Monday, June 18, 2007

Peterboro & ...

For the past 15 years Peterboro has hosted a Civil War Weekend to raise funds to preserve and restore its historic buildings. Seems like a strange location until you realize Peterboro was the home of Gerrit Smith, a very wealthy and very active abolitionist. Both the NYS and National Underground Railroad trails list the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Gerrit Smith's Land Office has sites in Peterboro to visit. This is the first time we had ever been to a reenactment (we probably do NOT need to do that again). The South won the day we went, the North won the day before (apparently they take turns). It was rather odd to watch the reenactment take place under electric lines with a wind turbine on the hill in the distance.
Elizabeth Smith Miller, Smith's daughter, was very active in women's rights, suffrage and even dress reform - in fact she was responsible for what would later be known as Bloomers. The talk I went to on "fashions of the times" was very interesting (John chose to go elsewhere). Thank heavens we do not have to wear corsets (you couldn't breathe) or bonnets (they held the heat in - NOT good on hot days) so us modern gals do not worry about passing out on a regular basis(goodbye smelling salts!)
The last thing this little hamlet (don't you love that term) is known for (thanks again to Gerrit Smith who imported the mom)... it's the home of the first registered Holstein-Friesian cow in the US (those are the black & white cows that supply more milk in the US than any other breed). The name chosen for this first calf was Agoo...


On a totally different trip last week, I zipped down to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania with my friend Mary. It's always a beautiful spot to visit - you can see lots of great pictures (much better than mine) on their web site. Have you been there but don't recognize this one? That's because it's outside Mary's back door right here in NYS. Who needs to leave home when it is so beautiful here?!
On the other hand, I might never have spied this sign outside a convenience store near where we stayed in Amish country in Pennsylvania.