Oneida Community Mansion House, Sherrill, NY

The Oneida Mansion House was built by the Oneida Community, a “free love” communalist cult that found refuge from persecution on Indian lands. These people built a virtual paradise for themselves, until bickering from within broke it all up. The Mansion is open for tours, and visitors are free to roam the grounds. I wrote a history of the cult– truth can be so stranger than fiction!

Chittenango Falls State Park, Chittenango, NY

What a beautiful park! Chittenango Falls State Park is the crowning jewel of Madison County. It has extensive trails with glorious views of the Falls. We thoroughly enjoyed our trek!

Oriskany Battlefield: Bloodiest Battle of the American Revolution

There is an element of deep sadness here. This was the battleground of the bloodiest battle in the fight for American independence. But it set off a shockwave of victory that helped to change the course of the war. Hundreds of men died here. We came to give our respects, and found time to have a little fun, too.

Salt Glaze Ceramic Pottery at Fountain Elms, Utica, NY

In visiting the lovely Fountain Elms Historic Site in Utica, NY, recently, I noticed a very large room filled with displays of salt glaze ceramic pottery. I paused to look around and take a closer look. I believe my mother used to own some pottery like this when I was a kid; it’s very heavy [...]

The Boston Molasses Massacre of 1919

Ever hear of the Great Boston Molasses Massacre of 1919? On the Internet, it is regaled with “urban legend” status, but it did indeed happen. The New York Times has an old archived story of the event. The story is almost impossible to believe. On January 15, 1919, a torrid wave of molasses swept a [...]

Fort Stanwix in Rome, New York, Part 1

We absolutely adore Fort Stanwix in Rome, NY. It’s one of the finest national parks, I think. The rangers and volunteers are really devoted to history, and are extremely knowledgeable as well as friendly! We try to go to this fort every year. And this year, it was extra special: we went on July 4th, [...]

Madison Co. Historical Society, Part 3

I’ve written in Part 1 and Part 2 about our visit to the Madison County Historical Society, housed in an 1849 historic home in Oneida, NY. The place is phenomenal! It’s like walking back in time, to the early 1850s. Most of the house has been updated and restored, and contains a lot of treasures [...]

The Stanley Theatre, Utica, NY

The Stanley Theatre is a beautiful historic landmark, built during the “movie palace” era when the entertainment business was really rising in America (early 1920s); the Stanley is situated right in downtown Utica. I visited the Stanley in 1988, when I saw Carman in concert (what fun that was!). The kids and I took a [...]

The Cardiff Giant: Great American Hoax

One of the greatest shows and the greatest hoaxes of all time, the “discovery” of the Cardiff Giant stunned and amazed gullible New Yorkers of the mid-19th century. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction!

Gerrit Smith Estate, Peterboro, NY

You may not have heard of Gerrit Smith, but in his day he was the man most responsible for the abolition movement in New York State. Gerrit Smith was the “Stationmaster” of the Underground Railroad. We visited his old estate in Peterboro, NY.

« Previous Page — Next Page »