Uncategorized

Historic Huguenot Street Holiday Events

admin

Santa may not have been a Huguenot, but he will be residence on the well-known street for the holiday season. Activities begin on Friday, November 26th and will center on three of the historic museum houses: the iconic Jean Hasbrouck House, the grand Deyo House and the DuBois Fort Visitor Center.

Holiday programs include:

* Giving Thanks Day. Spent the Thanksgiving Day inside with the family? Well then come on out and enjoy a very different Black Friday. For this one special day, we’ll offer tours of the homes on Historic Huguenot Street for just $5 per person and get the first jump on the special gifts and vintage-style ornaments in the Museum Shop at the DuBois Fort Visitor Center. Make it a day with a visit to the unique shops of downtown New Paltz, which are just steps away. Friday, November 26th, 11am to 3pm.

* Photos with Vintage Santa. A real holiday favorite. For the third year in a row, Santa in all his vintage jolliness, will be visiting the Street. This year, he’ll be found at the hearth of the Jean Hasbrouck House. Photos by professional photographer France Menk. Saturday, November 27th and Saturday, December 4th, 11am to 2pm. $15 per sitting.

* Christmas Quest. The Deyo House manse, in all its Victorian splendor, will be turned over to the kids for two special days! Hidden among the holiday decorations will be items taken from the popular holiday favorites Twas the Night Before Christmas and These Are A Few Of My Favorites Things. All are invited to hunt for these hidden treasures and a holiday prize awaits all who do! Ages 4 and up. Saturday, November 27th and Saturday, December 4th, 11am to 2pm. $7 per child. Accompanying adults free.

* Candlelight Christmas: Holiday Tours of the Deyo House. At night, the Deyo House is the setting for very special holiday themed tours. Enjoy the house by the soft light of candles and Christmas light and see the Broadheads preparing for a turn-of-the-century holiday celebration. Saturday, November 27th and Saturday, December 4th. Tours at 7, 7:30 and 8. $12 per person in advance. $14 at the door.

* Storytime in the Deyo House. New this year is a unique opportunity for kids to enjoy holiday stories at the foot of the decked-out holiday tree in the Deyo House. Local actor and storyteller will delight kids with a wide variety of multi-cultural holiday favorites, including many loved standards and others such as El Regalo de Navidad (The Christmas Gift) and the story of the Maccabees triumph and the Hanukkah miracle. Saturday, December 4th, 11th, and 18th, 11am to 12pm. Limited to 25. FREE.

The Museum Shop at the DuBois Fort Visitor Center will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. The shop features a variety of exclusive items inspired by the collections at Historic Huguenot Street, unique and related books as well as a generous offering of vintage-inspired ornaments. Gift wrapping is always complimentary.

For more information about any of these holiday programs, visit www.huguenotstreet.org or call (845) 255-1660 or 1889.

Thanksgiving Time at Mrs. Kearneys Tavern

admin

There will be 19th-century-style after-the-holiday open house programs at the historic Kearney House at Alpine Boat Basin & Picnic Area (Palisades Interstate Park Exit 2, then follow Alpine Approach Road to river) on Saturday & Sunday afternoons, November 27 & 28, from 1 to 3 PM. The programs will feature hot mulled cider and light food, period music with Mr. Thaddeus MacGregor, and fun and games for children. The programs, to be held rain or shine, are open to all with no reservations required- visitors are welcome to stay for as long as they like during the open hours. A donation box will be by the door. Suggestion: $3 adults, $1 children.

Listed on the National and New Jersey State Historic Registers as the “Blackledge-Kearney House”—but familiarly known as the “Kearney House” or the “Cornwallis Headquarters” (it was once thought that the British general had stayed here in 1776)—this house has been a Hudson River homestead, a riverfront tavern, a Park police station, and a “historic shrine.” Today it helps bring to life two centuries in the story of the Hudson River and the families who depended upon it for their lives and livelihoods.

For more information: 201 768-1360 ext. 108.

B & E Society Offers Annual Train Day

admin

The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society will hold its annual &#8216-Train Day’ on Friday, November 26 from 1-4pm. This day-after-Thanksgiving Buffalo tradition will feature the Museum’s Model Train diorama in action and running all day long.

There will also be family, children and all-age activities such as designing train-art paintings, story-time, artifact scavenger hunts, museum tours, and live folk music. All activities are included with regular museum admission.

Since 1990, the Historical Society’s Model Train Display has been cared for by a dedicated group of volunteers known as the Rail Barons. The diorama represents early 20th century Buffalo. Many important landmarks are included in miniature &#8212- such as the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural site (still in existence) and the Academy of Music (sadly, no longer around).

The display contains more than 100 handcrafted buildings, 450 people and animals, 400 trees, and over 300 feet of model railroad tracks. The diorama is composed of approximately 150 pounds of plaster and 100 different colors of paint.

Knox’s Headquarters Celebrates Christmas

admin

For two Christmases, John and Catherine Ellison shared their home with the officers and soldiers of the Continental Army. Over the winter of 1780-81, General Henry Knox, his wife Lucy and the young Henry and Lucy were there, while two years later it was General Horatio Gates and his military family of aides de camp who shared in the season’s festivities. From 6:00 to 8:00 PM on December 18th tour the elegantly appointed 1754 Ellison house decorated for Christmas and staffed by Revolutionary War era costumed interpreters. For your further enjoyment the King’s Delight will play period music throughout the evening.

In December 1774, Colonel Thomas Ellison of New Windsor, John’s father, received a letter from a grandson in New York City wishing him greetings of the season: “May you and yours see the return of many happy Christmasses & New Years & may each bring you an occasion of joy and peace – especially of that peace which passeth understanding & which this world can neither give or take away.”

On Monday December 27, Tuesday December 28 & Wednesday December 29 Open House at Knox’s Headquarters. The Ellison mansion is open for tours at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM each day. Tour the elegant 1754 historic house decorated for the season in 18th century fashion.

Knox’s Headquarters is located at 289 Forge Hill Road in Vails Gate, at the corner of Route 94 and Forge Hill Road, just three miles south of the intersection of I-87 and I-84. For more information please call (845) 561-1765 ext. 22.

This Weeks New York History Web Highlights

admin

Each Friday afternoon New York History compiles for our readers a collection of the week’s top weblinks about New York’s state and local history. You can find all our weekly round-ups here.

Subscribe! More than 550 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.

This Weeks Top New York History News

admin

Each Friday morning New York History compiles for our readers the previous week’s top stories about New York’s state and local history. You can find all our weekly news round-ups here.

Subscribe! More than 400 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.

Buffalo, Erie Co Historical to Host Book Signing, Sale

admin

The Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society presents its annual Local Author/Buffalo Book-Signing on Saturday, Nov. 27 from noon to 2 p.m. at the History Museum, located at 25 Nottingham Court at Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo.

The event, designed for shoppers looking for personalized gifts in a relaxed atmosphere, features over 20 local authors selling and signing their books. The wide range of publications-including cookbooks, neighborhood, regional and military history, novels and coffee-table books-makes this a perfect opportunity to shop for a variety of tastes.

This year’s event includes the following authors:

* Jim Arnone, Central Park, Buffalo, New York: A Neighborhood of History and Tradition (exclusively at BECHS!)

* Dr. Joseph Bieron, Postcard Views, Orchard Park

* Evelyn Brady, Peaceprints

* Steve Cichon, The Complete History of Parkside

* Gary Costello & Douglas Kohler, Hull Family Home & Homestead: A Bicentennial Celebration

* Lorna Czarnota, Legends, Lore and Secrets of Western New York

* Mark Donnelly, The Fine Art of Capturing Buffalo, Frozen Assets: The Beautiful Truth About Western New York’s Fourth Season

* John Edson, Hamburg: 1910-1970, Hamburg Revisited

* Julianna Fiddler-Woite, Snyder: A Brief History, WNY and the Gilded Age

* Catherine Gildiner, After the Falls: Coming of Age in the Sixties, Too Close to the Falls (New York Times bestseller)

* John Koerner, Mysteries of Father Baker, Father Baker Code

* George Kunz, Buffalo Memories

* Elizabeth Leader, Buffalo Snow

* Raya Lee, BPO Celebrates the First 75 Years

* Donald Mang, One Nation Under God (a novel)

* Nancy Mingus, Buffalo: Good Neighbors, Great Architecture

* Martin Nowak, The White House in Mourning: Deaths and Funerals of Presidents in Office

* Janice Okun, Buffalo Cooks with Janice Okun

* Laura Pedersen, Buffalo Gal, Buffalo Unbound-a Celebration

* John Percy, Buffalo-Niagara Connections, Town of Tonawanda

* Joseph Ritz,Blood Along The Niagara &#8211 A Guidebook to Battles of the War of 1812 an Hour’s Drive from Niagara Falls

* Erno Rossi, White Death: The Blizzard of ’77

* Maria Scrivani, Brighter Buffalo

* Christine Smyczynski, An Explorer’s Guide to Western New York

* Wanda Slawinska & Edward Szemraj, The Polonian Legacy of Western New York

* Joel Thomas, Creature Comforts

* Mason Winfield, A Ghosthunter’s Journal, Haunted Places of Western New York, Shadows of the Western Door, Village Ghosts of Western New York, Spirits of the Great Hill, Ghosts of 1812

Aside from this collection of books, some of which can be purchased only at the Historical Society, the museum shop offers unique Buffalo-themed gifts, including jewelry, fine art prints, maps, educational toys. It is also an opportunity to peruse and purchase from their exclusive 1901 Pan-American Exposition-themed items.

The Local Author Book Signing is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society at (716) 873-9644 or visit www.buffalohistory.org.

This Weeks New York History Web Highlights

admin

Each Friday afternoon New York History compiles for our readers a collection of the week’s top weblinks about New York’s state and local history. You can find all our weekly round-ups here.

Subscribe! More than 550 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.

Digital History Archive Adds Important Volumes

admin

Bob Sullivan, of the Schenectady Digital History Archive, has announced that the first two (historical) volumes of Nelson Greene’s four-volume history of Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Schenectady and Schoharie Counties, History of the Mohawk Valley: Gateway to the West 1614-1925 is now online.

Included are more than 300 photos and maps, and a biographical section &#8211 more than 2000 pages so far, are online. Greene’s History joins the Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, a four-volume set with more than 1300 family entries from Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington Counties.

This Weeks Top New York History News

admin

Each Friday morning New York History compiles for our readers the previous week’s top stories about New York’s state and local history. You can find all our weekly news round-ups here.

Subscribe! More than 550 people get New York History each day via E-Mail, RSS, or Twitter or Facebook updates.