Madison County March/April History Calendar
On all five Fridays in the month of March (3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st) from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm the Oneida Community Mansion House will host a special media seminar for high school students entitled (de)Constructing Gender. Syracuse University Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies Simone Puff will lead the seminar joined by Oneida Community Mansion House Curator of Education Molly Jessup. Students will discuss the significance of gender in American Society, study contemporary portrays of gender, examine how gender roles have evolved, and how they are changing today. Students will complete the project by creating digital media productions through which they express their own thinking about ideas and practices of gender. These productions will be presented to the public on April 8th. Registration is $35 and is required. For more information or to register please contact Molly Jessup atmjessup@oneidacommunity.org or call 315-363-0745.
On Saturday March 4th at 2:00 pm the Smithfield Community Center will have a special presentation with Korean War Veteran Lloyd Stoker and Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz. Stoker was one of five young men who enlisted into the Air Force from Smithfield on the same day. Stoker served as a tail gunner on a B-26 bomber during the war, spending over a year in Korea. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-366-2453.
On Saturday March 4th at 1:00 pm the Fabius Historical Society welcomes Chuck D’Imperio who will speak about his latest Book “A Taste of Upstate New York” at the Fabius Community Center. The talk will feature foods created in New York that are in the book. There is no charge for this event. Light refreshments will be served following the event. For more information please contact Sandy Beglinger at 315-683-5878.
On Tuesday March 7th at 7:00 pm the Canastota Canal Town Museum will host a special Canalside entitled “A Mule named Sal; Exploring the Musical Landscape of the Erie Canal” at the Canastota Public Library. Utilizing live instruments including a banjo, spoons, a washboard, jaw harp, mandolin and more Dave Ruch presents a highly engaging program of stories, history and anecdotes about life on “Clinton’s Ditch.” There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-697-7030.
On Wednesday March 8th at 10:00 am the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a Volunteer Open House and Coffee. New and current volunteers are invited to drop in and learn about all the opportunities available at CLCBM. There will also be a special presentation by resident Blacksmith Mike Allen. For more information please visit www.chittenangolanding.com.
On Saturday March 11th at 1:00 pm the Smithfield Community Center will host the annual birthday celebration of Gerrit Smith. Norman K Dann, author of Practical Dreamer: Gerrit Smith and the Crusade for Social Reform will speak about the Smith Family activities. Following Dann’s presentation volunteers from the Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark and the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum will explain the 2017 programs that will continue the quest for human rights in the 21stcentury. There is no charge for this event. For more information please visitwww.PeterboroNY.org or call 315-280-8828.
On Saturday March 11th at 2:00 pm the Morrisville Public Library will have a special presentation with WWII Veteran Horace Keller and Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz. Keller will talk about his time in the service as a member of the 237th Combat Engineers, building bridges in Germany. After the war was over Horace returned to New York and attended Morrisville College, where he met his future wife and graduated with a degree in auto mechanics. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-684-9130.
On Saturday March 11th from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm the Oneida County History Center will host a special Irish Tea Fundraiser. This event features hot beverages, finger foods, desserts, door prizes and more. Entertainment includes a vocal performance by Rachel DePalma and presentations by Utica City Historian Lou Parrotta and Sister Maureen Dean. Tickets are $12 per person, $20 for 2 or $75 for a table. All proceeds benefit the Oneida County History Center. For more information or to purchase tickets please call 315-735-3642.
On Sunday March 12th at 3:00 pm the Oneida Community Mansion House will host a special book reading and discussion with author John P.L. Hatcher. Hatcher, a former Oneida Community Limited executive, will discuss his new book Oneida (Community) Limited: A Goodly Heritage Gone Wrong giving insider details on the rise and fall of the once successful table manufacturer. This program is being co-sponsored by the Sherrill-Kenwood Public Library. A $5 donation is suggested. For more information please call 315-363-0745 or visit www.oneidacommunity.org.
On Saturday March 18th at 1:00 PM the Oneida County History Center will host “Vietnam Reflections: The Untold Story of the Holley Boys.” Join author Michael T. Keene as he discusses and signs copies of his pioneering new book Vietnam Reflections, which explores the war’s impact on the American home front. Keene delves into the lives of eight ‘boys’ from a rural farming community in upstate New York who fought and died in Vietnam. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-735-3624 or visit www.oneidacountyhistory.org.
On Sunday March 19th from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm the Madison County Historical Society will host a special “Art of Theorem Painting Workshop.” Artist and educator Pamela Vogan Lynch will lead participants through the steps and techniques needed to create a framed theorem painting of a basket of pansies utilizing materials by theorem designer, Jean Hansen. Theorem materials will be provided. The workshop is for adults and children aged 12 and up. The cost of the workshop is $18 per person. Registrations is required. To register or for more information please call 315-363-4136 or emailhistory@mchs1900.org.
On Sunday March 19th at 1:00 pm the Oneida Community hosts a special presentation entitled “Uncle Johnny’s Girl Farm: Escapism Through Utopian Fantasy in the Mid-Twentieth Century.” Come and learn how during the mid-20thcentury men’s magazines ran stories describing the “sex cult that rocked New York,” a myth-based and dramatic re-telling on of the Oneida Community with salacious details. These stories reveal twentieth century ideals about marriage, masculinity and monogamy through the interpretation of their utopia. Admission is free for members or $7 for non-members. For more information please call 315-363-0745 or visitwww.oneidacommunity.org.
On Wednesday March 22nd at 7:00 pm the Madison County Historical Society will host a special discussion with author Madison Senner. Senner will talk about the dynamic relationship between Spirituality and Reform in 19th century New York. Senner will draw from his recent book Sacred Sites in the North Star Country, Places in Greater NYS (PA, OH, NJ, CT, VA, VT, ONT) that changed the World as well as some of his previous books. Copies of Senner’s book will be available for purchase following the talk. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-363-4136or visit www.mchs1900.org.
On Friday March 24th at 6:30 pm the Morrisville Public Library welcomes Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz who will present “Faces from the Archives.”Utilizing records from Madison County’s extensive government records Urtz will tell the stories of different people and events. He will also feature different collections of documents to showcase the wide collection of documents that are available to researchers. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-684-9130.
On Saturday March 18th at 1:00 PM the Oneida County History Center will host “The Very Greatest Victory: Women’s Suffrage in New York State.” Celebrate Women’s History Month with SUNY Oneonta’s Dr. Susan Goodier, who will discuss her upcoming book on the New York State women’s suffrage movement. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-735-3624 or visitwww.oneidacountyhistory.org.
On Saturday March 25th at 11:00 am the Oneida Public Library welcomes back local historian Tom Henry. Henry will present part one about the political saga leading up to the woman suffrage amendment to the US Constitution in 1920 and its fateful consequences. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-363-3050.
On Tuesday March 28th from 9:15 am to 4:00 pm the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a special basket class with Linda Scherz Allen. These special classes will be “open weave classes.” Attendees can purchase a basket kit from Linda or they can purchase materials and make what they want with assistance from Linda. Students can pre-register by paying $100 for four classes and $25 for each additional class. To register or for more information please visitwww.adirondackbasketry.com or email lindascherzallen@outlook.com.
On Tuesday March 28th at 7:00 pm the Limestone Ridge Historical Society welcomes Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz who will present “Scandals of Madison County.” Come and here some of the most outrageous, salacious and scandalous stories ripped right from local headlines. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-821-8103.
On Wednesday March 29th from 9:15 am to 4:00 pm the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a special basket class with Linda Scherz Allen. These special classes will be “open weave classes.” Attendees can purchase a basket kit from Linda or they can purchase materials and make what they want with assistance from Linda. Students can pre-register by paying $100 for four classes and $25 for each additional class. To register or for more information please visitwww.adirondackbasketry.com or email lindascherzallen@outlook.com.
On Wednesday March 29th at 7:00 pm the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a special presentation entitled “From the First Americans to the First New Yorkers: Following the Erie’s Path.” Sullivan Town Historian Mike Beardsley, who has been active in CNY archaeology for more than 50 years, will present on the first Americans and New Yorkers. Beardsley has discovered more than 70 archaeological sites in Madison County, is a consultant for the New York State Museum and has authored many articles for archaeological journals. There is no charge for this event. For more information please visit www.chittenangolanding.com or call 315-687-3801.
On Saturday April 1st at 11:00 am the Oneida Public Library welcomes back local historian Tom Henry. Henry will present part two about the political saga leading up to the woman suffrage amendment to the US Constitution in 1920 and its fateful consequences. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-363-3050.
On Sunday April 2nd at 2:00 pm the Onondaga Historical Association will host a special presentation entitled “The Peacetime Draft During the Cold War.” Mel and Mady Rubenstien will lead the presentation featuring stories from their book of the same name. The book covers the stories from Syracuse area men who contributed stories about their time in the service between the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-428-1864, ext. 312, or visitwww.cnyhistory.org.
On Saturday April 8th from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm the Oneida Community Mansion House will host a historic preservation workshop on slate and slate roofing. Slate experts Levine & Company Roof Consulting and Architectural Conservation explain the sources and uses of slate in preservation. The workshop will enable participants to discuss slate building materials as well as handle examples of slate. Admission is $30 for members and $40 for non-members. For more information please call 315-363-0745or visit www.oneidacommunity.org.
On Saturday April 8th from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm the Madison County Historical Society will host a Heritage Handicraft Workshop on Decorative Painting on Paper Mache. Pamela Vogan Lynch will lead the workshop and attendees will decoratively paint a paper mache toting bunny. Reservations are required and the cost is $16. To reserve your place or for more information visit www.mchs1900.org or call 315-363-4136.
On Saturday April 8th at a time TBD the Oneida Community Mansion House will host a special presentation by high school students completing their (de)Constructing Gender Seminar. Students will present their digital media productions through which they express their own thinking about ideas and practices of gender. These productions were created following a five-week seminar with Syracuse University Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies Simone Puff and Oneida Community Mansion House Curator of Education Molly Jessup. For more information please contact Molly Jessup at mjessup@oneidacommunity.org or call 315-363-0745.
On Tuesday April 11th from 9:15 am to 4:00 pm the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a special basket class with Linda Scherz Allen. These special classes will be “open weave classes.” Attendees can purchase a basket kit from Linda or they can purchase materials and make what they want with assistance from Linda. Students can pre-register by paying $100 for four classes and $25 for each additional class. To register or for more information visit www.adirondackbasketry.com or email lindascherzallen@outlook.com.
On Monday April 17th at 7:00 pm the New Woodstock Regional Historical Society will host a special evening with WWII Veteran Stan Davis. Davis was a Staff Sergeant in the US Army Air Corps in the European Theatre during WWII. He served as a Crew Chief on P47 style planes as well serving as an engineer on C47 transport planes. He also was an amateur photographer who took and collected over 700 photos of his time overseas. Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz recently digitized these images and will feature a number of these images as part of the talk. Davis will talk about his experiences and the photos. There is no charge for this event. For more information, contact 315-366-2453.
On Wednesday April 19th at 7:00 pm the Sherrill-Kenwood Library will host a special presentation by Madison County Historian Matthew Urtz entitled “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 315-363-5980.
On Saturday April 22nd at 11:30 am the Oneida Community Mansion House will host a special Earth Day cleanup near Sunset Lake. More information to come. For more information please call 315-363-0745 or visit www.oneidacommunity.org.
On Tuesday April 25th from 9:15 am to 4:00 pm the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a special basket class with Linda Scherz Allen. These special classes will be “open weave classes.” Attendees can purchase a basket kit from Linda or they can purchase materials and make what they want with assistance from Linda. Students can pre-register by paying $100 for four classes and $25 for each additional class. To register or for more information please visitwww.adirondackbasketry.com or email lindascherzallen@outlook.com.
On Wednesday April 26th from 9:15 am to 4:00 pm the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a special basket class with Linda Scherz Allen. These special classes will be “open weave classes.” Attendees can purchase a basket kit from Linda or they can purchase materials and make what they want with assistance from Linda. Students can pre-register by paying $100 for four classes and $25 for each additional class. To register or for more information please visitwww.adirondackbasketry.com or email lindascherzallen@outlook.com.
On Wednesday April 26th at 7:00 pm the Canastota Canal Town Museum will host a special Canalside entitled “Life of a Lift Bridge,” at the Canastota Public Library. Local Historian Joe DiGiorgio will present the fascinating and sometimes humorous history of events behind the Canastota lift bridge, its surroundings and its people. There is no charge for this event. For more information please call 315-697-7030.
On Thursday April 27th at 7:00 pm the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum will host a special presentation entitled “The Erie Canal and Woman Suffrage: from Boats to Votes.” The presentation, by Pamela Vittorio, will look into how the Erie Canal impacted the women’s suffrage movement. More information to come. There is no charge for this event. For more information please visit www.chittenangolanding.comor call 315-687-3801.
On Saturday April 29th at 11:00 am the Oneida Community Mansion House will observe Arbor Day. There will be tree planting, family activities and more!!! More information to come. For more information please call 315-363-0745 or visitwww.oneidacommunity.org.