Hyde Hall Board of Trustees Chair Gilbert Vincent, Executive Director Jonathan Maney, Rabbit Goody and Catherine Nark discuss the original draperies in 2019 at Thistle Hill Weavers. (Photo provided)
The Partial Observer by John Aborn
Drapery Project Results Revealed
The early days of Hyde Hall were uncertain. There was no initial funding or plans for its recovery, and the structure was nearly demolished in the 1960s. However, the building was miraculously saved by a small, devoted group of friends. Over the last 60 years, support has grown, and Hyde Hall staff, its Board of Trustees, its supporters, the Clarke family, and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation have worked tirelessly in their efforts to ensure the historic site’s future.
The mansion is one of the finest examples of neoclassical country houses in the United States and remains a rare example of Anglo-American architecture. It tells the story of wealth and power in early America, but it also represents more than 200 years of our local history. In 19th-century Central New York, Hyde Hall connected many aspects of our area’s fascinating agricultural, economic and social history.
