A 1946 photograph of the sanctuary of the Simeon Lutheran and Reformed Church, Gratz, Pennsylvania, decorated for the “Harvest Home Festival.” These festivals began after 1870 and were promoted by farmers who wanted the local ministers to bless and give thanks for the harvest. Typically, fresh produce and fruits were displayed in the church chancel, usually in late August or September. The festivals gained traction later in the 19th century but then began to wane. The photo shows though that that at least at the Union Church in Gratz, it was still being done in 1946.
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