If you’re a fan of Colonial and local history, you won’t want to miss a series of talks planned at the Hellertown Historical Society over the next two months.

Retired University of Pennsylvania professor and Registered Herbalist Wendy Gruver will present “Plant Medicines Used in the Revolutionary War” on Sept. 17. (Contributed photo)

The HHS’s “Talks in the Tavern” series will begin Thursday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. with “Coffee with a Colonial.” The talk will be led by Berks County resident and living historian Samuel Leamer, whose passion for the Colonial history of coffee will be brought to life in the Tavern Room at the Heller-Wagner Grist Mill. Through a variety of materials he has collected, Leamer will share his deep understanding of Colonial American coffee culture and how it fueled the nation’s beginnings more than 250 years ago. Fittingly, coffee and pastries will be served.

The series will continue on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m., when retired University of Pennsylvania professor and Registered Herbalist Wendy Gruver will present “Plant Medicines Used in the Revolutionary War.” During the Revolutionary War, when costly imported medical supplies were no longer available, doctors turned to gardens and fields for the harvesting of healing plants. Gruver will discuss the historical use of these lifesaving plants and how the war was a pivotal point in the evolution of medicine.

On Thursday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. the HHS will host Quakertown resident John Ambrose, who will discuss “The Colonial Beginnings of American Currency.” Ambrose’s talk will highlight how American patriots financed the war without a banking system, often risking their lives in the process. Guests will be able to examine Colonial era notes that bear some of the revolutionaries’ names in an exploration of how currency and coinage were used by the Founding Fathers.

A fourth “Talk in the Tavern” is planned for Dec. 17, with details to be announced at a later date.

The Tavern Room is located in the lower level of the historic grist mill at 150 W. Walnut Street, Hellertown. Off-street parking is available on the west side of the building adjacent to the Tavern entrance. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The talks are open to the public and free to attend.

The Hellertown Historical Society is also offering tours of the Heller-Wagner Grist Mill Complex on Saturdays in September and October. Led by trained HHS guides, the tours will explain how the Heller family came to settle Hellertown, what was produced at the grist mill, and what role Hellertown played in the Revolutionary War, among other things. Each tour begins at 10 a.m. at the Miller’s House, rain or shine. The cost for adults is $5; children ages 5 to 17 are $3; and families are $12. Upcoming tour dates are Sept. 12, Sept. 26, Oct. 10 and Oct. 24.

For more information about these and other upcoming HHS events, or to become a member or volunteer, visit the Hellertown Historical Society’s website.