History Lives at the Museum & Fall Festival is on us!

This has been a very interesting week.  Sunday I had tried to get off for a walk in Syracuse when I was called back to meet someone at the museum from out of state… I agreed reluctantly, but it was meant to be...  as the gentleman had a grandfather’s or  I should say a gr. grandfather’s diary that dated to Eaton in 1801.  Also the diary had much information on Eaton and in it... was a passage about picking up a new pair of shoes from Mr. Sprague the shoemaker in Eaton. 

Harriet Sprague is in the picture in the early year given to us by
her Gr. Granddaughter  Harriet Sprague of the opening of the museum.

Well fate had intervened since the museum was William Sprague’s home and he was a shoemaker.  Yes, history presented itself.  The old 1806 or earlier building, and its business, was a tannery.  It is a house that was in the family up to almost the day we acquired it…. owned by many generations of Sprague’s who lived there including the shoemakers of the family. 

Thank you to Glenn Topliff for his visit and picture.  He has promised scans of the diary with much info on the people of Eaton at that early time.

In order to keep this museum open for such wonderful  sessions we need money so the  museum will be hosting a Fall Festival History Weekend on Saturday the 6^th of October and Sunday the 7^th.  The Old Auction Barn on Route 26 will host a Garage Sale on Saturday from 10 – 4.  The garage sale will be ”pay what you want” . 

Also there on Saturday there will be a craft/bake sale featuring many hops related products including pillows, tee shirts, table top toppers and much more.  As usual all proceeds to benefit the Old Town Museum.  As a special treat,  I will be giving a Fall History Tour of the Historic Eaton Cemetery on Saturday at 1pm.

Events on Sunday will feature Lectures on area Landmarks including one on Brown’s Free Hall with a guest speaker at 1 pm at the auction barn.  Back Street Mary will be speaking on the Morse House and more at 2 pm.  The museum will be open for extended hours on Sunday from 12 until 4 and Back Street Mary will be there from 3 until 4 pm.

This event will close out a successful Memorial Day Celebration and a series of summer  lectures. 

Though the museum will be closing for the season,  as always the Saturday before Thanksgiving Pie Sale will be on with gifts and pies and bake goods for all.