The Homestead The Newsletter of the Waterford Historical Museum

Volume 5 Number 4 August 2003

This event will feature local WWII Historians and you. We encourage all veterans to come and join in on the discussion or just listen at this informal roundtable. The main focus of the discussion will be weapons and tactics of World War II as compared to those of today. Personal experiences of the panel members and those present and will also help to highlight the topic. Our panel includes: former Professor of American History at Siena College, Thomas Kelly; Military Curator at the NYS Military Museum, Thomas DuClos; WWII POW and Historian, John Edward; and, a representative from the USS Slater. Some WWII artifacts will also be on display. We strongly encourage all veterans to attend. It is our hope to video tape this event and thus record our local veteran’s experiences. The event is free and open to the public.

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This year’s Annual Fall O’Connor Lecture Series will be focused on the Victorian Period in America. October 20th– 6:30 pm—Annual Membership Meeting– Bill Krattinger, Historic Preservation Specialist with NYS Parks — his topic—Andrew Downing and A.J. Davis and the American House October 26th-2 pm- Dr. Ivan Steen, Professor of American History at the University at Albany – his topic-The Impact of Irish and German Immigration on Nineteenth-Century Urban America November 2nd– 2 pm– John Scherer, Material Culture Curator from the New York state Museum

- Music Halls to Movie Palaces: American Popular Entertainment 1850-1930. Please check our website for more information on each speaker and each talk. A reminder will be sent out pri-or to the first lecture.

World War II Roundtable September 14th, 2 p.m.

Annual Fall O’Connor Lecture Series American Victorian Period

See Insert for information on our

Annual Fall Day- Trip

Don’t forget to attend our

Annual Membership

Meeting

The Homestead Volume 5, Number 4

Page 2 August 2003

The Waterford Historical Museum 2 Museum Lane

Waterford, NY 12188 Telephone/fax: (518)238-0809 E-mail: whmcc@nycap.rr.com

Web site: http://www.timesunion.com/communities/whm Hours

Saturday & Sunday , 2:00 —- 4:00 pm May 3 — October 29

Also Wednesday—Friday 11 am—2 pm June 4 — August 29 or by appointment

Director Brad L. Utter

Board of Trustees Teri Patton, President

Cathy Walsh, Vice President Emily Wilson, Treasurer Rita Glavin, Secretary Jeffrey Bennett

Merle Doud Patricia Matson Gerald McGarvey Mike Magin Nancy Spretty The Homestead is published six times a year (February, April, June, August, October, and December) by the Waterford Histori-cal Museum and Cultural Center, Inc., a not-for-profit organiza-tion. The Museum’s mission is to preserve and maintain the former Hugh White Homestead; to acquire and hold collections pertaining to its service area of Waterford, Halfmoon, Cohoes, and Lansingburgh; to increase awareness, understanding, and appreciation of local history; and to provide a place for cultural and educational events.

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www.timesunion.com/communities/whm

From the Director So much to share is the theme of this newsletter. There is more going on and more to report than ever before. I have had to add a couple of pages to this newsletter and there are more things that will have to wait until the next newsletter. One of the first bits of news is that our parking lot and access road are now paved. No longer will we have to fight the mud and dust. The library project sponsored by Mohawk Paper Mills is moving along on schedule and our consultant Pam Kirschner hopes to have all of the work done by the end of the year. We recently joined the Museums of Saratoga County (MOS). This group of museums will work together to help pro-mote our resources to the public. Please check the MOS website at www.museumsofsaratoga.com. Just last week, GE Silicone and WRGB TV filmed part of a television commercial here at the museum. The commercial features several quick shots in Waterford and 3 were filmed right here. Make sure to keep an eye on WRGB Channel 6 and see if you can pick out the museum. The Saratoga National Battlefield has donated 3 used collection storage units to the museum, which have already prov-en to be a tremendous asset. The Development Committee has produced a new muse-um brochure. It is in color and on glossy paper. We will use these to get the word out about the great community resources the mu-seum provides. Stop by and pick up your copy today. New in the museum shop is a reproduction of the April 27, 1861 Waterford Sentinel newspaper. This paper features an-nouncements about the Civil War, advertisements, court an-nouncements, the Waterford Market Report, and much more. Come purchase a copy for only $1, and travel back to 1861! Of course, we cannot forget about Heritage Day, the event was a great success! Even with some late cancellations and poor weather, the committee put on a great day. Each lecture av-eraged about 20 people, more than 30 people attended the cere-mony honoring Waterford’s Civil War soldiers, and the Ropesmith and Soldier’s tent were busy all day. Walking tours led by Village Historian and Museum Trustee, Merle Doud, were also well attended. The concert by the 77th Regimental Balladeers was great by all accounts. Even though we had to go inside, John Quinn and the gang put together a tremendous performance in-cluding a slideshow that accompanied the music. Special thanks go out to the Village of Waterford for sponsoring the concert and Waterford Seniors for making us feel welcome at the Civic Cen-ter. The last bit of good news came in the mail just yesterday and I had to share it with you. We have been awarded a Get Set Grant from the Upstate History Alliance and the New York State Council on the Arts. This grant will pay for a consultant to work with the Board of Trustees to develop long and short term strate-gic plans. There will be more information on this in the next newsletter.

Brad

TAG End of Summer

Exhibit The Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center is proud to announce a new temporary exhibit featuring the work of members of the Troy Arts Guild (TAG). The TAG End of Summer Exhibit highlights paintings from both professional and amateur artists. Some of the pieces are available for purchase. The exhibit will run until November and can be seen during the Museum’s open hours or by appoint-ment. Please contact the Museum for more information at 238-0809, www.timesunion.com/communities/whm or the Troy Arts Guild at 235-0524 or 237-1473

The Homestead Volume 5, Number 4

Page 3 August 2003

A Piece of History Tin Lunch Pail

www.timesunion.com/communities/whm

Featured Artifact: 1977.37 Tin Lunch Pail This Piece of History is unique in that it comes right out of the September 7, 1861 Waterford Sentinel. While writing in 1861, editors J.H. Masten and E.L. Clark captured the spirit of this Piece of History series. Maybe they knew at the time that they were recording history or maybe not. Either way, this is a great com-mentary on the life of a worker in Waterford in 1861, told through the pen of contemporaries and through an object, which is this article’s Featured Artifact– a Tin Pail. Those Tin Pails Almost every morning as we go to our place of business, we meet a dozen manly forms, whose light steps and cheerful countenances indicate health, hap-piness and hope. Upon their arms there are the inevi-table TIN PAILS, containing that which goes to make up the bones and sinew, and sustain the vigor of those who are carrying them to the place of their toil. These TIN PAILS are expressive– they are the embodiment of industry, prosperity and happiness– the symbols of peace, plenty and contentment– emblems of enterprise, wealth and power. We wish a thousands more of them could be seen on our streets daily, and a hundred thousand more people could be blessed and prospered with these as one of the means of their prosperity. In the morning they contain the food for the laborers’ dinner [lunch], prepared some with more and some with less care, and which is to contribute to the physi-cal necessities of man while his hands are earning means for the sustenance of himself and family. In the evening they are brought home empty and handed to the housewife as a pledge of continued health, and as an evidence that the days labor has been performed with fidelity, with a view of promoting her happiness and his. But few of our wealthy, ambitious men, would be willing to exchange their positions or aspirations for the laborers’ lot and their TIN PAILS, yet they sel-dom enjoy a meal, however luxurious, with the same relish and with the same spirit of contentment. GOLD-EN PAILS, position and influence, do not give it to them, do not contribute even the momentary gratifica-tion experienced by these hard working, honest men, who keep the wheels of industry in constant motion. We like to meet these TIN PAILS. They are in the grasp of honest hands, and the faces accompany-

ing them express a frankness and contentment at once refreshing and full of hope– a free, happy air, which makes the possessor a superior being, rising high above those whose minds are engaged in the style of worldly gain and who are bound to the god which subserves all to personal interest. As always, there are other things we can re-search and learn about using this Featured Artifact, the Tin Pail. Consider the lunch pails or boxes that you had as a child and compare. I had mostly tin lunch boxes and I had a couple of plastic ones as well. Another thing to look into is: why tin? I have heard that at lunch breaks the men would empty out their pails and have one of the boys fill them up with beer. I wonder if this was a custom in Waterford at the time of this article? Our Featured Artifact is on display at the museum. Please stop by and take a look at this Piece of History. If you have more information on this Piece of

History please contact or send the info to me. Brad

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

Thank you to Emily Wilson and Millie Beale for all of their hard work organizing our very successful day-trips! The trips are great fund raisers for the museum and we encourage everyone to sign-up and join us for the fun!

Thank you to those who have joined the

Museum or renewed their membership since

June 2003!

Mark your Calendar

August—November temporary exhibit featur-ing the artwork of the Troy Arts Guild. September 14 - 2-4pm WWII Roundtable September 27th & 28th– Waterford Village wide sell out/garage sale 9am-4pm

Fall O’Connor Lecture Series October 20th 6:30 pm, Annual Member-ship Meeting- Bill Krattinger, Andrew Downing and A.J. Davis and the American House October 26th– 2 pm, Dr. Ivan Steen, Immigration during the Victorian Period in America November 2nd 2 pm, John Scherer, Music Halls to Movie Palaces: American Popular Entertainment 1850-1930

Visit our website for updated programs, events and museum news. www.timesunion.com/communities/whm

The Homestead is printed at Universal Office Products.

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Lightfoot Technical Services Call Bruce Lightfoot for all of your

computer service needs. 518-235-1512

We are handicapped accessible.

Patron Sustainer Lila Bacon Blake and Mary Jane MacHaffie

Contributor Adrean Clawson

Individual or Household Rich and Carol Asti Jeff and Judy Bennett Lois Brower Eleanor J. Buckley Louise Casuras Gloria Catallo

Ruth Cerroni Donna and Jeff Diviney Nellie Dufrense Rev. Daniel P. Dwyer James and Helen Early Anne R. and Berthaida Fairbanks Rosemary Gavitt Helen Gustafson Jean E. Hagadorn Joseph and Joan Hostig Leo and Margaret Hubert June Judge Effie and John Piacente Mary Jane Rooney Gilbert and Diana Roy Agnes Shulusky

Day Trip to Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, N.Y.

Wednesday October 1, 2003

Enjoy a day of autumn foliage in the beautiful Adirondacks! The Waterford Historical Museum has scheduled its Annual Fall Foliage Day Trip for Wednesday October 1, 2003 to Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, NY.

Morning stop: The scenic John Brown Farm State Historic Site in Lake Placid. The grave of the famed abolitionist, John Brown, is located on the farm he worked in the years preceding the 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry Arsenal. In addition to the restored farm house, illustrated displays reveal Brown’s emergence as an outspoken opponent of slavery. Lunch: at the historic “Hotel Saranac

of Paul Smith College.” Lunch will be a hot turkey buffet, prepared and presented by the college’s culinary students.

After Lunch: Mary Houghtaling, Director of Historic Saranac Lake and City Historian will conduct a guided tour of the Saranac Lake area from the coach. Upon re-turn to Main Street we will visit the Robert Louis Ste-venson cottage which has been preserved as the author left it. Departure from the rear of the former St. Annes’ Church

parking lot, 75 Grace Street, Northside Waterford at 7:45 a.m., please arrive before the time of de-parture. Approximate return time 6:00pm. Cost: Current Museum members $62.00, non-members $67.00. Includes motor coach transportation, admission fees, tour guide and the meal. Paid reservations by September 10th. Make your reservations with Millie Beale 235-5019 or Emily Wilson 237-7122. Make checks payable to the Waterford Historical Museum and mail them to

Emily Wilson, Treasurer, 26 Columbus Ave., Waterford, NY 12188.

All Day Trips sponsored by the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center are

educational and benefit the Museum’s operating costs. Thank you for your support!

Stevenson Cottage

Brown Farm

Thank You Heritage Day Sponsors And Volunteers

Waterford VFW

Mayor Bert Mahoney

Village of Waterford

Town of Waterford

Waterford Seniors

D & M Cordage

Bill Mulligan

Jim Early

Robert Keatings

Dr. Susan Ouellette

Dr. Allen Ballard

Sarah Stevens

77th Regimental Balladeers

Heritage Day Committee

Brad Utter, Museum Director

Tim McDonough, Library Director

Teri Patton, Museum President

Ward Patton, Museum Volunteer

Patricia Matson, Museum and Library Board Trustee

Nancy Spretty, Museum Trustee

Mike Marchese, Library Board Trustee

Next year’s committee will be forming soon, please call

the museum or the library to express interest in

volunteering.

Board Elections

At Annual Membership Meeting

The Board of Trustees annual elections will be held Monday, October 20th at the Annual Membership Meeting. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a lecture afterwards. Attendees will get a copy of the Annu-al Report and members will participate in the election of the Board. As the museum continues to reach out to the public, we are becoming more and more active. We are looking for more volunteers who would like to be involved. Next year will prove to be an exciting year as the museum will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary. If you would like to serve on the Board of Trustees or know someone who would, please contact Board President Teri Patton, 235-0886. If you would like to volunteer, please contact the museum at 238-0809. We would also welcome your involvement on one of our various committees. This will be one of the most exciting years yet! Join us in making it special!

Celebrating 40 years of serving the community in 2004!

To Arms! To Arms! Protect the Union!

Read all about it in our reproduction of the April 27, 1861 Waterford Sentinel newspaper

Stop by the Museum and pick up your copy for only $1

Kivort Steel

Mill View Assisted Living

Cohoes-Waterford Elks

Think Digital

Folmsbee Transportation

Brendese Funeral Home

Giffy's Bar-B-Q

Universal Office Products

Maloney's Flowers

Don & Paul’s Restaurant

Mr. B.'s Grocery Deli

BPI Piping

GE Silicone of Waterford

One Day Signs

Tech Valley Printing