bowl” in Lincoln, California
2024-11-16 00:00
The “Constitution Bowl” in Lincoln, California:
On November 16, AHP President Jay Dickey served as a judge at the “Constitution Bowl” for high school students in Lincoln, California. The event was held at the John Adams Academy, and was hosted by “Founding Forward” (foundingforward.org).
The Constitution Bowl concept was terrific, and the event attracted a very larger number of students and parents. The students work in teams of 3 or 4 students, and answer sometimes difficult questions about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the overall government framework established by the Founders. There are several rounds, with 4 teams advancing to the finals (there must have been 30-40 teams at this year’s event). Cash prizes are awarded to the winners— $750 to each team member for first place, $500 for each team member in second place, and $250 for the third-place finishers. President Dickey was impressed enough that AHP is now thinking about holding Constitution Bowls in other states—working, of course, in collaboration with Founding Forward. More news on this in early 2025!

The Forgotten Colony: the 400th Anniversary of the Founding of New Netherland, America’s First “Melting Pot”
2025-01-18 00:00
The Forgotten Colony: the 400th Anniversary of the Founding of New Netherland, America’s First “Melting Pot”
Today, many Americans consider New York—New York City in particular– to be a “melting pot,” where different ethnicities and cultures have come together to form a vibrant, diverse community, a center of international commerce and finance, and a welcoming place for immigrants from all the nations of the world. It all started 400 years ago, when a sailing ship carrying a small group of Dutch settlers arrived in North America, traveled up what came to be known as the Hudson River, and established a trading post at today’s Albany New York, following quickly by the settlement of the place they called New Amsterdam, renamed forty years later “New York.” Led by the Dutch West India Company (the “WGC”), over the next two decades thousands of immigrants settled in the region of today’s New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, forming the Dutch Colony of “New Netherland.”
Americans today celebrate the nation’s founding colonies of Jamestown and Plymouth, but somehow we’ve forgotten the massively important colony of New Netherland. On January 18, American Heritage Partners hosted a special luncheon featuring guest speaker, Deborah Hamer, the Director of the New Netherland Institute (“NNI”), who shared with us the story of New Netherland. Headquartered in Albany New York, NNI has been engaged over the last few decades in extensive preservation efforts of early Dutch records on a colossal scale. Ms. Hamer provided an overview of the history of New Netherland and shared with us the details of NNI’s efforts to preserve, digitize and translate the extant records of the WGC and other surviving Dutch records related to the history of New Netherland. The large collection of records NNI has already made public has provided critical new information about how the Dutch colony operated, how its people lived their day-to-day lives, how colonial leaders dealt with the indigenous peoples, and how those leaders helped foster the “melting pot” we know of today.
This special event was held at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Nevada.

Robert Burns Celebration
2025-01-25 00:00
AHP Supports the Robert Burns Celebration in Reno Nevada

On January 25, the Nevada Society of Scottish Clans is hosting its annual Robert Burns Celebration at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. This annual event is a “blow out” evening banquet, featuring the full array of Scottish traditional entertainment, food (including haggis!), raffle items, and most importantly, a free scotch whisky tasting beginning at 4 pm on the day of the event. This year, American Heritage Partners is a sponsor of the Celebration, which promises to be another sell-out. AHP is supporting the NSSC in large part because of the major impact our Scottish-American ancestors have had on our shared American history. To learn more about this fun event, and to register to attend, click here.

Seeking El Dorado: The History of The Pioneer Migration on the California Trail
2025-03-15 00:00
Seeking El Dorado: The History of The Pioneer Migration on the California Trail
This sold-out luncheon was co-sponsored by the Oregon-California Trails Association (“OCTA”), the Nevada Historical Society, the Nevada State Genealogical Society, and the Dayton Valley Historical Society. The Nevada State Museum supported the event and offered free admission to the Museum on the day of the event. Our guest speaker wwas David Fullerton, Vice President of the Nevada-California chapter of OCTA, and a leading expert on the history of the California Trail. Mr. Fullerton discussed the history of the California Trail, the people who traveled it, and the challenges they faced. He also talked about the ongoing projects he and other members of OCTA are pursuing to preserve and protect the remnants of the trails, and the discoveries they have made in the process. Working in collaboration with the National Park Service and other organizations, OCTA has unearthed many new and exciting artifacts that add meaning to the story of western migration. On display were several actual pioneer diaries that have been preserved– priceless visual evidence of the pioneers’ day-to-day life on the trail.
The event was held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the South Gallery of the Museum, located at 600 North Carson Street in Carson City.

Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride, and the Shot Heard ‘Round the World”
2025-04-09 00:00
April 9, 2025: Commemorating The 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord: “Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride, and the Shot Heard ‘Round the World”
On April 9, 2025, AHP President Jay Dickey spoke to the Sacramento chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. On April 19 2025, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the battle of Lexington & Concord, the battle that started our American Revolution. Jay covered the key events leading up to Revere’s famous ride, the critical role played by Dr. Joseph Warren (who was later shot and killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill), the flight of Samual Adams and John Hancock from Boston, and the aftermath of the battle. Today, Revere’s ride has attained mythic status in the history of the Revolution, thanks in part to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem published in 1861 entitled “Paul Revere’s Ride”. What were the real facts? Jay explored that question and others in his talk.

Luncheon with Our Founding Father John Adams
2025-05-10 11:00 - 13:00 | North Tahoe Event Center, North Tahoe Event Center 8318 CA-28, Kings Beach, CA 96143, United States, Kings Beach, NV, 96143, United States
A Special Luncheon with Our Founding Father John Adams: A Celebration of the 250th Anniversary of The Second Continental Congress, The Appointment of General Washington as Commander in Chief, and the Beginnings of an Independent Nation of Free People

Join American Heritage Partners for a special luncheon on May 10, 2025 at the North Tahoe Events Center, Kings Beach in Lake Tahoe, California, featuring a performance by noted Chautauqua Mike Lebsock. Mr. Lebsock will appear as John Adams, speaking to us after the end of the Revolutionary War. Mr. Adams will share with us his recollections of the momentous events that took place in Philadelphia in May 1775, following the outbreak of the American Revolution in April 1775 at Lexington & Concord. It was on May 10, 1775 that the Second Continental Congress convened at Carpenter Hall to begin deliberations over the way forward: to seek peace with Great Britain, or to seek independence? Congress decided to do both: it created the Continental Army, but also sent its famous “Olive Branch Petition” to King George III. In the midst of this, the Battle of Bunker Hill took place. John Adams was at the center of these sessions and was a guiding force in the drafting of the “Declaration of the Cause and Necessity of Taking Up Arms.” Mr. Adams will recall for us the sometimes-heated debates that took place at Carpenter Hall, and the behind-the-scenes negotiations that were conducted in nearby taverns. He’ll also discuss his private meetings and conversations with the likes of Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson Patrick Henry, and other key political leaders, many of whom he knew well.
This event is co-sponsored by the Battle Born Patriots Chapter, Nevada Sons of the American Revolution, the Nevada Society of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, the Sacramento chapter of Founding Forward and the Nevada Mayflower Society. Tickets are $45 per person, which includes a sumptuous buffet lunch, no host bar, a performance by the Battle Born Patriots Color Guard and commanding views of the Lake!

Westward Ho!
2025-06-01 00:00
June 2025: Westward Ho! AHP co-sponsors the 76th annual “Wagon Train” from South Lake Tahoe to Placerville, California.
In June 2025, the Highway 50 Association hosted the 76th annual “Wagon Train,” a multi-day recreation of the first wagon trains that crossed the Sierras into California during the Gold Rush era. This event paid tribute to the pioneers who braved the dangers of the mountain crossing and carved out new lives in the new state of California. AHP is pleased to be an official co-sponsor of this event and will have its own wagon.

Saving the Past: The Incredible Story of Jamestown Rediscovery’s Archaeological Work at Jamestown Colony, and Its Race to Save the Remaining Archaeological Record of the First Permanent English Settlement in North America
2025-09-13 11:30 - 14:00 | The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 780 Del Monte Ln, Reno, 89511, United States
Saving the Past: The Incredible Story of Jamestown Rediscovery’s Archaeological Work at Jamestown Colony, and Its Race to Save the Remaining Archaeological Record of the First Permanent English Settlement in North America
On September 13, 2025, American Heritage Partners and the Northern California Company of the Jamestown Society co-hosted a special luncheon featuring a fascinating lecture about the archaeological work being done at the historic Jamestown Colony, and the thousands of artifacts that have been unearthed at the site of the original Jamestown Fort and surrounding areas on the James River. Our special guest speaker was Mr. Michael Lavin, Director of Collections and Conservation at Jamestown Rediscovery, whose archaeologists have uncovered countless treasures and continue to make astounding discoveries. Mr. Lavin shareed some of those discoveries with us and explain the critical role that archaeology has played in our understanding of life in the earliest permanent English settlement in the New World. He also spoke about how climate change is posing an existential threat to the Jamestown site, and why public and private support for Jamestown Rediscovery’s work is so critically needed to complete the work before priceless artifacts are forever lost.

South San Francisco:
Location: The Basque Cultural Center, 599 Railroad Avenue, South San Francisco
Meal Selection – Salmon with Champagne Sauce, vegetables and rice OR Veal Roast with potatoes and vegetables
Cost – $25 in person

$10 virtual attendance via Zoom only

Reno:
Location: The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 780 Del Monte Ln, Reno, NV 89511
Meal: Assorted buffet
Cost – $25 in person

$10 virtual attendance via Zoom only

Registration is open

Presentation on 250th Anniversary of the Siege of Quebec with Jay Dickey
2025-12-06 11:00 - 13:00
On December 6, 2025, AHP President Jay Dickey delivered a talk on one of the defining events in the American Revolution, involving one of the greatest villains of the 18th century. The talk was entitled “Before He Was a Traitor: Benedict Arnold and the Siege of Quebec.” 250 years ago in 1775, American troops launched an expedition that was dubbed the “Arnold Expedition,” the purpose of which was to march from Massachusetts through the forests of northern Maine in the middle of winter, surprise British forces in Quebec, and seize the otherwise impregnable British fort there. Invading Canada was a fixation of many of the Revolutionary War leaders, and Arnold volunteered to lead the expedition. Other notable soldiers who joined him were Daniel Morgan, General Richard Montgomery and Aaron Burr. The march to Canada and the siege itself were disasters for the Americans. Many soldiers died on the way to Canada, and when Arnold made the decision to attack the British fort in a snowstorm on New Year’s Eve, the Americans were crushed, with many men killed or taken prisoner. Arnold himself was badly wounded. Yet, he emerged a hero of the battle, and soon became a revered military leader. Jay shared the story of Arnold’s heroism, and the courage of the American troops who took on an impossible task. Jay’s talk was presented to the Cascade Centennial chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, located in Seattle, Washington.

Robert Burns Celebration
2026-01-31 16:00 - 19:30 | Grand Sierra Resort, 2500 E 2nd St, Reno, Nevada, 89595, United States
In January 2026, AHP once again is a corporate sponsor of the annual Robert Burns Celebration in Reno Nevada, hosted by the Nevada Society of Scottish Clans (“NSSC”), honoring one of the greatest Scottish poets in history. This annual event is a “blow out” evening banquet, featuring the full array of Scottish traditional entertainment, food (including haggis!), raffle items, and most importantly, a free scotch whisky tasting. AHP supports the NSSC because of the major impact Scottish-Americans have had on our shared American history, including many famous political leaders such as Presidents James Madison and James Monroe, and Founding Fathers Patrick Henry and Alexander Hamilton.

To learn more about this fun event, and to register to attend, click here.

Civil War Spy: The Southern Belle Who Took Down the Confederacy - Sold Out
2026-02-28 11:00 - 13:30 | J Resort, 345 N Arlington Ave,, Reno, NV, 89501, United States
This event is sold out

Civil War Spy: The Southern Belle Who Took Down the Confederacy
Where: J Resort Hotel, Reno
When: February 28, 2026, 11 a.m. to 1:30 pm.; 3-course plated lunch
On February 28, 2026, AHP will host a special luncheon at the J Resort Hotel in Reno, where we will be treated to a performance by noted Chautauqua Kim Harris. Kim will reenact the life story of Elizabeth Van Lew, who lived in the heart of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War, but whose sympathies were with the Union. She became an extremely effective spy for the Union Army, and was later lauded by General Ulysses S. Grant for her contributions to the Union Army’s victory over Robert E. Lee and his Army of the Potomac in 1865. Ms. Harris’ performance will tell the story of Van Lew’s dangerous work, and her amazing courage. Registration for this special lunch will open in December 2025. Admission is $30 per person, including a very nice plated lunch.
Cost: $30 per person
Menu:
• Caesar Salad Romaine Hearts, Shaved Parmesan, Torn Ciabatta Croutons, Caesar Style Dressing
• Artisan Breads, Butter
Meal Options

Herb Marinated Chicken Breast, Wild Rice Pilaf, Fresh Herbs, Goat Cheese, Fresh Seasonal Vegetables, Pesto Sauce

Skuna Bay Salmon, Creamy Farro, Broccolini, Lemon Caper Sauce

Lemon Tart Dessert

PLEASE SELECT THE NUMBER OF TICKETS BEFORE PURCHASING

Oregon-California Trails Association Symposium
2026-04-17 09:00 - 2026-04-19 15:00 | Missouri Model Railroad Museum, 312 W. Pacific Ave, Independence, MO, 64050, United States
American Heritage Partners is proud to sponsor a “Trails to Rails” Symposium hosted by the Oregon-California Trails Association from April 17 to 19 in Independence, Missouri. There will be a walking tour of the original “Town of Kansas” before heading to Kansas City’s streetcar, which parallels the original route of these three trails. There will also be a tour of Union Station and Westport, and more. On Friday night there is a buffet dinner where keynote speaker Jerry Enzler will discuss “Jim Bridger in Kansas City”. Mr. Enzler is the author of “Jim Bridger – Trailblazer of the American West”.
For more information, or to register, visit the OCTA website.

Revolutionary War Memorial Dedication
2026-04-19 13:30 - 15:00 | Veterans Memorial Park, Southwest Watson Avenue, Central Beaverton, Beaverton, OR 97005, OR, United States
The Revolutionary War Memorial, which will be dedicated on April 19, 2026 in Veterans Memorial Park in Beaverton Oregon, is intended to honor America’s veterans from the American Revolution and the patriots who supported them. April 19 is known as Patriots Day, an annual event throughout the country. The day has been formalized as a legal holiday in eight states so far, and commemorates the battle of Lexington & Concord, the famous “shot heard round the world” that started our American Revolution 250 years ago. American Heritage Partner is a sponsor of the Memorial, and AHP President Jay Dickey will attend the dedication ceremonies on April 19 in support of this one-of-a-kind Memorial in the Western States. Members of the public are invited to attend this free event.
The event will run from 1:30 to about 3pm

Bacon’s Rebellion: The First American Revolution
2026-05-09
On May 9, 2026, AHP’s President Jay Dickey will give a talk in Denver, Colorado on one of the major events in the early years of the Virginia Colony. Jay’s talk is entitled “Bacon’s Rebellion: The First American Revolution.” Jay will deliver his remarks to the First Colorado Company of the Jamestowne Society. 2026 marks the 350th anniversary of Bacon’s Rebellion, which took place in 1676. Bacon was a political leader of the nascent Virginia Colony, and who became the chief antagonist against the Colony’s Governor, William Berkeley. The Governor’s failed leadership provoked Bacon and his allies to mount an armed rebellion, which ultimately led to the burning of the Jamestown Fort. Bacon himself was an articulate spokesperson who advocated for a more democratic government, and more rigorous defense of the Colony of repeated Indian attacks. Bacon died suddenly in the midst of the warfare, and the rebellion was crushed.
