Many folks in Cayuga County will turn their curiosity to foliage, cider and cemeteries this fall. A Historic Mentz Church program aims to draw those seasonal themes together with a program this weekend.
The Montezuma landmark will host a presentation of gravestone symbolism and art. A ghostly scavenger hunt will complement doughnut and cider refreshments.
Owasco Town Historian Laurel Auchampaugh and her daughter, Lynne Stenberg, have been studying stones for years. A slide show will reveal the numerous nuances they've uncovered in several southern Cayuga County cemeteries.
“Once someone listens to what the symbolism means, they'll never go in a cemetery again without looking for clues - and there are clues,” said Auchampaugh, who collected her slides from trips to cemeteries in Auburn, Moravia, Locke, Sempronius and other locales.
For instance, the grave of a 40-year-old man has a polished face, but jagged backing.
“Most people would not know that means his work was unfinished,” Auchampaugh said.
Another woman has a rose etched into her marker. The broken stem indicates she lost a child while she was alive.
“Each of the stems represents the children and their lifelines,” Auchampaugh said. “There are so many examples that people go by and don't know what it means.”
Some stones tell the stories of their namesakes: A logger's resting place is shaped like a tree stump or a reverend is referenced by a pulpit and bible.
The modern funeral service and at times elaborate grieving process was born in Victorian times. Ornate stones, graveside decorations and annual visits to family plots are all examples of traditions developed over the past few centuries, Auchampaugh said.
She developed her interest while investigating cemeteries in preparation of the county bicentennial celebration in 1999. Fall is an ideal time to visit graveyards more because of the tranquil ambiance, Auchampaugh said.
“It's not just the tombstones, it's the setting - what they're trying to tell us,” she said. “You go from humble to ostentatious and these are all part of a community's history.”
The presentation seems a fitting precursor to a unique scavenger hunt that will follow. Participants will comb the cemetery that actually predates construction of the church.
“I though it would fit in nicely,” Montezuma Town Historian Cheryl Longyear said. “It will be about finding names and linking information about people who are buried there.”
While the program is intended to be timely, the afternoon will be more about education than spooks.
“It's an educational program that the historical society would like put out there for the people to learn more about their community,” Longyear said.
The presentation begins at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
If you go
What: Gravestone Art and Ghostly Scavenger Hunt Tales
Where: Historic Mentz Church, Mentz Church and McDonald roads, Montezuma
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Cost: Free
For details: Call 776-8632
Owasco Town Historian Laurel Auchampaugh and her daughter, Lynne Stenberg, have been studying stones for years. A slide show will reveal the numerous nuances they've uncovered in several southern Cayuga County cemeteries.
“Once someone listens to what the symbolism means, they'll never go in a cemetery again without looking for clues - and there are clues,” said Auchampaugh, who collected her slides from trips to cemeteries in Auburn, Moravia, Locke, Sempronius and other locales.
For instance, the grave of a 40-year-old man has a polished face, but jagged backing.
“Most people would not know that means his work was unfinished,” Auchampaugh said.
Another woman has a rose etched into her marker. The broken stem indicates she lost a child while she was alive.
“Each of the stems represents the children and their lifelines,” Auchampaugh said. “There are so many examples that people go by and don't know what it means.”
Some stones tell the stories of their namesakes: A logger's resting place is shaped like a tree stump or a reverend is referenced by a pulpit and bible.
The modern funeral service and at times elaborate grieving process was born in Victorian times. Ornate stones, graveside decorations and annual visits to family plots are all examples of traditions developed over the past few centuries, Auchampaugh said.
She developed her interest while investigating cemeteries in preparation of the county bicentennial celebration in 1999. Fall is an ideal time to visit graveyards more because of the tranquil ambiance, Auchampaugh said.
“It's not just the tombstones, it's the setting - what they're trying to tell us,” she said. “You go from humble to ostentatious and these are all part of a community's history.”
The presentation seems a fitting precursor to a unique scavenger hunt that will follow. Participants will comb the cemetery that actually predates construction of the church.
“I though it would fit in nicely,” Montezuma Town Historian Cheryl Longyear said. “It will be about finding names and linking information about people who are buried there.”
While the program is intended to be timely, the afternoon will be more about education than spooks.
“It's an educational program that the historical society would like put out there for the people to learn more about their community,” Longyear said.
The presentation begins at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net
If you go
What: Gravestone Art and Ghostly Scavenger Hunt Tales
Where: Historic Mentz Church, Mentz Church and McDonald roads, Montezuma
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Cost: Free
For details: Call 776-8632
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are 1 comment(s)
In my opinion wrote on Oct 10, 2007 3:48 PM: