By Matt Urtz, Madison County Historian
(Madison County, NY – Jan. 2015) The following historical events are scheduled in and around Madison County.
Through Jan. 4 the Chenango Canal Association has a lovely holiday light display in trees on the Towpath Trail along the Chenango Canal. The Towpath Trail is located at the corner of Route 20 and Canal Road and at the entrance next to the Bouckville Mill, Canal Road, Bouckville. Lights go on automatically from 5 p.m. to midnight and from 5 to 7 a.m. Just look across the road from the Landmark Tavern.
On Sunday Jan. 11 from 1 to 4 p.m. the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a Genealogy Workshop with Pamela Vittorio. Vittorio will show attendees prominent websites to use, how to search and more. For more information please visit www.clcbm.org.
On Sunday Jan.11 at 2 p.m. the Village of Clinton Historical Society welcomes Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz to speak on the history and re-development of hops. Urtz will give a brief history of how hops first became a cash crop, the reasons it disappeared and how its re-emergence occurred. Images and stories from a number of sources will be utilized. There is no charge for this event. For more information please visit http://www.clintonhistory.org/.
On Monday Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. the Canastota Public Library and the Canastota Canal Town Museum partner for their “Canalside Chats.” This month will feature Rick Stevens of Zems Ice Cream and Joe DiGiorgio of the Canal Town Museum presenting “ICE CREAM.” The two will present the history of ice cream making, local business of the past and the business of Zems. The presentation will end with an ice cream social. For more information please visit www.canal-town.com.
On Sunday Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a Family Film Day screening the 1940 film “Chad Hanna.” The film tells the story of Chad Hanna a country boy working along the canal in Canastota who joins a traveling circus.
On Sunday Feb. 22 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host their Annual Bowling Bash at a site TBD. More information to come.
On Monday Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. the Canastota Public Library and the Canastota Canal Town Museum partner for their “Canalside Chats.” This month will feature Joe DiGiorgio of the Canal Town Museum presenting “Moving & Still images at the turn of the 19th Century.” The talk will present the history of the biograph, and feature local photographs from the area dating from the 1860’s-1910. For more information please visit www.canal-town.com.