The Mohawk Valley Rotary club welcomes guest speaker Jim Parker, an Ilionite fine artist who lives in the original Clapsaddle home off Otsego Street in Ilion.
Jim Parker is the owner of Parker’s Cider Mill, which has been opened for 162 seasons and at Tuesday’s meeting he presented on the history of the Village of Ilion and his connection to the area.
Mr. Parker detailed out some historical facts about the beginning of the Village of Ilion and the association with the Remington family. He explained how Remington Arms company began in t1816 by Eliphalet Remington.
He also passed around watercolor paintings that he designed based on different events in history. Some of his painting included the Old Remington Homestead, Crane’s Coroner, and the Remington Mansion. Each painting comes with a handwritten note about the history that inspired Parker to paint it. President Elect Cindy Bennett said “Every time I listen to Mr. Parker speak I always learn more about the history of the Village of Ilion that I never knew, I find it to be very fascinating and I appreciate you taking the time to speak with our club”
The Cider Mill is open to the public on open 12 to 5:30 p.m., seven days a week, during the season. Besides apples and cider, pies are also on sale at the mill, select cheeses, pumpkins, squash, Ellen Clapsaddle postcards and Jim Parker paintings. The Ilion Farmer’s and Artisan Markets, located at another barn at the farm, is open Fridays and Saturdays. For more information please contact the club at https://www.facebook.com/mohawkvalley.com.