History Happenings | August 2015
top image

Rod Howe's Corner

From the Executive Director

       
Pictured: An image from a past oral history project found in our oral history archives

We had a great brainstorming meeting recently  with a stellar group about the intersection of sharing stories (one's own history), intergenerational dialogues and oral histories. The History Center in Tompkins County is interested in all three. The main goal is developing an educational/programmatic approach that brands the center for working in this arena, builds partnerships, uses history as a way of connecting residents, and that resonates with our tag line "from generation to generation."

As always, feel free to contact me with your thoughts by phone (607.273.8284 x222) or email (Director@TheHistoryCenter.net).



 AV Preservation: 
An Introduction to Keeping Your Materials Alive


The History Center in Tompkins County

401 East State St, Suite 100

Ithaca, NY 14850

 

Saturday, August 1st, 2015

2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

 

 

 

Stop by The History Center in Tompkins County for an introductory look at preserving audiovisual content to ensure playback and enjoyment in the future. Almost everyone has some memories recorded in video, whether it's 8MM film or video shot on your phone. How do we make sure we can still experience these memories and share them with friends and family in the future? We'll look at handling, digitization, and preservation of video, with an emphasis on personal digital archiving.

Tre Berney (presenter) is the Multimedia Specialist in Digital Scholarship and Production Services for Cornell University Library. He oversees the AV digitization and reformatting lab and develops preservation and access workflows for AV content. He has an extensive background in audiovisual production, digitization, and preservation. He has written and directed several documentary films for public policy centers, small archival institutions, and national PBS affiliates. Tre has been involved with audio for cable television clients such as Discovery, A&E, Biography, and The History Channel. He assisted in digitizing a large collection of Indian field recordings for the Smithsonian Institution.

 

For more information, please contact Kayla Sewell at Community@TheHistoryCenter.net or call 607.273.8284 x227


Archaeology at The Eight Square
A Week Long Adult Archaeology Program

 

The Eight Square Schoolhouse

1748 Hanshaw Road

Dryden, NY 13053

 

Monday - Friday

August 3rd - 7th, 2015

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

 

 

Digging for information about local archaeology?

Come dig with us!

 

The History Center in Tompkins County is offering a one-week archaeology program to the public at the historic Eight Square Schoolhouse, a one-room school built in 1827 and used by generations of students and teachers. Brant Venables, Binghamton University Doctoral Candidate, will lead the camp in learning archaeological field techniques and research skills to develop new and exciting perspectives on local history. Participants will maintain and keep a field journal throughout the week. Participants will need to bring their own lunches. The History Center will provide cold drinks and snacks.

 

Field School Participants Can Expect:

* An introduction to local archaeology
* An opportunity to examine artifacts from The

  History Center's collections

* A history of the Eight Square School
* Excavation experience on the school house site
* A field trip to Robert Treman State Park Mill Museum 

  and walking tour of its archaeological sites

 

 

WHEN: Monday - Friday, August 3rd - 7th, 2015


 

TIME: 9:00 - 4:00 PM


 

WHERE: The Eight Square Schoolhouse - 1748 Hanshaw Road, Dryden, NY 13053


AGES:
18 years old and up, camp limited to 10 participants


 

FEES: $150 for full week, 40% discount for returning participants, $35/day (minimum 2 days)
 


 


For more information, please contact Carole West at EightSquare@TheHistoryCenter.net or 607.273.8284 x229
 

A First Friday Gallery Night Event

Come Explore!
Local History Matters: Early Treasures from the Collection

 


The History Center in Tompkins County
401 E. State State, Suite 100
Ithaca, NY 14850

Friday, August 7th, 2015
5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Exhibition Open
June 5th, 2015 through September 17th, 2015


Stop by The History Center in Tompkins County on Friday, August 7th, 2015 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM to explore our exhibition Local History Matters: Early Treasures from the Collection. With two new display cases recently added, two scavenger hunts for kids, and a hands-on stereoscope station, there is plenty to see and do. After your exploration, we invite you to tell us what your favorite item on display is in order to be entered into a drawing for a private tour of our archives and collections, in-house genealogical research on your family, and facilitated intergenerational dialogue among your family and friends. 


 

Light refreshments will be served.

 

The material culture of history is as varied as the people who live in a community. Objects from cookware to coverlets, from paintings to petticoats all tell the story of the people who came before us. History museums collect many things that don't always seem obviously "historical." But these artifacts reflect the myriad aspects of everyday life and teach us about how our predecessors lived, how they worked, what they wore, and what kind of people they were.

This exhibit features some of the oldest things in our collections and represents the many different kinds of things that we preserve. In addition to the many common articles we will display, we will highlight one item from our Special Collections: discharge papers from the Revolutionary War signed by General George Washington.

 

This exhibition  embodies the essence of a history museum's mission, and in so doing, shows the many ways there are to tell the story of our local community. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENTER YOURSELF FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!

When you visit The History Center in Tompkins County be sure to answer a few questions at the front desk to be entered to win:

(1) an exclusive tour of our archives and collections

(2) in-house genealogical research on your family

and

(3) facilitated intergenerational historical dialogue among your relatives

 

Trust us - the questions are easy!

 

What is your favorite item in our current exhibition?

Why is it your favorite item?

What is one historical treasure in your home?

 

 

 

 
For more information, please contact Donna Eschenbrenner at Archives@TheHistoryCenter.net or call 607.273.8284 x224


Upstate Cauldron: 
Cults and Weird Practices in Early Upstate New York


The History Center in Tompkins County

401 East State St, Suite 100

Ithaca, NY 14850

 

Saturday, August 8th, 2015

2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

 

 

 

The nineteenth century saw an amazing collection of prophets, mediums, sects, cults, utopian communities, and spiritual leaders arising in Upstate New York. This illustrated talk, based on Professor Godwin's recent book, uncovers their common threads, including liberation from dogmatic Christianity, involvement in radical reform movements, and a preoccupation with sex. 

 

Joscelyn Godwin is Professor of Music at Colgate University. Born in England and educated at Cambridge and Cornell, he has written, edited, or translated over thirty books on musical and esoteric topics. The most recent is  Upstate Cauldron  (SUNY Press).
 

 

Rachel Baker, The Sleeping Preacher, c. 1815
The "Spirit House" in Georgetown, NY, built following plans from the spirit world, c. 1815

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madame Blavatsky, who visited Ithaca in 1875 and began writing Isis Unveiled there.

 

 

For more information, please contact Kayla Sewell at Community@TheHistoryCenter.net or call 607.273.8284 x227


 Local Letters from the Past: 
Sources of Rich Information


The History Center in Tompkins County

401 East State St, Suite 100

Ithaca, NY 14850

 

Saturday, August 15th, 2015

2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

 

 

Historians, and family members alike, value letters that have been saved, as they can offer a glimpse into the texture of lives and places from a previous time. This program will offer insights into how historians and researchers use letters. Where do they find the letters, how do they approach the letters, and what questions do they ask? We will discuss both letters in The History Center's archives as well as letters in your homes from the past. 

 

Presenters: 

Carol Kammen Tompkins County Historian

Rod Howe Executive Director, T he History Center in Tompkins County

 


 

More details coming soon!

 

Pictured: A letter to a resident in Tompkins County written during
the Civil War.

 

 

For more information, please contact Kayla Sewell at Community@TheHistoryCenter.net or call 607.273.8284 x227


GEMS FROM YOUR ATTIC SALE
A Fundraising Event for The History Center


The History Center in Tompkins County

401 East State St, Suite 100

Ithaca, NY 14850

 

Saturday, August 22nd, 2015

11:30 PM to 4:30 PM

 

 

The History Center will be hosting a sale of fifty historically significant artifacts specifically donated for this event to help raise funds for the museum. A selection of books from The History Center bookstore will also be on sale at highly discounted prices at this event.

PLEASE NOTE: The History Center in Tompkins County is NOT selling any items from its collection. Items that are donated for this event are historically significant to those who donated the items.

 

 

For more information, please contact Kayla Sewell at Community@TheHistoryCenter.net or call 607.273.8284 x227



Explore VisitIthaca.com
New Website Coming this August

 

Our colleagues at the Ithaca Conventions and Visitor's Bureau have been working on a new website for VisitIthaca.com. This mobile-first website will allow you to stay up-to-date on events and attractions in the area. Be sure to look out for The History Center on this new platform!

 

 


Giving is Gorges!
An Online Giving Challenge

 

Giving Is Gorges is a 24-hour online giving challenge to celebrate our local nonprofits and affirm our culture of giving throughout Tompkins County.  The event will begin at 12:01 AM on Friday, August 28th, 2015 and continue until midnight that night and will work to raise awareness and funds for the local nonprofits in our community. 

 

For more information, please visit www.givingisgorges.org

 

Look for more information on The History Center's involvement in our next installment of History Happenings.

 


Thank you for subscribing to History Happenings, the e-newsletter of The History Center!
 
 

For feedback, comments and suggestions please contact director@thehistorycenter.net. 

 

The History Center in Tompkins County

401 E. State/MLK Jr. St.
Suite 100 

Ithaca, NY  14850

In the Gateway Center, just one block from The Ithaca Commons.
Free parking available in the rear lot.

 

Phone. 607.273.8284  

www.TheHistoryCenter.net


Hours: Tues, Thurs, Sat from 11-5pm and by appointment

The History Center is a proud member of the Discovery Trail 

With support from