Why is Hyde Hall using a drag show to share history this weekend? The answer is simple: why not?
It’s a little-known fact that historians like to have fun and experiment with ways of sharing the rich past with the public. A piece of Hyde Hall’s mission is to develop inclusive educational programs and events that help diverse audiences explore, appreciate, and understand history. To meet this portion of the mission, the museum has been developing various tours, recreated historic dinners, historic lighting and cocktail programs, folklore and ghost events, musical experiences, and now, a drag show. Hyde Hall in Drag explores nuances of the potency of the human experience and helps outline what happened on northern Otsego Lake over 200 years ago.
Growing up in Cooperstown in the 1960s and 70s meant looking forward to a drive down to Oneonta, shopping at Bresee’s, Woolworth’s, Barker’s, Jamesway, and others – made special by the fact that Main Street stores stayed open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Surely it was the same for others in the era, be they Oneonta residents or visitors from nearby villages – and it’s an era coming back to life through a summer-long exhibit open to the public at the Greater Oneonta Historical Society’s 183 Main Street headquarters.
“History is all around us here,” said Dr. Marcela Micucci, the Oneonta native appointed to become GOHS’s new director in February 2021. She made the comment after we had chatted briefly about the Woolworth’s door handles still remaining on the long-gone discount store’s front doors a few steps away at 203 Main Street.
“I just saw noticed those again on one of our guided walking tours around Oneonta,” she said. “When I was growing up here I can’t tell you how many times I used to go into ‘Building 203’ and never really noticed that detail. It’s just another example of how we live in this amazing historical space.”
Our discussion of all things Oneonta stemmed from a look at the Society’s Remembering Oneonta in the 1960s exhibition – a photographic and burgeoning oral history of the city during a decade of growth and transition. A photo display sparks memories of front-window displays and Bresee’s, students moving books to the new library at SUCO, buildings long gone or transformed, a city in transition.
“When we were envisioning what the 1960s exhibit could be, we wanted to do something different,” Dr. Micucci said. “Instead of writing a script, we could make the crux of the exhibition these oral history interviews, and they would become the script. Then it became a lot like our walking tours – kind of a nostalgic walk through Oneonta in the 1960s.”
FLY CREEK – Robert Thomas Davenport, 55, of Fly Creek and Medford, New Jersey, passed away unexpectedly Thursday afternoon, March 24, 2022, at Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center in Camden, New Jersey.
He was born October 15, 1966, at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the firstborn son of Robert Duane and Geni (Alves) Davenport. Robert lived in South Philadelphia and Brooklyn before settling in Medford Lakes, New Jersey, where he attended both Lenape and Shawnee High Schools and graduated with the Class of 1984. From 1991-1995 he attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana where he majored in political science and history. Although he was an avid student of history both ancient and modern, his hands-on work was primarily in computer science, first in research and then as founding partner in one of the earliest internet service providers in southern Burlington County. After moving Upstate in 2000, he devoted himself to family.
210 YEARS AGO
It seems to be a settled point that our Navy must be augmented. What kind of ships are best adapted to our purpose is a question on which there are different opinions. Some are for a proportion of men of war; others for frigates and smaller vessels only. There are strong reasons in favor of small swift sailing vessels. They should be the most effectual in offensive operations.
February 1, 1812
210 YEARS AGO
Pocket Book Found! Picked up between Moss’ store in Burlington and DeForests’ tavern in Edmeston on Wednesday the 25th—a Red Morrocco Pocket Book; a good deal worn, containing a number of notes and a small sum of money. The owner can have it again by proving property and paying charges. Roswell Patterson.
January 25, 1812
210 YEARS AGO
Those who have been led by federal falsehoods to fear that our country was in the high road to destruction will be gratified by that paragraph of the President’s Message which adverts to the state of our finances. From this it appears that no loan has been made during the past year; that the loan made in 1810 has been paid off; that the current expenses of the government have been defrayed; that the interest of the whole national debt has been discharged; and, that more than five millions of dollars of the principal of that debt have been reimbursed.
January 4, 1812
210 YEARS AGO
We present our kind readers with the compliments of the season. The good Apostle said, “Is any man afflicted, let him pray; is any merry, let him sing psalms.” “A Merry Christmass” is reciprocally given and received, and we sincerely hope that few or none will be otherwise than “merry and wise,” and not “merry and sad,” as we fear is sometimes the case with the inconsiderate. Such seem to have forgotten the intent of rejoicing on the anniversary of the birth of our savior. They deserve our pity but not our approbation.
December 28, 1811
135 YEARS AGO
Rev. Mr. Boardman delivered an earnest temperance discourse in his own pulpit on Sunday evening last, and though all his hearers may not have fully coincided with all the views put forth by him, probably none of them underrated the evils depicted as resulting from habits of dissipation. The hard times experienced by a large class of people, the speaker rightly contended, results from the habit of dram-drinking.
January 1, 1887
160 YEARS AGO
The year 1861 sums up – Thousands of lives lost; an Army of 650,000 men; a Navy of 270 vessels and 22,000 men; a national debt of 500,000,000; the treasury nearly bankrupt; no foreign market for our loans; the initiation of
a Government paper currency, and a national bankrupt law; a foreign war threatened; 400,000 rebels in the field.
January 3, 1862
110 YEARS AGO
Town Topics – The employees of Iroquois Farm and their families, numbering 130, were entertained at a Christmas dinner at Parshall’s Restaurant Monday evening by Mr. and Mrs. F. Ambrose Clark. Following the dinner the guests repaired to the Village Hall, where a Christmas tree, laden with gifts for all, awaited them. Later, dancing was enjoyed, with music by Bronner’s orchestra.
The feature at the Star Theatre on New Year’s night will be a series of scenes from the world’s championship baseball games between the Philadelphia Athletics and the New York Giants. The baseball pictures will be shown in addition to the usual good program.
December 27, 1911
210 YEARS AGO
Advertisement – Millinary (sic), Miss Smith informs the public that she has commenced the Millinary business in a part of the store formerly occupied by Cory & Cook; where she has just received from New York the latest fashions for Velvet Jockies, Winter, Straw and Silk Hats, Turbans, etc, which will be sold at the most reduced prices for cash. Cooperstown.
December 21, 1811
Man is so constituted, that when he directs all his energies to a single employment, the products of his labor are far more abundant and excellent, than when he follows several employments. By confining both body and mind to a single operation, a degree of skill and dexterity in that operation is acquired, which could not be attained if the same, or even a much greater amount of labor had been bestowed on several direct objects.
December 12, 1836
210 YEARS AGO
Advertisement – The co-partnership of Cory & Cook is, by mutual consent, this day dissolved. All persons indebted to said firm are requested to make immediate payment to said Cory, who will attend to said business at the store of Mssrs. Goodsell & Cook. They do not forget to offer their sincere thanks to all those who have been their good customers. O.L. Cory, Seth Cook, Cooperstown.
November 30, 1811
210 YEARS AGO
Education – Mr. Bond offers his services to the
inhabitants of Otsego Village to give Lessons in a new and fashionable style of Dancing. Mr. B. proposes to give his first Lesson on Friday Evening next, at Stephen Fitch’s Hall in said village, where he solicits the patronage of the Parents and Guardians of Young Masters and Misses who may wish to encourage this accomplishment. Satisfactory references will be given by applying to Mr. Isaac Williams. Terms Three Dollars, to be paid at the close of the School.
November 23, 1811
135 Years Ago
Notice: Removal – The hop business of D. Wilber & Son has been removed from Milford to Oneonta. Office room has been secured in rooms opposite Brown’s Hardware on Main Street, where we will be pleased to see our friends. All letters intended for D. Wilber & Son should be addressed to Oneonta instead of Milford, as formerly.
WRITERS SALON – 7:30 p.m. Open mic followed by presentation by Poet Roger Hecht, author ‘Talking Pictures,’ ‘Witness Report,’ and ‘Farmers Awake! Rally Songs and Poems from New York’s Anti-Rent War.’ Free, open to public. Presented by Community Arts Network of Oneonta. 607-432-2070 or visit www.canoneonta.org/writers-salon
210 YEARS AGO
Theodore Pomeroy, having opened an Office two doors east of the Druggist Shop of George Pomeroy, offers himself to the inhabitants of the village of Cooperstown and its vicinity, as a Practitioner in Physic and Surgery. Having furnished himself with Trepanning Instruments and all others necessary in common operations, he holds himself in readiness to attend to calls with the most rigid punctuality.
November 9, 1811
210 YEARS AGO
Notice — All persons indebted to the estate of William Cooper, of Cooperstown, County of Otsego, and State of New York, deceased, are requested to make payment to the subscribers; and all persons, having demands against said estate, are requested to present the same for settlement. Richard Fennimore Cooper, Isaac Cooper, Executors.
Public Notice — The proprietors of the Otsego Library, are requested to meet on Wednesday, the third of January, at 3 p.m. at the house of William A. Boyd — to adopt such measures as shall be thought advisable. A general and particular invitation is hereby given by order of the trustees, Wm. A. Boyd, Librarian. N.B. It is requested that all books be returned at the above time.
January 6, 1811
160 YEARS AGO
New Type — The Journal commences the New Year with a complete and beautiful “new dress” from the celebrated foundry of Conner & Sons, New York — an improvement rendered necessary by the amount of work the old type had sustained during a period of upwards of four years. All the advertisements will be reset by another week. The general typographical features of the paper are retained.
January 6, 1861
135 YEARS AGO
Slave to fashion — She was dressing for church and the bells had continued to ring. He was impatiently waiting and when it came to placing in position an article of
feminine attire that had been omitted in its regular order
he suggested that it was an unnecessary appendage. “Yes, but it is the fashion.” “But remember you are going to church, and the fashion of this world passeth away.”
“True, my dear, but the bustle of the world does not!”
January 10, 1886
110 YEARS AGO
Deputy County Clerk Robert O. Marshall came downtown New Year’s morning and spotted Muggs, the Orphan House donkey walking dolefully down the middle of the street alone and unattended. Imbued with the beneficent spirit of the season, Marshall concluded that Muggs must have wandered away and was lost and thus needed shelter, food and care. When the Good Samaritan approached, Muggs flopped one of its hind legs, then both of them. After a while Mr. Marshall coaxed Muggs into the Lettis livery stable, telling the landlord thereof to feed him and when he came again that way he would repay him. Mr. Lettis fed the donkey a bale of hay and then telephoned the matron that her orphan child was in his custody. The request came back that Muggs be again liberated; that he was only taking his morning walk and would come back home when he got ready.
January 8, 1911
