August 2025 Speaker Series featuring Charles Stewart

What really happened to the Native American tribe for whom our local rivers—the Conestoga and Susquehanna—are named?

Join the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County on Wednesday, August 13, for an evening of discovery as we welcome local author, researcher, and podcast host Charles Stewart for our August Speaker Series presentation.

Charles Stewart

📅 Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
🕕 Time: Doors open at 6:00 PM; presentation starts at 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, 123 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA
🎟 Admission: By donation
👥 Seating is limited to 40 attendees. Registration is strongly encouraged!

In this powerful and eye-opening talk, Stewart will share insights from his acclaimed podcast series Conestoga Town, which uncovers the lost history of the Conestoga people, a Native American tribe whose tragic fate changed the course of Pennsylvania—and American—history.

From One Question to a 22-Episode Journey

A Lancaster County native, Stewart grew up surrounded by the names of Indigenous peoples: Conestoga, Susquehanna, Juniata. Like many of us, he assumed he knew the story—until he started asking deeper questions. His journey began with a simple premise: What happened to the people these rivers are named after?

What followed was a deep dive into the overlooked and often misunderstood history of the Conestoga. Originally envisioned as a single podcast episode, the story quickly expanded into a multi-part investigation as Stewart spoke with historians, Native American leaders, and cultural experts.

The result is a 22-episode series that traces the complex and heartbreaking history of the Conestoga people, culminating in the 1763 massacre at the Lancaster workhouse carried out by the infamous vigilantes known as the Paxton Boys—a flashpoint that many now see as one of the first battles for independence in America.

“I naively thought I knew the story,” Stewart recalls. “But when I started interviewing people and really digging into the history, I realized how far-reaching this topic was—not just locally, but nationally.”

An Untold Chapter of American History

Through his research, Stewart reveals how the events in Lancaster in the mid-1700s were not isolated incidents but part of a larger pattern of settler colonialism, resistance, and Indigenous erasure. These little-known conflicts shaped Pennsylvania’s identity and influenced the political tensions that would explode during the American Revolution.

The August 13 event will offer attendees a chance to hear firsthand how Stewart unraveled this forgotten story, and what it means today for historical memory, Native visibility, and community preservation.

Whether you’re a lifelong history buff or simply curious about the stories behind Lancaster’s place names, this presentation is not to be missed.

About the Speaker

Charles Stewart is the host and producer of ItsNotHistory.com, a podcast platform exploring hidden narratives from America’s past. Conestoga Town, his debut series, has been praised for its investigative depth and sensitivity to both historical truth and contemporary Indigenous voices. Stewart is also a veteran documentary filmmaker and storyteller with a passion for uncovering what’s been forgotten—or purposefully ignored.

Come be part of the conversation as we explore the complex, often uncomfortable, but vitally important legacy of the Conestoga people—and why preserving their story matters now more than ever.