The Old Town of Eaton will be cerebrating its 229th year on Memorial Day Monday. The weekend follows a traditional cerebration held in the town each year, a town whose history is steeped in the time after the Revolutionary War. Settled by many veterans of the war and part of the original; settlement of Madison County, it prides itself with history remembered and its roots as Madison County’s first clearing. Once part of Chenango County it was separated off and boasts early settlement by families moving west to stake their claim of the new America’s western frontier.
But at this time of year and our usual Memorial Day Celebration, it always comes to mind that few people volunteer to help the hardworking few, who today take the time to try and improve their communities and to help keep them alive for future generations to enjoy.
The small towns in New York State's most rural areas have lost so much including stores, churches, schools, up-kept cemeteries and families to entertain even thoughts of the past. Here in Eaton we are trying to keep each of our little piece of the world together, but without the support of the community that is difficult, and without volunteers it is nearly impossible. So to our small group I say "thank You!"
Each year the museum has so many visitors trying to find information on their relative or ancestors, many can't understand what happened to a once booming area that now has so many homes in need of repair or so many empty houses. When we started the museum and the Neighbors for Historic Eaton it was in an effort to not only preserve the past but also to try and bring work for people to do.
I think the worst things that happened locally was the removal of the school to Morrisville, followed by the removal of the Infirmary to Morrisville. Preserving ties to things like these alone would have given the area glue to hold much together. Today kids ride a bus that comes earlier and travels farther with each school consolidation. Gone are the days of walking home with your friends talking about your dreams and your day. That has been replaced by expensive phones or internet which lets the world in to their lives with little control and with a cost $ to a poor family.
Because of explicit content movies and tv shows we can see the dark underbelly of society clearly with all of the "Shock Jocks" and mouthy promoters who use shock to gather attention. I would love for us to be unable to phone, to see tv, or to surf the thousands of stations available to us and to instead sit in the back yard and listen to nature as a daily routine.
For this years event the Old Town of Eaton Museum will be hosting a large yard sale on Memorial Day Weekend Saturday, May 25th and Sunday May 26th from 9 am until 3pm both days. As usual the set up will be at the Old Auction Barn building next to the Eaton Post Office on Rt. 26 in the Hamlet of Eaton. Though this years parade will be in Morrisville, the usual History Day Celebration will mark Eatons Memorial Day Monday the 27th. The museum will be open from 10 am until 3pm in honor of the communities 229th Anniversary.
The Yard Sale will feature everything from furniture to gifts, household small appliances, gift items, pet items, books, kitchen items, figurines and more. The proceeds will benefit the Old Town of Eaton Museum and the not for profit charity - 4 Community Cats.
The usual can drive to benefit both organizations will gladly take your holiday cans that can be dropped off at the weekend event, or left at 5823 Brooklyn Street, or given to one of our groups members.
The weekend will feature a special history display on one of our "Home Town" veterans of the Viet Nam War... Doug Chilson, with Back Street Mary at the Old Town of Eaton Museum talking about all our veterans. The Eaton Museum is located at 2776 River Road in Eaton, and on Monday she will be there to answer any of your questions or perhaps just take you on a tour of the historic old museum building. that dates to about 1802.
For more information by emailing Back Street Mary@yahoo.com.
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