Old Stone Fort

Schoharie, New York

August 12, 2006

The Old Stone Fort was build in 1772 as a church.
With the coming of the Revolutionary War, the church was enclosed by a log stockade in 1777, which was removed in 1785. when the building resumed its function as a church.
During the civil war, the building was used as an armory, until the 1880s.
In 1888, the Schoharie Historical Society began operating it as a museum.  By 1899, it had a catalog of 2500 items.

Buildings include an early 1700's home, 1780's Dutch barn,1830's law office and 1890's one-room school as well as the 1772 stone church that was fortified and attacked by British forces in 1780.

The oldest Fire Engine in The U.S. has pride of place right inside the entrance to the museum.  (The view is blocked, however, by the spinning display.)
  This is DELUGE , No. 1, made by Richard Newsham, London , England, in 1731. 

. . 

At the museum, you will find "costumed interpreters" who are available to provide information.

The museum gives you a very Victorian experience.   It has been described as Schoharie's Attic, and the collections reflect that.  In the fire engine picture, above, note the items in the background - a doll house, a uniform, a cannon, a portrait.  The stairs to the left take you to the second floor.  
This floor was installed in the Civil War Era to allow soldiers to practice drills on the second floor.

There you find more collections., including this needlepoint purse.

 

There is a showcase filled with dusty stuffed birds and another with items someone brought back from the Philippines.   There are early letters, including one by Joiseph Brandt

There is a showcase filled with Rogers Groups, which were very popular in the Victorian era (1865-1880).
It is estimated that up to 100,000 copies of 77 different sculptures were made.
Here you can see a bunch of them.

These are early sheriff items, including handcuffs and leg irons.

The "safety bicycle" was made in 1895 by the Hickory Wheel Company.The wheel is wooden with a pneumatic rubber tube on the outside.

In addition to these bicycles, there is the first car in Schoharie County, a Rambler.



There is an interesting button collection, including this sterling and daguerreotype portrait button and the calico button
 


The hops plant is blooming.  Hops growing was an important cash crop in New York.

There are several buildings to explore.  There is a picnic area and lovely cemetery.

We enjoyed our visit, and combined it with a trip to Cherry Valley to see the museum there.  It made for a wonderul day.

e-mail Leslie here.

Here's a link to all the rest of the grandkids' pages.


This has been a spring and summer of getting around. 2005

You can see those pictures:
We're off to Maine for a week of pictures and lobster!  Day 5
The New York State Fair - lots of chickens and other animals.
A search for Rexford Falls and finding the Sherburne Historic District.
Antique Firetrucks in Liverpool.
Balloons at the Spiedie Fest.
A trip to Utica to see Munson-Williams-Proctor Museum and Fountain Elms
We rented a canoe at Nathaniel Cole Park.

A visit to Hanford Mills and the Lumberjack Show
Hancock Shaker Village.
A trip to Pixley Falls and Delta Lake.
We watched them set up the Big Top at the Circus
We went to the Utica Zoo
Then we went to the Syracuse Zoo
Wickwire House in Cortland
A trip to babysit the grandkids
A visit to Boston to see a Red Sox Game
Drive through Edmeston area to see the animals
Ithaca Herbert F. Johnson museum trip
Skaneateles
And there are lots of pictures of our trip out west.

2006
2006
 travel to Texas
Texas Day 1 San Antonio to Pearsall
Texas Day 2 Pearsall to Laredo
Texas Day 3 Laredo to Brownsville
Texas Day 4 South Padre Island

Texas Signs amused us
More signs.

Art Museum at Vassar



Old Stone Fort, Schoharie, NY
Cherry Valley, New York

Hot adventures
from other summers:

Chittenango Falls
Fort Stanwix
Carousels
Home

Other interests: 

Retirement
 

Leslie designed a webpage for:
Stride of Central New York




 Critters
Animals hummingbirds  2
robin baby

Gray Fox

Insects  - moth pictures - polyphemus

luna 
Hummingbird Moth  1  2
butterflies
Seasons 
Winter 
Spring
Summer
Fall
Storm

October Snow
Oxford 
Oxford House
Tree Disaster
In Autumn    Before/After Exterior

Cazenovia
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park  2

kids on the swing


 
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Published  8/24/06
Photos by Leslie or David


 Send comments, please.  We love to hear from folks.