JULY 25th, 2021 at 2:00 PM in the Morey-Devereaux Barn
Allison Guertin Marchese
Local history author, Allison Guertin Marchese, will reveal some little-known stories of Columbia County and Hudson Valley history on Sunday, July 25 at 2 pm in the Morey-Devereaux Barn at Old Austerlitz. This is our first in-person “Talk” of the season. The event is free and all are welcome. Allison is the author of two books, The Hidden History of Columbia County, NY (Arcadia/History Press 2014), and Hudson Valley Curiosities (Arcadia/History Press 2017). Among the intriguing subjects of Ms. Marchese’s talk are the sulphur springs of the county and the spiritualist movement that swept through the City of Hudson taking in its wake a prominent lawyer and judge. She will also expose a little-known fact about Eleanor Roosevelt and the secret behind a special revolver Mrs. Roosevelt received as a gift from her bodyguard. Then there is the story of the hamlet of Neversink which was submerged under water to form a reservoir for New York City. Allison will also provide a sneak preview of her forthcoming book Lost Columbia County to be published in the summer of 2022 by Arcadia/History Press. Allison Marchese is a graduate of Fordham University with a degree in communications and creative writing. She spent much of her professional career in public relations and fundraising for non-profits. In her work as a writer, Allison has created plays and written short fiction, feature articles, and essays on the people, places and events in her adopted home of Columbia County, NY where she has lived for 30 years. She and her husband live in a former 1740s roadhouse/stagecoach stop in Malden Bridge, NY.
GIFTS!(But what are they?)
We would like to thank Dorothy Meppen for her generous donations to our museum collections. What in the world is it (above photo)? This is an apple parer (peeler) made by the Reading Hardware Company of Reading PA. Originally patented in 1868, this improved model ’78 was one of their more successful products. The apple pared one apple at a time, but with experience, a good operator could peel ten apples per minute. Industrialization and the use of iron during the 19th century witnessed an explosion of patented creativity. Over 100 apple parer patents were granted from 1850 to 1890. When the Reading Hardware Co. was liquidated in 1950, Sterling Withers purchased the patterns and remaining inventory for the ’78. Withers continued to make the ’78 until he sold his rights to Lehman Hardware Co. of Kidron Ohio in 1993. Lehman’s offered their updated ’78 from 1993 to 2020 in their famous catalog.
Dorothy Meppen also donated the following item, can you guess what is is?
The item is an approximately 6″ long glazed stoneware mold, circa mid-nineteenth century. Such molds were used for cold jellied desserts, aspic, blancmange or similar food. (Blancmange is a sweet dessert commonly made with milk or cream and sugar thickened with rice flour, gelatin, corn starch or Irish moss, and often flavored with almonds. If you are up for a challenge, Martha Stewart has a blancmange recipe HERE.)
UPDATES
The Book Club meets at AHS at 10 AM on the last Saturday of the month, all are welcomed. We will be discussing The Language of Flowers on July 31st at 10 AM. The following book is: A Piece of the World which we will discuss on August 28th at 10am.
If you would like more information about the Book Club, please contact Margaret at: [email protected]
The MUSEUM BUILDINGS, ART GALLERY & SHOP are open from Noon till 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer. There are always new things to see and remember that admission is free to members.
You Are Invited To ST. PETER’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH250th ANNIVERSARY ON THE GREEN CELEBRATION Worship Service at the Church – Sunday, August 1 at 10:00 amFollowed by aReception at the Town Hall at 11:30 am(Come to one or both events)5219 County Route 7, Spencertown, NY ALL ARE WELCOME!
