The Adirondack History Museum in Elizabethtown, Essex County, NY (formerly known as the Adirondack History Center Museum), is open for its 2015 season which runs until October 12th.
This Saturday, June 13th, the museum’s new exhibits will open. “Essex County’s Immigrants: Names, Places, and Stories” is this year’s seasonal exhibit. Drawing on the ancestry of present day Essex County residents, the exhibit uses individual stories to explore the broad immigration patterns that changed Essex County in the mid-1800s.
One of the year’s highlights will be the unveiling of the museum’s permanent exhibit, “Arto Monaco and the Land of Makebelieve,” an interactive installation with a variety of hands-on activities for children. The exhibit allows the visitor to engage with the world of Arto Monaco and his innovative and imaginative creations. A special celebration of Arto Monaco and the new installation will take place on Sunday, August 9th.
Returning this year will be the museum’s popular exhibit: “Grace Hudowalski & the Mountains we Climb.” Hudowalski was a founding 46er and the first woman to climb the 46 High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains.
Besides the exhibits, the museum is offering several lectures and special programs. On Saturday, June 13, the popular Antique & Classic Car Show will take place from 10 am to 3 pm. Collectors and enthusiasts from far and wide will be on hand displaying their collections of beautifully restored and maintained vehicles such as muscle cars, vintage roadsters, hot rods and more.
The museum has also announced the return of its Adirondack Fire Tower program. Free family day events will be offered on Wednesday, July 22nd and Wednesday, August 12th. At the museum, guests are invited to learn about the history of the Fire Towers in the Adirondacks followed by a guided hike up Poke-O-Moonshine in Chesterfield to visit the 1917 Fire Tower on the mountain. This program is sponsored by the Lake Champlain Basin Program and International Paper Foundation.
The 2015 Lecture Series will take place on Tuesday evenings from July 21st through August 11th at 7 pm. Guests are invited to 6 pm receptions featuring wine, coffee, sweets, and savories. The lecture schedule includes:
July 21: “Crossing Borders: Immigration, Emigration, and Cultural Conflict in US History” with Dr. Gerald Zahavi, Professor of History and Director of the Documentary Studies Program and the Public History Program at the University of Albany, SUNY.
July 28: “Lost and Found: Essex County and Its Immigrants,” a highly anecdotal, lively history by Amy Godine, independent scholar and long-time contributor to Adirondack Life on ethnic and labor history in the North County.
Aug. 4: “Dating Photos through Fashion,” presented by local author and historian Margaret Bartley.
Aug. 11: “History of Logging in the High Peaks,” presented by Sharp Swan, a local historian and avid 46er.
This fall, the museum will host “Taste of Local” on September 12th from 11 am to 2:30 pm. In collaboration with Adirondack Harvest, the fourth annual food festival will feature the best of local food from area farmers and chefs.
The Adirondack History Museum is open daily to October 12th from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $2 for students. For more information, contact the museum at (518) 873-6466 or echs@adkhistorymuseum.org, or visit the Museum’s website at www.adkhistorymuseum.org.
Photo provided: Kayla Joy, a student volunteer from Moriah Central School, works on painting the Adirondack History Museum’s new permanent exhibit.
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