Civil War Re-enactment Coming Up!

I love it when I hear about these re-enactment events BEFORE they occur. It seems that I always hear about them in the news after they have happened, and I miss out on all the fun! I’m really hoping to go to this one: the Annual Civil War Weekend in Peterboro, NY.

Peterboro invites everyone to visit and experience what life was like 150 years ago. After visiting the soldier’s camps, enjoy the music, drama, storytelling, and period craft demonstrations. Come for a day, wander through Confederate and Union camps and listen to the stories of the men and women. Watch them drill for the battle. Each afternoon, hear the sound of cannons booming and muskets cracking. The smoke of gun powder will rise as the north and south face off for a very realistic battle reenactment.

There’s a concert on Saturday, too.

This special concert program features the highly acclaimed 77th New York Regimental Balladeers and the Irish Volunteers. It will evoke the memory of those Irishmen who fought in the ranks of the Union and Confederate armies. The 77th is a nationally recognized Civil War string band, and have performed at Gettysburg, the U.S. Grant National Memorial and other historic sites around the country.

Admission is $7 for adults; $3 for ages 6-12, and free for children under 6. Parking is free, too. There’s a separate $5 admission charge for the Saturday 8 p.m. concert at the Community Center. This sounds like a blast! For more information: 315-684-9022.

Madison County Historical Society, Oneida, NY

Almost two weeks ago, on a soggy, dreary day, the girls and I took a drive out to Oneida, NY, to see the Madison County Historical Society home. It was once the gracious home of the Higinbotham family of Oneida. The home was built in 1849, and remained in the family up until 1930s, when one of the daughters donated it to the Madison County Historical Society. So the house remains in near-pristine condition, with some of the original family heirlooms on display. I love houses like these: it’s like walking back in time, and you can really get an idea of how life was like 150 years ago in America!

The home was named “Cottage Lawn” by the mistress of the house, Eliza Randall Higinbotham, after the writings of A.J. Downings. The house is lovely. On first glance, it appears to be Gothic Revival, due to its pointed windows and doors and steeply-pitched roof. Architect Alexander Jackson Davis called it “English cottage style.” And it does have a lovely, cozy cottage feel to it. We’ve been to a lot of historic homes, and none were as “homey” and warm as this one. We could envision young children playing games in the parlor, with the smell of fresh bread and coffee coming from the kitchen.

The Higinbotham family were a family of philathropists and socialites. They were close companions of Gerrit Smith, that famous New York abolitionist with his fascinating history (I wrote about him, here and here). His benevolent presence is felt throughout the house, as there are numerous portraits of him and his wife that hang in the rooms. And there is a unique sculpture of two intertwining hands, that of Smith and his wife. It was sculpted by a freed and grateful slave (Smith ran the Underground Railroad here in New York State). This sculpture was originally at the Smith’s home in Smithfield (we visited the site here). But the Smith home suffered a fire that destroyed the home– yet, this sculpture was saved. It sits on a marble fireplace mantel in the South Parlor of Cottage Lawn.

Oddly enough, Smith’s wife, Ann Carroll Fitzhugh Smith, was a relation to George Fitzhugh, a Virginian who wrote extensively in defense of slavery. Fitzhugh and Smith, friends and relatives, wrote frequently to each other about the slavery issue, among other things. But it is notable to mention that these two men from opposite spectrums of the slavery issue could even maintain a friendship, when the Civil War was a mere breath away.

Well, I’m getting ahead of myself here. But this area is so stock-full of history it is overwhelming at times! Read more

Hamilton, Smith, and the Turning Stone Casino

My daughter The Historian and I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural dinner of the Alexander Hamilton Institute at the Turning Stone Casino, as guests of the gracious Robert Paquette and Douglas Ambrose, professors at Hamilton College and co-founders of the Institute. What an exhilarating experience! It was also my first time seeing the famed Oneida Indian casino. Over the years, I’ve read much about the development of the Oneida Nation from a small poor group into a burgeoning community of entrepreneurs. I get more satisfaction from the Nation’s good gas station service than the presence of a gambling business in my area, however. I’ve never liked the idea of a casino in my backyard…

More than finally seeing the casino up close was the utter pleasure of meeting the members of the Alexander Hamilton Institute. For many years, we’ve studied the history of Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton College, it’s founder, Samuel Kirkland, and Baron von Steuben. We have visited the campus several times and enjoyed its extensive library (see here and here). My daughter has attended a few of their meetings at their headquarters in Clinton, NY; this was my first time meeting them and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Alexander Hamilton Institute is, in their own words:

The Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization (AHI) promotes rigorous scholarship and vigorous debate in the study of freedom, democracy, and capitalism. Three Hamilton College professors, Douglas Ambrose, James Bradfield, and Robert Paquette, inspired by the contributions of Alexander Hamilton to the founding and survival of the Republic, established the AHI as an independent entity, unaffiliated with Hamilton College, during the summer of 2007.

This from their charter:

Inspired by Alexander Hamilton’s life and work, the AHI promotes excellence in scholarship through the study of freedom, democracy, and capitalism as these ideas were developed and institutionalized in the United States and within the larger tradition of Western culture. The word freedom, it should be recalled, had no equivalent in the vocabularies of non-Western civilizations until imported from the West. Democracy first flourished in the poleis or city-states of ancient Greece. While the propensity to truck, barter, and exchange seems to have been inscribed in humanity’s genes, a full-blown capitalist system, one based on the private ownership of the non-personal means of production, originated in England. Since to a great extent modernity implies the momentous extension and elaboration of these ideas around the world, the AHI will necessarily range widely across geographic, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries in pursuit of its mission and to implement plans of rediscovery.

I have had a personal affinity for studying the history of our American republic. To see such a group of distinguished people gather together for the same purpose– that of promoting a return to our federalist roots of liberty– is the answer to my prayers. It was so thrilling to talk to people familiar with the Great Awakening, Samuel Kirkland, Charles G. Finney, and Gerrit Smith!

This meeting was the first annual colloquium for the newly established Institute. You can read about the schedule and topics of discussion here. The dinner was sumptuous, the conversation more so. We met other professors and students from Hamilton College, Harvard, and Colgate, who had assembled together to celebrate the Institute and discuss Gerrit Smith. I have been interested in the life and work of Gerrit Smith for many years. I did a short piece on him when I blogged about the Utica Lunatic Asylum here. The children and I hope to go on New York’s “Freedom Trail” from Utica to Auburn. There is just too much to say about Smith, Finney, the abolition movement of New York State that exploded across our country in the mid 1800s, and of the Freedom Trail. It will take me all summer long to write about it!

This is something very dear to my heart, as I am a student of New York state history, and, more importantly, a person consumed with a desire to see our nation return to its fundamental roots of liberty and religious revival. My daughter has so often stated that before any great movement of freedom, there was always a Great Awakening preceding.

“The Revolution was effected before the War commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments of their duties and obligations … This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution.” John Adams

Bob Paquette began the colloquium by noting the utter irony of discussing the life and work of the famed abolitionist and perfectionist Gerrit Smith in a casino. He wryly remarked that if Smith could possibly know what we were doing, he’d be rolling in his grave. This elicited chuckles, and it is true! But we didn’t attend the meeting to gamble. On the contrary, this meeting was only the beginning of a new thing happening all over again!

After the heartening speeches of a handful of AHI founders and fellows, John Stauffer of Harvard University (and acclaimed expert on the life of Gerrit Smith) delivered his dissertation. There is just too much to write about it all! It was wonderful. I assume the AHI will post the highlights of the colloquium on their website; I’ll link to it when they do.

After the event, my daughter and I got the chance to wander the Turning Stone briefly. I snapped a few photos.

The Turning Stone is a popular meeting place for large conferences. I don’t think there exists any other building for such large events in the area. All the conferences that I’ve ever heard of are held here. Here’s a photo of the building. I’m a poor photographer. The colored “TS” in lights at the top changes colors.

This is the luminous Tree of Peace crafted by Dale Chihuly.

I’m a “ceilings” person:

I loved the glass of the lobby as the sun shone in. I took this photo before the meeting.

And this I took after.

We wandered the halls. There are many “natural” looking displays in various places. Besides the glass “tree,” there are walls made from cut stone, waterfalls, and earth-tone patterned carpets.

This is a the cafe just outside the gambling rooms.

And this is where people enter to lose their money:

The Turning Stone Casino began as a Bingo Hall, if I remember correctly. Gambling in New York State is prohibited by our constitution, but through governor-sponsored enactment (Governor Cuomo, in the early 90s), the casino was allowed to open. It has met with vehement opposition, most notably by the Upstate Citizens for Equality. The Oneida Indian land settlement/casino/resort issues are still in litigation, with some issues going as high as the Supreme Court. The Turning Stone is popular with area residents, however. It is a place where the poor people get to lose all their money. The Turning Stone is Oneida County’s biggest employer, after government jobs. So my guess is that, despite reams of litigation, the casino is here to stay.

We visited the Shako:wi Oneida Indian Cultural Center in Oneida, NY. See here for our trip.

Travel Wanna-dos

With spring right around the corner (as I ignore the falling snow and blustery winds out my window), we’re gearing up for another season of outdoor activity. The kids and I are hoping to go on an extended “Freedom Trail” trip, with drives out to historic sites and museums pertaining to the abolition of slavery movement and the Underground Railroad. Upstate New Yorkers were the movers and shakers of the abolition movement, Charles Finney’s explosive revivals spawning a social movement unsurpassed in American history since the Revolution of 1776. There are numerous Underground Railroad stations in Upstate New York, including several in my local community and one just down my street.

Anyone know why it was called the Underground Railroad? Take a guess?

It was called such because of the use of code phrases, to hide the slaves and their escape routes from the authorities. Definitely sounds like a New York plan. Here are some of the code words, in case you didn’t know. Notice the obvious religious undertones.

Baggage: Escaping slaves

Bundles of wood: Fugitives to be expected
Canaan : Canada
Freedom Train: The Underground Railroad
Gospel Train: The Underground Railroad
Heaven or Promised land: Canada

Load of Potatoes: Escaping slaves hidden under the farm produce in a wagon
Moses: Harriet Tubman
Parcel: Fugitives to be expected
Preachers: leaders, speakers underground railroad
River Jordan: The Mississippi
Shepherds : people escorting slaves

Station : place of safety and temporary refuge, safe-house
Station Master: keeper of safe-house

“The wind blows from the South today”: A warning to Underground Railroad workers that fugitive slaves were in the area.

“Left foot, peg foot”: A visual clue for escapees left by an Underground Railroad worker famous because of his wooden leg.

“A friend with friends” – A password used to signal arrival of fugitives with Underground Railroad conductor.

“The friend of a friend sent me” – a password used by fugitives traveling alone to indicate they were sent by the Underground Railroad network.

“Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus” (words to a song) – used to alert other slaves that an escape attempt was coming up.

There is a lot to learn about the Freedom Trail. New York State has an entire section of its tourism devoted to it, from John Brown’s home in Elba, NY, to Harriet Tubman’s home in Auburn, NY, to the estates of abolitionists like Gerrit Smith. I’m still working on the plans, but it will be a designated itinerary that I expect will take us several months or longer.

A blogger friend in Syracuse also told me of a lovely Erie Canal Park in Camillus, NY (near Syracuse). It is an area devoted to the history of the famed Erie Canal of New York State, with a park-like setting. There’s plenty of space and rural recreation areas dedicated to dog-walking, exploring ruins, and strolling down its numerous paths. We love the outdoorsy-type activities, so this sounds like a very enjoyable early-spring day trip.

I can’t think of any other places we will be this season. The Freedom Trail will certainly consume most of our energies. We would like to take a trip out of state this summer (yes– out of New York State!), perhaps to Washington, DC, and Virginia, to visit some relatives (and stay with them for free, heh heh). All this is in the planning stage, as I also need a new kitchen this year. Stay tuned, adventures will continue!