News Briefs, June 16, 2023
Swart-Wilcox House Museum Open This Sunday
ONEONTA—The Swart-Wilcox House Museum is among 123 museums, historic sites and cultural institutions taking part in New York State’s “Path Through History Weekend.” The museum will be open on Sunday, June 18 from 1-3 p.m., featuring the diaries of Henry Wilcox, which have been transcribed and are presently available online at https://nyheritage.org/collections/diaries-henry-wilcox. Information outlining the current status of the Swart-Wilcox Barn Project will also be on display and tours of the Swart-Wilcox House—highlighting newer additions to the building—will be available. All programs are free, open to the public and handicap accessible. Saturday, June 17 through Monday, June 19 is this year’s first Path Through History Weekend. According to the I Love NY website, “The Path Through History program and Path Through History Weekends showcase New York State’s fascinating history. A wealth of memorable experiences awaits you—from living history museums to forts and military landmarks to the homes of presidents, legendary writers and artists…Path Through History takes you across the state to discover events of the past and learn how they reverberate today.” The second Path Through History Weekend will take place October 7-9. For a complete list of participants, visit https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/path-through-history/path-through-history-weekend/
Museum Features Herbal Remedies Weekend
COOPERSTOWN—Visitors can learn the various ways plants were used as medicine and how they were produced in the mid-19th century during The Farmers’ Museum’s “Herbal Remedies Weekend” on Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Watch the blacksmith create lab equipment used in the distillation of medical extracts. Tour the medical specimen garden. See medical broadsides and pamphlets handset and printed on the museum’s vintage presses. Interpreters will show and discuss simple home remedies that every farm family was well versed in producing. Everything else that makes the museum a great day trip will be accessible as well—friendly baby farm animals, the Cardiff Giant, the Empire State Carousel, Todd’s General Store and much more. Entry to “Herbal Remedies Weekend” is included with regular museum admission. The museum has teamed up with “Museums for All,” which provides those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits with free admission for up to four people. More information can be found at FarmersMuseum.org. Also that weekend, sign up for two workshops: “Balms and Salves”(Saturday) and “Backyard Weeds” (Sunday). Find more information and a link to register at FarmersMuseum.org. Workshops are held at The Farmers’ Museum, 5775 State Highway 80.
Hanford Mills Museum Exploration Day Series Begins June 17
EAST MEREDITH—Throughout the 2023 season, Hanford Mills Museum is hosting several Exploration Days that will give visitors a chance to explore the mill and also experience engaging activities, demonstrations, and other special programming. Admission to these Exploration Days will be by donation rather than the usual admission rates.
At its first Exploration Day and New York State Path Through History event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, Hanford Mills Museum will explore the power of the past. During this event, visitors can experience the historic machines and waterwheel in the mill, as well as hands-on activities related to science and technology both past and present. In addition, visitors can learn about some of the kitchen technology and utensils from the John Hanford Farmhouse. Children’s activities will be offered in the Learning Lab, which is reopening for the first time since 2019. Intelligent Green Solutions will also be on site to talk about solar power for homes and businesses.
Earlier in the day, beginning at 8 a.m., there will be a morning bird walk at the museum hosted by the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society.
Hanford Mills Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October 15. Guided tours of the water-powered sawmill, gristmill, and woodworking machines are offered each day at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tour times can be reserved ahead of time by visiting hanfordmills.org or calling (607) 278-5744.
Richfield Farmers Market Season Begins
RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Richfield Springs Farmers Market kicks off its season on Saturday, June 17. It is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays until October 28 in the Spring Park pavilion. The market features local produce, eggs, meat, flowers, plants, dairy products, honey, maple products and more. New vendors and customers are welcome. Producers who wish to join the market should call or text (315) 750-5847. For more information, visit the “Richfield Springs Farmers Market” Facebook page.
Bookmobile Celebrates 60 Years of Service
VESTAL—The Four County Library System Bookmobile is celebrating its 60th birthday. First hitting the road in June of 1963, Bookmobile service has been an integral part of the 4CLS mission almost from the very beginning of the organization. This essential function of outreach brings library services to communities that do not have a brick-and-mortar library, as well as to residents of assisted-living facilities who find it difficult or impossible to visit a library building.
Serving mostly rural residents in Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties, the Bookmobile operates as a mobile public library, carrying a 2,000-volume collection of books, audiobooks, DVDs, and large-print books. For more information about the 4CLS Bookmobile and its schedule, please visit www.tinyurl.com/4CLSbookmobile.
Opera Announces Second Round of Cultural Funding
EARLVILLE—The Earlville Opera House announced that a second round of funding is available through the New York State Council on the Arts for the 2023 Broome, Chenango and Otsego Statewide Community Regrants Program. Up to $5,000.00 is available for community arts projects and up to $2,500.00 is available for individual artists. The second round funding totals $29,000.00. Applications are open through June 26. Grants may be applied to projects taking place between June 1 of this year and March 31, 2024. For more information or application materials, visit https://www.earlvilleoperahouse.com/scr-2023. Grantwriting assistance and pre-submission review of materials are available until June 20.
Workforce Development Board To Host Webinar
CENTRAL NEW YORK—The Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison, Oneida Counties, in partnership with the New York State Office of New Americans and the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, will sponsor a free webinar to educate the public about free services provided to new Americans in Central New York.
“The upcoming webinar will have invaluable resources for new Americans, their service providers, families and communities,” said the Workforce Development Board’s Disability Resource Coordinator Nicole Sortino.
The event will include the ONA Ramirez June Initiative, which is a first-of-its-kind program that builds support infrastructure for new Americans with developmental disabilities and their families. New American families who faced complex barriers to accessing resources and services for their loved ones with IDD in New York State inspired ONA and the DDPC to create the Ramirez June Initiative. The initiative is named after the Ramírez family and the family of Siewling (June) Lum, two new American families who live in New York State.
It will also highlight the ONA Cell-ED program, a free-phone based English language learning system that allows people to quickly and easily build essential language skills in resource-constrained environments. Other efforts to provide services to new Americans will be covered.
The webinar will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20. For more information, or to register, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S4s1fin9T9-y-LOK27hz0A#/registration.