Lorenzo Historic Site, Cazenovia, NY

Lorenzo is the name of a big old Dutch patroon mansion in Cazenovia, NY. Legend has it that the house was named for an Italian artist. I think the builder, John Lincklaen of Holland, was enamored with Italians. The house and its contents have a definite Italian flavor.

The house was built in 1807. It remains in incredible shape. All the furnishings were donated to the State by the family. Even the daily weather journal was given. The book rested on an antique desk, open to today in 1888 (it was recorded as 78 degrees F on this day in 1888– presently, we were sweltering at 87 degrees).

Admission for touring the mansion was $5 for an adult, $4 for a student, and children under 12 were free. Roaming the grounds and the carriage house (which holds a mini museum and a cool collection of original carriages and sleighs) was free.

We took advantage of the tour and got first-class treatment from the tour guide. Unfortunately, photographing the interior of Lorenzo was verboten, so I am pictureless. Sorry. We had a lively chat with the tour guide about the history of the site and about some of the artifacts on display. It was an excellent experience.

After our tour, we wandered the grounds. There is a great view of Cazenovia Lake from the front of the mansion. Originally, the property extended all the way to the lake shore, but today, Route 13 cuts across the front yard.

I really liked the gardens. I think the kids could have spent all day running around the paths and hiding under the looming pine trees. There was so much to explore! Little nooks and “secret” gardens were peppered across the grounds.

A sundial, a fountain, and stone horse trough added that “English cottage” atmosphere.

The flowers were all in bloom, too. It was beautiful.

The Lincklaens never had any children. Such a large house with fanciful gardens, and no children to fill it! They adopted a nephew who inherited the house, and he later had one child, a daughter. She grew up, but remained childless, too. The house was granted to the State in 1967. All the family’s furnishings, art, personal possessions (even clothing!), and everything else you can imagine, was granted with the house. To tour the house is like stepping back in time. I love living museums like that.

Photo Hunters: Wrinkled

Today’s theme is to find something wrinkled. I have just the thing today! Look– it’s a real cat mummy! We saw this when we visited the Museum of Oddities in Cazenovia. The founder of the museum, back in the 1800s, had traveled to Egypt to obtain artifacts and mummies for the collection. This kitty is definitely wrinkled, I’d say! So are the flaxen bandages that wrap it.

Recently, Anna at Chica & Pumuckl had blogged about Bastet cats, so that post reminded me that I had a photo of a real Bastet! And Luxor the White Cat, when he had seen this photo at my post about the museum, exclaimed that here on my blog he had found his ancient ancestors! It’s nice to know I am such a great match-maker, lol.

You can read more about the Egyptian mummy and her pet cat here. Scientists did all sorts of tests on the mummy, and determined that she died of mesothelioma or some kind of tumor or something. They even took x-rays of the mummy!

How did your Photo Hunt go today?

Madison County Windmill Farm, Fenner, NY

July 24, 2006
After our excursion to Lorenzo House and Chittenango Falls State Park, we drove up to Route 23 and to Peterboro Road in the town of Fenner, Madison County. There are over a dozen of these gorgeous, clean-looking windmills that can be seen from miles away, and Fenner claims to host the largest wind power project on the East Coast.

I took this photo from my vehicle. Such beautiful, green hills of Madison County. Can you see the windmills in the distance?

The sky is so blue with the slightest tinge of pink. It is beautiful up here. Not too windy today, though.

I kind of like the idea of windmills, and windpower. But I hear there is a “dark side” to living near them.

We spent some time circling the area of the windmills. My ancestors, the Parsons (from Northampton, Mass.) and Hatch families (from New London, Conn.) founded this area of Fenner/Chittenango/Cazenovia in 1801. I had done some genealogy research last year, and located their burial sites in Fenner and Cazenovia.

The land is really beautiful. Wide open spaces with a spectacular blue sky. Makes me want to dump my house in town and start my own homestead.

From what I have heard, one of the windmill’s blades broke in November 2007.

It’s one of the most visible sights in Madison County; one of the blades on the Fenner Wind Turbines broke in mid-November, and is still not fixed.

A representative for General Electric, who built the huge turbines, says the weather has been too snowy, too cold, and too windy to get up and fix the blade. As soon as they get a stretch of more-mild weather, they say they’ll be up there as soon as possible to make the fix.

Here’s a recent photo of a blade break. It’s hard to tell if that’s a crane repairing it.