March 3, 2009 - 6 - 7:30 pm History’s Mysteries! "French Azilum" by Richard Boswell, retired professor, SUNY Binghamton - Azilum, or Asylum, was built just ten miles below Towanda, PA by a group of French exiles in the autumn of 1793. Some of the refugees, because of their loyalty to the King, had left France to escape imprisonment or death at the hands of the Revolution. In the end, more than fifty structures were erected by the refugees in hopes to build a village that could support the population comfortably through the harsh winters. It is believed that even Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, and her two children were trying to escape in order to settle there. Doors open at 5:30 pm. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for SRAC members and children under 18. Exhibit Hall admission is free to all attendees. 

March  16, 2009 -  6:30 - 7:30 pm,  "New York's Missing Link: The Sullivan-Clinton Campaign, Then and Now" by  Robert Spiegelman, NYS Speaker Bureau - Strikingly, though Sullivan/Clinton has the most historical markers in New York, it has been nearly forgotten. Spiegelman's tour-de-force combines fresh research, dramatic visuals and unique animated maps to answer why. Back from the "memory hole," Sullivan/Clinton becomes an essential lens on New York and American history. Agreeing with David McCullough that making history boring is a "crime," Spiegelman unveils Sullivan/Clinton as high drama with present-day impact. This event is sponsored by the Humanities of New York State and is free to attend. 

March 27, 2009 - 6:30 - 7:30 pm "Prehistory of Our Region" by SUNY Public Archaeology Facility Director, Dr. Nina Versaggi - Dr. Versaggi has authored numerous articles on the prehistory of New York State and it’s archaeology. Versaggi will discuss the earliest humans that lived in our region and what their life looked like. An interesting discussion that will give the audience a better understanding of the people who used many of the items found in the SRAC Exhibit Hall. Doors open at 6 pm. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for SRAC members and children under 18. Exhibit Hall admission is free to all attendees. 

April 7, 2009 - 6:30 - 7:30 pm History’s Mysteries!  - “Stone Tools.”  Jack Rowe and Angelo Mazzarese Jack and Angelo will present the basics of ancient tool making. From flint napping to cordage making, this demonstration will answer many questions about how many artifacts were made and what they were probably used for. Rowe has become quite well known for his experience in ancient technologies by actually making and using many artifacts that are seen in the SRAC Exhibit Hall. Doors open at 6 pm. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for SRAC members and children under 18. Exhibit Hall admission is free to all attendees. 

April 14, 2009 - 6:30 - 7:30 “Introduction to Rocks and Minerals (Geology 101) - by Marty Borko What are the sediments that led to the bedrock, including the Marcellus Shale, in the Twin Tiers? Where did the sediment come from and how was the rock formed? How has our surface geology been transformed by glaciations? Answers to these questions will be answered in a slide supported program on April 14. Marty Borko is a retired Professor of Biology and Natural History having last served as Chair of the Biology Department at Orange County Community College; retiring after 35 years of service. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for SRAC members and children under 18. Exhibit Hall admission is free to all attendees. 

May 2, 2009 - 2pm – 4 pm History’s Mysteries “A Double Feature!” By Stan Vanderlaan  SRAC member and member of NYS Archaeology Stanley Vanderlaan of Albion, NY presents two sites that he worked on over decades of his life. The Arc site which is a Paleo site (12 - 15,000 yrs old) represents a time when man still hunted the great beasts such as the woolly mammoth. Artifacts will be on display from this hugely important site. The BTC (Buffalo Tournament) site is a much later site that was discovered when work began for a golf course in the town of Lancaster in Erie County, NY. In the end, this site was 4.5 acres, yet amazingly, no human remains were ever encountered. Admission: Adults $3, Students and SRAC members $2.Doors open at 1pm and admission to the exhibit hall filled with thousands of local Native American artifacts is included in the admission price. 
 

CCHS E-Members and Friends 
Bringing you the latest happenings at the Chemung Valley History Museum 

Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 pm:  Livy: The Life and Times of Olivia Langdon Clemens. Discover the woman behind Mark Twain. The lecture is free and open to the general public. This lecture is part of The Festival of Women in the Arts. 

Saturday, March 21:  6th Annual Southern Tier Regional History Day - The competition begins at 9:00 a.m. and an awards ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m. National History Day is a competition for students in grades 6-12 to explore local, state, national, or world history through a research project that relates to a broad, annual theme.  This year's theme is "The Individual in History." 

Thursday, March 26 at 7:00 pm:  An Evening with the Palmers -  Under the pen name Mrs. George Archibald, Anna Campbell Palmer wrote newspaper columns, poems, lyrics, short stories and children's books while her daughter Georgianna taught generations of Elmirans how to play the piano.  The lecture is free and open to the public.  This event is part of The Festival of Women in the Arts. 
 

At the Board of Trustees meeting on Saturday, February 7, the Board 
decided to close the Research Library at the Bradford County Historical 
Society, citing the high cost of heating the very large building. 

It is with regret that the Board made this decision, but with tight budgets and the high cost of heating the building, they felt there was no other way to conserve funds. 
Watch for the Museum opening and the reopening of the Research Library in the Spring. 

Historical Society staff can still be reached during this period for information, book purchases, and sales of tickets for the upcoming Harry Davenport program scheduled for February 28th at the Rialto Theatre in Canton. 

We thank you for your understanding and ongoing support. For more information, go to the BCHS Curator's Blog at www.bradfordcurator.blogspot.com. 

Matthew T. Carl 
Managing Curator 

Bradford County Historical Society 
109 Pine Street 
Towanda, PA 18848 
Blog: www.bradfordcurator.blogspot.com 
Website: www.bradfordhistory.com