AUBURN - While singing carols, watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and waiting up for Santa Claus are some of the standard holiday traditions, some Cayuga County residents prefer something with a local flavor.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
The Cayuga Grange Carolers perform during the holiday open house at the Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural Museum in Owasco Sunday.
The Cayuga Grange Carolers perform during the holiday open house at the Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural Museum in Owasco Sunday.
As she visited the Cayuga Museum during Sunday's annual Holiday Traditions open house tour, Auburn resident Charlene Powers said she has been using the event for the past 24 years as a way to prepare for the holidays.
The event features open house tours at seven local historical sites.
“It makes me feel comfortable and it puts me in the holiday spirit,” Powers said. “Coming here is part of my tradition for getting ready for the holidays. It puts me into the holiday mood.”
Kathy Walker, director of Willard Memorial Chapel, said she expected nearly 200 people to visit during the open house to listen to music or learn about the building's history.
“We are not normally open on the weekends, so this is a good opportunity for people to get access to the chapel,” Walker said. “People will get a chance to hear our organ play some Christmas carols and look at the Tiffany windows.”
As she walked through the chapel with her family, Reita Trenta, of Skaneateles, said she first visited the building because of her involvement with the Leadership Cayuga program.
“The story of the building, why it was built as a memorial and its priceless Tiffany glass windows are just amazing and I wanted to share it with my family,” Trenta said.
Both her husband, Gary, and her son, Greg Trenta, were visiting the chapel for their first time.
“It's not what I expected,” said Greg Trenta. “It makes you really appreciate Auburn's history.”
For 12-year-old Laura Mocyk, of Warners, her appreciation of history was apparent by the pink 1800s-era dress she wore while visiting the Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural Museum in Owasco.
“I liked dressing up when I was little and I have been dressing up to come here ever since my dad started bringing me,” Mocyk said. “He has been bringing me here for as long as I can remember.”
Mocyk was one of several children who visited the museum to participate in several of the holiday-themed craft activities, said museum board member Jackie Komanecky
“We are trying to show the children an old fashion 1800s Christmas,” Komanecky said. “We have an 1800s era Christmas tree that has no lights and is decorated wooden ornaments, horse-drawn wagon rides and homemade popcorn.”
As residents toured other open houses at the Westminster Church, Seward House, the Harriet Tubman Home and Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Powers said it was important for people to understand their local history.
“All of these museums have so much to offer, and it's all interesting,” she said. “I don't think enough people truly take the time to look at history, and this is the history that makes us who we are today.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
The event features open house tours at seven local historical sites.
“It makes me feel comfortable and it puts me in the holiday spirit,” Powers said. “Coming here is part of my tradition for getting ready for the holidays. It puts me into the holiday mood.”
Kathy Walker, director of Willard Memorial Chapel, said she expected nearly 200 people to visit during the open house to listen to music or learn about the building's history.
“We are not normally open on the weekends, so this is a good opportunity for people to get access to the chapel,” Walker said. “People will get a chance to hear our organ play some Christmas carols and look at the Tiffany windows.”
As she walked through the chapel with her family, Reita Trenta, of Skaneateles, said she first visited the building because of her involvement with the Leadership Cayuga program.
“The story of the building, why it was built as a memorial and its priceless Tiffany glass windows are just amazing and I wanted to share it with my family,” Trenta said.
Both her husband, Gary, and her son, Greg Trenta, were visiting the chapel for their first time.
“It's not what I expected,” said Greg Trenta. “It makes you really appreciate Auburn's history.”
For 12-year-old Laura Mocyk, of Warners, her appreciation of history was apparent by the pink 1800s-era dress she wore while visiting the Ward W. O'Hara Agricultural Museum in Owasco.
“I liked dressing up when I was little and I have been dressing up to come here ever since my dad started bringing me,” Mocyk said. “He has been bringing me here for as long as I can remember.”
Mocyk was one of several children who visited the museum to participate in several of the holiday-themed craft activities, said museum board member Jackie Komanecky
“We are trying to show the children an old fashion 1800s Christmas,” Komanecky said. “We have an 1800s era Christmas tree that has no lights and is decorated wooden ornaments, horse-drawn wagon rides and homemade popcorn.”
As residents toured other open houses at the Westminster Church, Seward House, the Harriet Tubman Home and Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Powers said it was important for people to understand their local history.
“All of these museums have so much to offer, and it's all interesting,” she said. “I don't think enough people truly take the time to look at history, and this is the history that makes us who we are today.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
