By Matthew Urtz, Madison County Historian
(May 2015) On Friday May 8 from 6 pm until 8 pm the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park will host a tour of the historic Riester Hilltop House built in the late 1960’s. Tour guide Carl Stearns will tell the story of the built in the late 1960’s by founder Dorothy Riester and her husband Bob Riester. In 2014 the home and studio were placed on the National Register of Historic Places for their architectural and artistic significance. Refreshments will be served on the patio. For more information please visit www.sqhap.org or call 315-655-3196.
On Friday May 8 at 6:30 pm the Morrisville Public Library welcomes Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz who will present “Female Faces of Madison. Urtz will tell the stories of 20+ women with ties to Madison County who impacted American History. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-684-9130.
On Wednesday May 13 at 7 pm the Oneida Community Mansion House hosts the final part of its “Buildings by Design: Your Neighborhood Architects” series. Giles Wayland-Smith will speak on Theodore Skinner. There is no charge for this event. For more information please visit www.oneidacommunity.org or call 315-363-0745.
On Saturday May 16 at 7 pm the Town of Madison Historical Society will host a traditional country dance featuring the Rhythm Aires with Ray Randel. Two sets of square dancers will be available as well as line dancing and more. It’s fun to watch or to take part. During a break sample a slice of pie or a grilled hotdog or burger. Door prizes too. A suggested donation of $8 for the Town of Madison Historical Society is appreciated. For more information please call 315-893-7910.
On Wednesday May 20 at 7:00pm, the Town of Onondaga Historical Society will host a talk on the “Sims Gang” at the Town Hall on Ball Road. The “Sims Gang” notorious in the crime scene of Camillus in the middle 1800’s. There is no charge for this event. After the talk light refreshments will be served. For more information please call 315-214-2383 or email tohsociety@yahoo.com.
On Thursday May 21 6 pm to 9 pm the Chittenango Middle School will host a community event entitled “Voices of the 1940’s.” Come and listen to the music of the 1940’s performed by the middle school choirs and Jazz Band, recognize local veterans and servicewomen. Keynote speaker Marian Blumenthal Lazan will talk about her memoir entitled Four Perfect Pebbles, which speaks about her experiences as a young Jewish girl in Germany during World War II. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime experience.
On Tuesday May 26 at 6 pm Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host “Tuesdays on the Towpath.” Come and enjoy a 10 mile bike ride along the canal. All riders are welcome, helmets required. For more information please call315-687-3801 or email info@clcbm.org.
On Tuesday May 26 at 6:30 pm the Pine Plains Cemetery in Clay will be offering a guided tour of the Civil War Veterans interred at the cemetery. Village of Morrisville, and noted Civil War Historian, Sue Greenhagen will lead the tour discussing the lives of several veterans including little known facts and stories. Light refreshments will be served. There is no charge for this event. For more information please contact Cindy at 935-4365 or emailcredhead@twcny.rr.com.
On Thursday May 28 at 6:30 pm the Madison County Civil War Series welcomes Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz to the Hamilton Public Library. Urtz will present “Samuel Beckwith; Grant’s Shadow.” Urtz will tell the story of Beckwith who was born and raised in Hamilton, NY and worked as the cipher operator for Ulysses S. Grant and at the end of the war President Lincoln. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-366-2453.
On Thursday May 28 at 7 pm the Friends of Lorenzo welcome Ann-Isabel Friedman, Director of the Landmarks Conservancy in New York, to the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. In celebration of preservation month Friedman will present “Saving New York’s Sacred Properties.” Friedman will showcase both past support and future funding opportunities as made possible by Sacred Sites, a grant program that has helped more than 720 houses of worship throughout New York. There is no charge for this event. For more information please visit www.lorenzony.org or call Diane Voss at 315-655-3200, ext. 100.
On Saturday May 30 at 10:30 am the Hamilton Movie Theatre welcomes Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz who will present on the history of the theatre and the fire of 1895. Urtz will show the history of the theatre starting the fire that destroyed the block in 1895 which lead to the building of the theatre. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-366-2453.
On Sunday May 31 at 2 pm Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse will host a guided walking tour entitled “In the Beginning…” Come learn about the origins of Oakwood and its design as a “rural cemetery.” George Curry will explain the how and why of the cemetery’s development starting in the mid-1800’s. There is no charge for this tour but donations are accepted. Tours begin at the chapel on the west side of the cemetery. Tours are rain or shine but not thunder and lightning. For more information please call Sue Greenhagen at (315) 684-3418.