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Mark your calendar
and join us for these upcoming programs
For
more information on any of these events contact the Interlaken Historical
Society
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California Gold Rush era
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April 28, 2008 7:30 p.m.
Town of Covert Municipal
Building
(former
American Legion Building)
Based on the research and collection of his
grandfather, Christopher Wolff of Interlaken will tell stories and show
images of the California Gold Rush era.
Please join us at the Covert Town Hall in
Interlaken at 7:30 PM on Monday, April 28,
2008. The program is free, open to the public and refreshments will be
served. The Town of Covert Municipal Building is the former
Interlaken American Legion.
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Past Events
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Monday January 28, 2008
Cheryl Schaefer
Owner and creator of Schaefer Yarns
It is
often at sunrise and sunset when the colors in the fields and extensive gardens
surrounding the Kelly's Corners farmhouse which houses Schaefer
Yarn are the most exciting. Color is the single most important factor
in Cheryl Schaefer’s yarn business, confirmed by 27 years in the hand
knitting yarn industry.
Come and experience Cheryl’s
enthusiasm as she describes the fibers such as Elaine and Andrea
and a few of her colors including Spanky, Little Mermaid, Eleanor
Roosevelt, Julia Child and Virginia Apgar.
Grateful
for knitters, weavers and crocheters everywhere, she also depends on eight
full time and eight part time employees who bring Schaefer Yarn to a
growing international market.
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Shown are
just a few of the
Hand
Painted yarns created
each
day at
Schaefer
Yarns on Kelly's Corner
Road,
and the Schaefer Yarn staff
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The Humble Spud
The Vegetable That Changed the World
Potatoes
are often called "humble" yet they are the most important
vegetable on the planet, a multibillion dollar tuber that is now making
french-fried incursions into the traditional rice turf of Asia. This is the
vegetable whose ability to produce at high altitudes enabled the
advancement of the Andean cultures that culminated in one of the world's
great civilizations, the empire of the Inca. When this Irish staple
failed to produce, the resulting famine changed western history with the
death and migration of 2.5 million people. In Germany, a prolific potato
crop in 1915 had a role in that country's World War I plans. On Monday, October 22, 2007 Ashley Miller discussed the history of this
influential vegetable at the
Interlaken Grange Hall. Also on display were several varieties of potatoes.
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Old Fashion Social
An old fashioned
social dish-to-pass get-together was held on the lawn between the
Grange Hall and the Covert Baptist Church on Sunday July 22nd.
Over 80 people
enjoyed grilled
hot dogs, lots of great side dishes and ice cream cones for dessert.
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Contra
& Square Dance at the Interlaken Grange Hall
April 21, 2007 The
Interlaken Grange in Covert was alive with the sounds of music, dancing,
and laughter. with an evening of contra and square dancing,The Interlaken
Grange and Interlaken Historical Society with live music and caller.
Musicians were Kathy Selby and Tom Quigley
from the Ithaca area,
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“Lest He Should Kill the
Goose That Lays His Golden Eggs”
Field Crops or
Dairy Wheat or Butter?
The Farming Systems in
Nineteenth Century New York State
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New York State held an important position in nineteenth century agriculture
in the United States. Using agricultural census records and 19th century
agricultural journals, historian Anne Derousie discussed the impact of
disease, climate and soil fertility in the establishment of different
agricultural practices within the state. Anne is currently a PhD candidate
in history concentrating on women’s history, rural history and early 19th
century history. Her master’s thesis is “The Johnstons of Viewfield: Farm
and Family in Transition, 1820-1880.”
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Monday,
April 23, 2007
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“The History and
Building of Muzzle Loading Rifles”
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January 22,
2007 Alec Wolcott presented a program on the building of muzzle loading
guns, as well as a history of muzzle loaders built in America
including the J. Guest and L. Coon rifles in our collection.
 
(Left) Alec talking with others about some of the muzzle loaders;
(Center) Patch Box covers on two early American Muzzle loaders; (Right)
After the program everyone was able to get a close-up look at the guns and
ask their questions.
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Events from our Past Click on the gray text
to see additional pictures for these events.
Hamlet of
Covert Tour Summer
2006
The Interlaken and Ulysses Historical
Societies hosted the “Hamlet of Covert Tour” in August 2006. For information
on the buildings click on the Covert Tour above. Check at the Gift Shop for
the Tour program including the Tales of Covert Kids by Mary
Gregg and the book: And Let My Memory Cherished Be, Remembering the
Families of the Old Covert Cemetery.
Olde
Home Day 2005 The Interlaken Historical Society and the
Interlaken Community Action Group presented a day of activities along Main
Street. Included were talks by "Ben Franklin", "Nasty Ned the
Frontiersman", violin music at the Farmers' Museum, and dresses from the
past 200 years as we reprised and add to the 2004 History of Fashion parade.
2004 Olde Home Day: The Centennial of the Incorporation of and naming
of the Village of Interlaken and the Bi-Centennial of Seneca County continued
on June 5th with events throughout the village.
 
Underground Railroad Program 2006
"Follow the Drinking Gourd, a Ticket
on the Underground Railroad" was held on March 27, 2006 at the Lodi
Historical Society Building. The event was hosted by the Interlaken, Lodi and
Ovid Historical Societies.
Plowing the Soil:
1770 – 2005 A Day of Plows & Plowing
Brook
Farm at Lively Run (Hunt/Usher Barn) and Persoon Farm, Route 96,
Interlaken Saturday, April 30th
  
Other Past Programs
If
you would like more information on any of these program please contact the
Interlaken Historical Society at information @interlakenhistory.org
May 23, 2005
Of Plumage and Poetry: Alexander Wilson's 1804 Ornithological
Exploration of the Finger Lakes
 Renowned late 18th and early 19th century ornithologist and naturalist
Alexander Wilson made an expedition on foot from Philadelphia to Niagara
Falls in 1804 to explore the region and learn about the flora and fauna,
especially the birds. Considered by many to be the father of American
ornithology, this trip appears to have set him down the path of publishing
"American Ornithology", a 9 volume work wonderfully illustrated
with Wilson's paintings. He passed through the Finger Lakes, where he and his
nephew, William Duncan, had purchased a farm in Ovid about 1798.
In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the
1804 expedition through the area, which Wilson celebrated in his epic poem
“The Foresters; a poem, descriptive of a pedestrian journey to the falls of
Niagara, in the autumn of 1804”, Marty Schlabach and David Corson will tell
of Alexander Wilson's life, work and Finger Lakes travels.
2003
Barn Tour: The 2003 Barn tour
featured six area barns including the Hunt Usher Barn, built by John Wells, the
Farrell Barn, the Stout-Mattey Farm, the Stannard-Jones Farm and the Esh
farm.
2004
Carriage Barn Tour: This tour of
local carriage barns included a return visit to the Usher-Hunt Barn with
Luke, a Belgium draft horse in harness to welcome visitors; the
MacDonald-Adams Barn; the Kellogg Barn, Patterson’s Carriage Barn, Barzilla’s
Barn and the Ritchie-Aman Barns.
Featured Speakers
Over
the years we have had a variety of speakers on Monday evenings.
The programs are always educational and entertaining.
Highlights from the past few years include:
2005
Summer Program
“Some
Revolutionary War Patriots and Their Descendants in Seneca County, New York”
Soon after the
Revolution, New York’s Finger Lakes Region was on our new nation’s western
frontier. When this rich and beautiful land was opened to settlement,
pioneers poured in from all over the East. Many of these settlers had served
the American cause during the Revolution. For the past seven years,
Trumansburg native Mike Tunison has been actively investigating his family’s
roots. So far, he has discovered forty Revolutionary Patriot ancestors.
Fourteen of these patriots, the children of another ten, and eventually the
descendants of all of them moved to Seneca and the surrounding Finger Lakes
counties. On July 25th, Mike will share the results of his
research on these patriots. His presentation will focus on their contributions
during the Revolution and their subsequent settlement in the Finger Lakes
Region. Families to be discussed include: Cole, Covert, Crisfield, Frisbie,
Hall, King, Miller, Porter, Sawyer, Schooley, Sherwood and Tunison. A member
of the Sons of the American Revolution since 2001, Mike is currently first
Vice-President of the Rochester Chapter and is working with a team of
Livingston County historians on a book about the 1779 Sullivan Campaign in
Livingston County. For more information on these Patriot ancestors and
help with your genealogy search contact the Interlaken Historical Society at
information @interlakenhistory.org
Fat White Boys and Black Valentines: Bean History 101
Monday, October 24, 2005 – 7:30 PM Covert Grange Hall
A solitary dried bean is
a perfect whole, a self-contained universe. Both food and seed, it carries
within it stories of transformed cultures and crisscrossed continents. Ashley
Miller, the author of The Bean Harvest Cookbook, will give a presentation on
the surprising history of New World beans, which are still being grown as
crops in local fields.
Ashley Miller is the Curator of Exhibits at Mann
Library, Cornell University where she creates displays that showcase Mann’s
collection of rare books. She has been involved in the book arts for over 25
years as a calligrapher, marbled paper maker, printer and graphic designer.
Ms. Miller has also written books and articles on growing and cooking
vegetables, as well as on the history of vegetables.
The program will be held at the Covert Grange Hall on West Covert Road and is
co-sponsored by the Covert Grange and Interlaken Historical Society.
Refreshments will be served. There is no admission and the public is invited
to attend this interesting presentation.
Premium Ciders
Leading the Revival of an American Tradition
Bill &
Cheryl Barton, Owners, Bellwether Hard Cider October 23,
2006
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Bill & Cheryl Barton have been in the
hard cider business for six years beginning at the Old Babcock Hatchery
Building which is now an antique mall near Jacksonville. Desiring to be
closer to the Cayuga Wine Trail and in a location where he could plant an
apple orchard, Bill purchased property in the Town of Covert. The business
was moved to a new building on the property on Route 89 halfway between
East Covert Road and Halls Corners Road. Because of the high acid and
tannin content Bill has planted varieties that are common in the Celtic
region of Europe. However, he is very interested in native varieties and is
testing Northern Spy, Tompkins King and Golden Russett apples. Of special
interest is the Tompkins King because of a source in Kingtown.
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Bill is interested in researching the
local, historical connection with apple cider and will not only be
presenting a program but will be asking questions. He points out that the
farmyard cider that most of us are familiar with is not the same as the hard
cider of today. Today’s hard cider, some sparkling, some still, is very
food friendly, can be consumed the same as wine and used for cooking.
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