Cobblestone Museum has new events to showcase life in 19th century
File photos by Tom Rivers: During a Ghost Walk last October, Gerard Morrissey portrays the school teacher, John Cunneen, at the cobblestone school. The school was built in 1849. It served District No. 5 for 103 years before it was closed in 1952 after the centralization of Albion’s school district. In 1961, it was sold to the Cobblestone Society Museum for $129.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent, and Tom Rivers, editor
Erica Wanecski of Medina in October played a suffragette who pushed for women’s right to vote. Last year was the 100th anniversary of New York granting the right to vote for women. Wanecski will portray a farmer’s wife from the 1800s during an event today at the museum.
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Society and Museum will offer visitors an opportunity to experience life as a “cobblestone family” during a first-time event today.
From 6 to 8:30 p.m., the Museum will recreate a typical day in the life of a 19th century cobblestone farmer and his family. Brenda Radzinski will portray a mother at the Ward House who will explain her daily chores, including preparing meals, doing the laundry, keeping house and more.
Erica Wanecski will discuss farming in the 1800s. She will portray a farmer’s wife and will be at the Farmers’ Hall where many antique farm implements and tools are displayed.
“We’ll also watch and learn what farm tools were available to the farmer, so he could plant the crops, raise the animals and bring in the harvest,” said Doug Farley, director of the Cobblestone Society and Museum.
The evening will include a visit to the one-room cobblestone school house, where children learned their lessons from the school teacher who taught grades one through eight in a single classroom.
Gerard Morrissey will portray teacher John Cunneen. After working as a teacher, Cunneen later became a lawyer and was elected the state’s attorney general in 1902, serving one two-year term.
There will be a look at a family’s day of rest and the activities which would have included attending two services at the simple cobblestone church.
Al Capurso will portray Vincent Tomlinson, a pioneer who settled in Gaines in 1814.
The living history re-enactors will be in period clothing, Farley said. The guided tour will include a walk between the buildings on the Cobblestone Museum ’s campus.
The museum will also host a camp for children where they will create cobblestone-inspired crafts, play old-fashioned games, sing songs and enjoy hands-on activities.
The camp days are July 18 and Aug. 15 for ages 7 to 9, and July 25 and Aug. 22 for ages 10 to 12.
Click here for more information.
