JUNE 3-5. HEADWATERS HISTORY DAYS
Free exhibits, tours, talks and music at 15 historic sites from Andes to Olive. CATSKILL MOUNTAINS SCENIC BYWAY SIGNATURE EVENT OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN. Schedule, descriptions and map at www.headwatershistorydays.org. FMI: 845-586-2484; dwarner.history@gmail.com
HIGHLIGHTS
JUNE 3, 7 P.M. JOHN BURROUGHS MEMORIAL LOCUST AND WILD HONEY ORCHESTRA, traditional and original tunes inspired by the writings of Catskills naturalist John Burroughs. Halcott Grange Hall, Greene County Road 3 (turn up Halcott Road at Sam’s Country Store in Fleischmanns.) Free!
JUNE 4, 1 P.M. “JOHN BURROUGHS ON THE RAILS,” WITH DAKIN MOREHOUSE OF EMPIRE STATE RAILWAY MUSEUM. On the lawn at John Burroughs’ Woodchuck Lodge, 1633 Burroughs Memorial Road, Roxbury. Bring chair or blanket. Under cover in case of rain. Free!
Tours of Lodge 11-1 and 2-3 Saturday, 11-3 Sunday.
SAT., JUNE 4, 7 P.M. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? MARGARETVILLE TELEPHONE COMPANY AT 100. An illustrated talk on the history of communication and MTC in the Catskills, with Kendra Grocholl of MTC and Diane Galusha of Historical Society of the Town of Middletown. This is a free Headwaters History Days program. HSM, 778 Cemetery Rd., Margaretville 12455. Mtownhistory.org;www.headwatershistorydays.org
SUN., JUNE 5, 2 P.M. “LOOKING FOR THE PAST,” A PROGRAM OF ORIGINAL HISTORY-RELATED SONGS WITH COUNTRY EXPRESS. Historic Andes Train Depot, County Rd. 2 (Cabin Hill, just outside hamlet of Andes). History walk on adjacent Andes Rail Trail led by Russ Kaufman at 12:30. Free! Full HHD weekend schedule at www.headwatershistorydays.org. FMI: 845-586-2484;dwarner.history@gmail.com
Historic Sites, Tours and Museums Open
HEADWATERS HISTORY DAYS JUNE 3-5 – SIGNATURE EVENT FOR THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS SCENIC BYWAY FOR THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN AND COMMUNITIES AROUND THE BYWAY.
Headwaters History Days 2016 features programs, exhibits, concerts, open houses, tours and workshops from Olive to Andes along the newly designated Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway (NYS Route 28).
Fifteen historic sites and organizations will celebrate the history, culture, folk life and landscape of the Central Catskills in this Signature Byway Event of the Town of Middletown.
For a map, schedule and description of all activities, visit www.headwatershistorydays.org.
This is the third annual Headwaters History Days. New venues this year will host concerts featuring original and traditional music: Halcott Grange and Town Hall will ring with the music of the John Burroughs Memorial Locust and Wild Honey Orchestra at 7 p.m. Friday; while Country Express will close out the weekend on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the newly refurbished Andes Train Depot with a history themed program, “Looking for the Past.” A walk on the Andes rail trail will precede that concert at 12:30.
Railroad buffs will also be pleased to note that two former depot museums in Roxbury and Phoenicia – will be open both days with exhibits on the Ulster & Delaware Railroad. There will also be a talk by Dakin Morehouse of the Empire State Railway Museum in Phoenicia about train service in John Burroughs’ day at Woodchuck Lodge in Roxbury Saturday at 1, and a film, “Railroad Man,” on the life of Roxbury native Jay Gould at the Roxbury Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m. that day.
A genealogy workshop for beginners will be offered at Fairview Public Library, Margaretville Friday at 3 p.m.
The Olive Free Library on Route 28A not far from Boiceville will host an illustrated presentation by Gina Giuliano on “The Diaries of Elwyn Davis” at 2 p.m. Saturday. John Duda will deliver a talk on theFleischmanns family Saturday at 4 at Skene Memorial Library, Fleischmanns. A third talk, at 7 p.m.Saturday, will cover a century of Margaretville Telephone Company history. That talk will be given at the Historical Society of Middletown in Margaretville.
Hubbell Homestead Farm in Kelly Corners will offer farm tours and sawmill demonstrations Saturdayafternoon. There will be a walking tour of the hamlet of Roxbury Saturday at 10 (meet at Gould Church). Tours of the Roxbury Methodist Church clock tower will also be offered that day from 10 to 2. The beautiful and historic Jay Gould Memorial Reformed Church will be open as well.
Visitors will be welcome Saturday at the Stone School in Dunraven, the Hunting Tavern in Andes, and the Greater Fleischmanns Museum of Memories, and both Saturday and Sunday at the Shandaken Museum in Pine Hill and at John Burroughs Woodchuck Lodge in Roxbury.
The Pakatakan Farmers Market will welcome visitors to the iconic Kelly Brothers Round Barn
in Kelly Corners on Saturday from 9 until 2.
For more information, contact Doris Warner at 845-586-2484. Dwarner.history@gmail.com.