Eaton, Fall Festival History Weekend, Lectures and Me...20 years of history!

Old Auction Barn on Rt. 26 in Eaton.

For me here in “Old” Eaton …Saturday, Sept. 24^th… is a special day, it marks the 20^th year I have been promoting a special Fall History Day.  I called it Fall Festival History Weekend.  It was my attempt to get people to tour the small lesser-known museums that could never be open every day of the week.  Those that you pass on your travels who never seem to be open when you drive by.

The day evolved to over 20 sites and museums across 3 counties and ran for 8 years.  During that time I had the pleasure of writing the history and meeting the people involved with all of the participating museums.  We became friends who met in our yearly lunch get –together.  I was so happy to see one of our original group this past week, a hard working historian and writer from Chenango County…Rose Wellman.

I promoted actively a day to cover the whole state where by societies and history museums would allow people to enter for free and would encourage families to celebrate history.  Well 20 years later it has evolved into an event that is national.  This Saturday is the Smithsonian Magazines History Day Live.  If you go to their website you can down load a ticket to visit any participating museum for free…and so the Old Town of Eaton Museum on 2776 River Road in Eaton will be open…for free…as always.

Old Town of Eaton Museum on River Road.

The museum, like almost all small museums needs money and so after a years hiatus of illness and troubles I will be speaking to promote history, raise money and be part of a small celebration we call Fall Festival History Weekend Revisited.

Of great interest is the fact that I will be delivering 2 lectures one on Thursday night at 7pm, and one on Saturday at 2pm.  The location of the talks will actually correspond with the first lecture on the lesser-known history of Madison County… history that you probably do not know.  The site is of not only national importance but also international importance… and yet we pass by it daily with out a second look.  It is here that Samuel Chubbuck invented something that brought the world together.  There are a number of sites like this that I think should be recognized and so the talk will cover some of Madison County’s.

So come down to Eaton the Hamlet… to the old Auction Barn on Rt. 26… and enjoy history, and take the time to visit the Old Town of Eaton Museum just a hundred yards or so away.

Support your local museums as they are the “Keepers of the Fire” for your community and are our personal link to the past.  If you can’t come out to buy a bake good or hear a lecture… send a donation.

Future generations looking to revisit their families past and the future community will thank you for it. 

Also remember everything that happens today is tomorrow’s history!