Date: July 23, 2007
Contact: Vivien Rose, 315.568.0007
Contact: James T. Hughes, 315.539.0533
Waterloo’s historic sites invite the public to visit them on Saturday, August 4, between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. as part of the “Hunt for the Hunts,” a joint project to discover information about the Jane M. and Richard P. Hunt House, 401 E. Main Street, in Waterloo. Visit all four sites, collect a stamp at each site, and get free admission to the “Traditional Songs of New York State” concert on Sunday, August 5, at 7 p.m.
The National Park Service is studying the Hunt House to determine its historic appearance in July, 1848, when five women gathered there decided to hold the first of its kind Women’s Rights Convention. Selective removal of more recent interior decoration to locate altered or missing features is being done. Anne Derousie, park historian, will show some of the newly-uncovered historic features.
The National Memorial Day Museum, 35 E. Main Street, showcases new exhibits on the origins of Memorial Day in Waterloo, from parades and grave decoration to national organizations for men and for women. A guide will point out new artifacts and information.
The Thomas and Mary Ann M’Clintock House, 14 E. Williams Street, features historic furnishings and exhibits about the M’Clintock family, active in Waterloo and Seneca Falls as druggists and reformers between 1836 and 1856. The furnished parlor represents the planning the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention. Exhibits detail the involvement of the family in the anti-slavery movement and Quaker religion. Ranger-led interpretive programs are scheduled at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
The Terwilliger Museum, 31 E. Williams Street, captures the entire history of Waterloo through period rooms and displays.
Dave Ruch, a favorite performer for school and youth groups, sings and plays historic music from New York State on mandolin, guitar, washtub bass, five string banjo and jaw harp at Fatzinger Hall, 31 E. Williams Street, on Sunday, August 5, at 7 p.m. “Traditional Songs of New York State” features songs about workers, the canals, and the Underground Railroad. Singing along is encouraged. As an added bonus, Dave will teach participants how to “hambone.”Entry is free for families holding the stamped souvenir of house tours on August 4. A suggested donation of $5 per family will be accepted from those not holding stamped souvenirs.
“Come out and see the Waterloo sites and hear some great music,” said Vivien Rose, Chief of Cultural Resources at Women’s Rights National Historical Park. “We’re pleased to host this well-known and entertaining musician in the beautifully-restored Fatzinger Hall,” said Jim Hughes, director of the Terwilliger and National Memorial Day Museums. “It’ll be a lot of fun for kids of all ages.”
