Christmas in July CD Release PartyOn July 24th, in the 90 degree heat, the two parlors of the Old Fort were decorated for the holidays as we celebrated the release of the very first music CD by Liaisons Plaisantes. If you’ve ever visited the Old Fort during an event, chances are you’ve heard the Liaisons Plaisantes performing. This quintet of 18th century reenactor musicians began playing together in 2002 and

have just continued to grow in popularity. After years of being asked about a CD, the group has finally recorded its first CD entitled A Plaisantes Christmas. The CD includes holiday songs from the familiar The First Noel to the less familiar Gloucester Wassail and The Bottom of the Punch Bowl. The CD is available in the Old Fort gift shop and sells for $15.00.

Special Event A Taste of History –Soup Tasting and Pie Sampling FundraiserSeptember 11, 20105:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.Our fall fundraiser returns bigger and better than ever. Join us for an evening of good food and fun as the second annual Taste of History is held on Saturday, September 11th. Local amateur chefs will once again created their favorite soups and you’ll have the chance to sample as many as you’d like. A variety of fresh baked breads will accompany the soups. Cost for this fundraiser will be $20 and includes a commemorative mug and all the soup, bread and dessert you care to eat. We’ve had a lot of people asking us if we’re going to have this event again this year so be sure to reserve your spot today. Reservations may be made by calling 518-843-0300 or by e-mailing us at museum@oldfortjohnson.org

Montgomery Co. Historical SocietyBoard of TrusteesPresidentDennis Drenzek

Vice PresidentDolores Partyka

SecretaryElizabeth Clough

TreasurerDouglas Landon

TrusteesMarc AndreaeDavid BellingerPeter BetzRonald BurchWilliam CooperPhilip CorteseMorris EvansGary GrecoBetty HagenEugene LeesJames MajorJoan PipitoLori RulisonDel SalmonNancy SalmonJames SparksErwin SplittgerberLori StachnikRobert von HasselnCharles White

Site ManagerScott G. Haefner

Museum Coordinator Alessa Wylie

Grand Garden Tea and Fashion Show

The Grand Garden Tea and Fashion Show fundraiser was held on June 22 at Old Fort Johnson.

The Grand Garden Tea and Fashion Show fundraiser was held on June 22 at Old Fort Johnson. Under beautiful skies more than 100 attendees enjoyed sumptuous food, sparking conversation, boutique shopping and fabulous summer fashions. The event raised about $4,000 for general operating expenses and the garden restoration project at the Old Fort.

This year, instead of the usual luncheon fare, a traditional English tea was served with a wide assortment of savory and sweet. Servers dressed in colonial costumes, and live music was provided by Sue-Ann Wheadon and Susan Casler of the musical group Liaison Plaisantes. A fashion show highlighting summer fashions from Albany clothier Fancy Schmancy and modeled by local ladies concluded the event.

Thanks to everyone who helped to make this event such a success. St. Mary’s HospitalTailwind AssociateBetz Rossi Bellinger Family Funeral HomesShip & CopyJoan Pipito

Betty CloughLori Rulison Debbie GibbsArden DetweilerSheryl SchonbergMary Lou KristieJoan LandonSteve WylieMary Jane Rubinski

Debbie SplittgerberLisa StegelandGerry SchedlbauerBonnie PulisKathy PheifferPeter BetzRonald BurchPhilip CorteseMorris Evans

Gary GrecoBetty HagenDouglas LandonEugene LeesJames MajorNancy SalmonCharles White

“Behind the Ropes” Architecture Tour September 15 6:30 p.m. Ron Burch, curator of the NYS Museum art and architecture collections, and Scott G. Haefner, site manager of Old Fort Johnson, will conduct a “behind the ropes” tour of Old Fort Johnson. Focusing on the building’s architecture rather than the collections of the Montgomery County Historical Society headquartered at Fort Johnson, the presentation will highlight the design, construction, and subsequent modifications to what is arguably the first “great house” west of Schenectady, built in 1749. Because of the nature of the tour, attendance is limited to just 15 people. Please call 518-843-0300 or e-mail museum@oldfortjohnson.org to reserve your space.

Bloody Mohawk Lecture and Book Signing Sunday, October 10Author Richard Berleth will be joining us for an informative lecture and book signing. This summer we’ve seen a lot of visitors who have come to the Old Fort because they are reading Bloody Mohawk by Richard Berleth. Reviewed in the last newsletter, this book is proving to be quite a popular read for those interested in the French and Indian War here in the Mohawk Valley. For more information, please call 518-843-0300 or check out www.oldfortjohnson.org.

Voices of the Past October 16 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.For the third year the Old Fort will be filled with voices of the past at this evening, candle-light event. Join us as we celebrate New York State Archives month with this program highlighting readings from documents, diaries, letters and newspaper accounts from the 18th and 19th centuries. Guided tours of select, candle-lit rooms in the Old Fort will be given approximately every 25 minutes between 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. All tours are given on a first come, first served basis. Tours are limited to 12 people per tour and are $5.00 per person. Entertainment will be provided while waiting for your tour. For more information please call 518-843-0300 or visit the website at www.oldfortjohnson.org

Holidays at Old Fort Johnson Saturday and Sunday December 4 & 5 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.The holidays return this year with a special twist. Join us on December 4 & 5 and see selected rooms in the Old Fort decorated according to a different holiday song. The Wassail Song, Deck the Hall, Oh Christmas Tree, the Holly and the Ivy are just a few of the carols that could be represented. Each room will have a different theme and will be decorated by local decorators. Calling all decorators!! If you are interested in getting a group together to decorate a room, give us a call at 518-843-0300 or send us an e-mail at museum@oldfortjohnson.org and we’ll be glad to talk to you about how you can participate in what will be a most fun event.

Fall Schedule at Old Fort Johnson

This June the Old Fort welcomed students from the William H. Barkely Microsociety in Amsterdam and the Craig Elementary School in Niskayuna. The visiting students made beeswax candles, baked slump in our outdoor bake oven, watched a flintlock musket demonstration, learned to write with a quill pen and toured the Old Fort.

Thank you to volunteers Gerry Shedlbauer, Eugene Lees, Jim Sparks, Lori Rulison, Tom Timmons and Bonnis Pulis for making this trip to the Old Fort so special for the kids.

On the right you can see some very nice “Thank You” letters that we received from the kids.

If you’d like to help out with school groups in the future, please give us a call at 843-0300 or send us an e-mail at museum@oldfortjohnson.org

School Groups at Old Fort Johnson

This June the Old Fort welcomed students from the William H. Barkely Microsociety in Amsterdam and the Craig Elementary School in Niskayuna. The visiting students made beeswax candles, baked slump in our outdoor bake oven, watched a flintlock musket demonstration, learned to write with a quill pen and toured the Old Fort.

Thank you to volunteers Gerry Shedlbauer, Eugene Lees, Jim Sparks, Lori Rulison, Tom Timmons and Bonnis Pulis for making this trip to the Old Fort so special for the kids.

On the right you can see some very nice “Thank You” letters that we received from the kids.

If you’d like to help out with school groups in the future, please give us a call at 843-0300 or send us an e-mail at museum@oldfortjohnson.org

School Groups at Old Fort JohnsonDear Old Fort Johnson,Thank you for the awesome trip. I liked everything. I learned how people wrote with the quill. I learned how to make slump but the hasty pudding is disgusting. Once again thank you for an awesome day.

To the Fort Johnson Staff:Thank you for the great trip. It was really fun. My favorite part was the attic. I liked old fashioned baseball. It was cool. I want to go again.

Dear Old Fort Johnson, Thank you for the wonderful trip. I loved the part when we made candles. I thought it was a lot of fun. I also liked the part when he fired the musket it was cool. I thought it was awesome when I got to sit on the toilet that George Washington has sat on before.

Dear Old Fort Johnson Staff:Thank you for everything. I learned lots of stuff. I will come again sometime with my family.

MembershipRates & Benefits

Saturday, May 22, opening day at Old Fort Johnson, saw a number of people who came out for our new exhibit entitled “Woven through History.” This exhibit, which runs through October 5th, features the 19th century coverlets of Mohawk Valley weaver Xavier Gartner, his original pattern book and woven samples by the late master weaver Gene Valk. This opening day event featured special guest Marjie Thompson who spoke about weavers Xavier Gartner and Gene Valk and the art of hand weaving. Thanks to all the demonstrators who participated. We appreciate you giving your time to make our opening day event possible.

New membership categories are:

Student/Senior $15.00Individual $20.00Family $30.00Patron/Professional $50.00Business $100.00Corporate $200.00

Benefits are:

Free admission to Old Fort Johnson 10 % discount in gift shop Regular mailings of our newsletter Invitations to special events throughout the year Discounted admission to special events Volunteer opportunities for many talents, passions and time schedules

As a private, not-for-profit our members are a large part of our success. Please help us keep history alive here at Old Fort Johnson.

Checks may be made payable to the Montgomery County Historical Society and mailed to: P.O. Box 196, Fort Johnson, NY 12070

Keep up to date:If you would like to be notified by e-mail about events at the Old Fort, please send your e-mail address to museum@oldfortjohnson.org and we’ll be sure to include you on the list. Don’t forget to check out our Facebook Page and join us on Twitter too.

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Opening DayMay 22nd

Worth Noting!A Thank you to Gene Landon for his wood working skills. This year Gene has made new round tabletops for our card tables which have been very useful for our garden teas. He’s also made two outdoor brochure holders for each of our bulletin boards which is a great way for us to give out information about the Old Fort. A Thank you to neighbor George McClary for his ongoing assistance with projects on the grounds at the Old Fort. George and his orange backhoe are a familiar sight and this year George has leveled and prepare the ground where the brand new bake oven is being built. Thank you George for all you do.

Silver, Peter. Our Savage Neighbors: How Indian War Transformed Early America. N.Y., Norton & Co., 2008. Chapter notes, illus., index. 406p. $29.95 Author Silver is Assistant Professor of History at Princeton University. Although several recent works have explored this same scenario – the 17th century clash of cultures between white and Indian races – Silver details the great disparities between the various white emigrant groups, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Catholics and Quakers, ethnic Germans, Irish, English and Scotch, and argues that it was only their mutual fear of Indians and Indian-style warfare that united them in a collective, anti-Indian identity during the French and Indian War. Silver believes that the ‘Indian situation’ forced these often-antagonistic groups to adopt a mutually necessary form of truce that led to one of our prime directives: ethnic and religious tolerance.

Preston, David L. The Texture of Contact: European and Indian Settler Communities on the Frontiers of Iroquoia, 1667-1783. Univ. Nebraska, 2009, 397p. Extensive notes and bibliography. $45.00 (hard cover)Professor Preston’s latest book is a masterful exercise in both research and informed interpretation, chronicling 115 years of political, social, economic and religious inter-action between native tribes and diverse European settlers, all peoples of epically separate backgrounds, belief systems and cultures.

Major areas of concentration include populations in the St. Lawrence, Mohawk, Susquehanna and Ohio valleys. Also examined are relationships between the Iroquois and German communities, plus additional influences and pressures brought

on by the presence of the British and French trade and military establishments.

It is stated this work incorporates a considerable body of previously unexamined primary source materials and from the bibliography, it appears Dr. Preston indeed clocked many miles and visited many archives and special collections. No doubt this claim is correct, for the work is hard to set aside and reads as if the real story is revealed in the small details of every day human inter-action: it is the individual, personal stories ferreted directly from primary sources and incorporated on the template of the grand tale that personalizes the story and makes this book a significant contribution to the literature of Amerindian-emigrant relations.

Book Reviews by Peter Betz

Summer Intern

This summer the Historical Society has been fortu-nate to have an intern from SUNY Albany to begin a much needed inventory of its collections. Thomas Timmons, with guidance and assistance from Site Manager Scott Haefner, has been working to confirm and consolidate the inventory records of the Histori-cal Society. This is the first phase of this multi-year project. After the consolidation of information, the next step will be inputting the information into a new computer database. We are currently seeking funding to purchase Past Perfect museum software for phase two of this project.

Here’s a little more information on Tom. He was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, NY and gradu-ated with a Bachelor’s degree in history from SUNY Plattsburgh in December 2007. He is currently attend-ing SUNY Albany as a graduate student in the Public History program. He is especially interested in the history of New York State during the second half of the eighteenth century and early part of the nineteenth century which fits very nicely with his work at the Old Fort.

Old Fort JohnsonMontgomery County Historical Society

PO Box 196Fort Johnson, NY 12070

Non profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 3

Amsterdam, NY 12010

www.oldfortjohnson.org

Montgomery County Historical Society Annual Meeting and Potluck PicnicTuesday, September 14

We hope that you’ll join us for The MCHS Annual Meeting and Potluck Picnic. The Annual Meeting will begin approximately 6:00 p.m. immediately followed by the Members Potluck Picnic. We’ll be providing the main meal and drinks. You’re welcome to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert to share. For planning purposes please RSVP by Friday, September 10 Call 518-843-0300 or e-mail museum@oldfortjohnson.org.