News

The Wayne County Historical Society’s Museum of Wayne County History has a new exhibit opening, “Wayne County and the Burnt-over District.” The preview party for the exhibit will be Thurs. March 4 at 7pm. . 

Wayne County is unique in that many religions and religious movements had major connections to the area and three can even call Wayne County their birthplace; Mormonism, Modern Spiritualism and the Neversweats. The upcoming exhibit, which will run from March 5-August 7, will examine this part of the “Burnt-over District” a term coined by Charles Grandison Finney who in his 1876 book Autobiography of Charles G. Finney referred to a “burnt district” to denote an area in central and western New York State during the Second Great Awakening. The name was inspired by the notion that the area had been so heavily evangelized during antebellum revivalism as to have no “fuel” (unconverted population) left over to “burn” (convert). 

“A WCHS volunteer, Loreen Jorgensen, has been instrumental in helping set up and research this exhibit,” said Executive Director of the Museum, Larry Ann Evans. “She has travelled around the county taking pictures of all the churches, speaking with those that want to loan something to the exhibit and much, much more.” 

Evans will also be speaking at the preview party on the Burnt-over District with special interest on  Antoinette Brown Blackwell, the first woman minister of a recognized denomination in the United States who preached at the First Congregational Church at South Butler. 

The Wayne County Historical Society’s Museum of Wayne County History is located at 21 Butternut Street, Lyons, NY. For more information call 315 946 4943 or check out the website, www.waynehistory.org.

The Geneva Theatre Guild's most recent production of "Almost, Maine"  was awarded many Theatre Association of New York State Merit awards.  The show was performed in the new Black Box Theatre at the Geneva Community Center February 4-7. 

The awards the the cast and crew received are: 

Outstanding Achievement in Acting to Mariah Ernhout-Fegley for her role in "Getting Back" 

Outstanding Achievement in Acting to  Patrick Fegley for his role in "Getting Back" 

Excellence in Acting to Laura D. Feligno for her multiple roles 

Meritorious Achievement in Direction to Pam Rapoza 

Meritorious Achievement in Costume Design to Kristen Lanphear 

The TANYS roving adjudicator, Cindy Appleton,  said that “Geneva Theatre Guild’s production of "Almost, Maine" was a Valentine for its audience, and for all of us who live in small town America.  It carried you along the path of love’s rocky road to an ending that left us smiling with the knowledge that  love “almost” always comes or goes when we least expect it.” 

For more information about the Geneva Theatre Guild look at the website, www.gtglive.org.

Museum Receives NYSCA Grant for County Jail book 

The Wayne County Historical Societys Museum of Wayne County History was the only non-profit organization in Wayne County to receive a New York State Council on the Arts grant for the 2010 granting period. The grant, for $5924, will be used to update and expand on the Wayne County Historical Societys  book, The Wayne County Jail, 1856-1961 which went out of print early last year. 

The book is very important to the museum and to our visitors, said Executive Director Larry Ann Evans who went on to say that a lot of the research to expand the book has already been done when staff carried out research for the exhibit Sheriffs of the Old Jail. 

Lt. Steve Sklenar from the Wayne County Sheriffs Department helped the museum with their research for the Sheriffs exhibit and Evans said that she hopes hell be able to help with the book also.  

The cover design and layout for the book will be done by Cox-King Multimedia out of Geneva and then the book will be published online with an on demanding printing company. 

The Wayne County Historical Societys Museum of Wayne County History is located at 21 Butternut Street, Lyons, NY. For more information call 315 946 4943 or check out the website, www.waynehistory.org.

In the cold, gray months of an upstate winter, it can be heartening to recall nature's more abundant and colorful times of the year.  A welcome reminder of this comes in the form of a new art exhibit, Living Light: A Celebration of the Finger Lakes Flora.

Hosted at the Tompkins County Public Library from January 18 through March 26 and organized by the Finger Lakes Native Plant Society (FLNPS), this juried art show celebrates the beauty and diversity of our region's wild plants and fungi.  Fifty artists from throughout the Finger Lakes and beyond have contributed over 75 works in a wide array of media and styles, ranging from traditional botanical illustration and wildflower photography to more abstract treatments and sculptural forms.

The show's opening reception will be held at the Library from 4 to 7pm on Friday, January 22 as part of Ithaca's Gallery Night, in conjunction with the Light in Winter festival.  And for those interested in a more in-depth experience of plants and art, FLNPS has designed a constellation of workshops, walks, and educational displays.  The exhibit and associated events are co-sponsored by the Library, with grant support from the Community Arts Partnership and the Brooks Family Foundation.

The art show was juried by a panel consisting of several FLNPS members and three prominent local artists: Camille Doucet, watercolorist and botanical illustrator; Eric Serritella, ceramic artist; and David Watkins, photographer.  They, along with three professional botanists, had the complex task of screening and evaluating over 300 submissions.

Founded in Ithaca in 1997, FLNPS's mission is to teach people about native plants, the importance of conservation, and the threat of invasive species.  The group regularly sponsors free lectures, field trips and special events.

For more information about the exhibit and its related events, visit www.flnps.org/artshow.  More information about all events at the Tompkins County Public Library, as well as library hours, can be found at www.tcpl.org or by calling 607-272-4557.


Individual artworks in the Living Light graphic are copyrighted by and used courtesy of their respective creators, all participating artists in the Living Light exhibition.  They are, clockwise from top left:  Bridget Bossart van Otterloo, Susan Larkin, Margaret Neher, William Bay, David Ruppert, and Donald Specker.

The Geneva Theatre Guild will present their first show of the season, Almost, Maine at the Geneva Community Center Black Box Theatre February 4-7.   

Almost, Maine is all about love. Because it’s all about love, and like love, it is never what you expect. Meet the people of Almost, Maine, a tiny town so far north Vermont is considered the South. One winter night with the northern lights creating celestial enchantment, eight couples fall under the spell of that funny little unpredictable thing called love. By turns touching, comic, warm, gentle and altogether surprising, *Almost, Maine* is a funny Valentine of a play that will make you smile with your heart.  When true love comes knocking at your door...will you answer?

The talented cast members comprise people from all across the Finger Lakes region. and include Nick Bessette (Auburn), Craig Deisering (Phelps), Jim Ditmars (Naples), Mariah Ernhout-Fegley (Geneva), Pat Fegley (Geneva), Laura Feligno (Geneva), Allison Hadley (Waterloo), Terri Knight-Miller (Geneva), R.J. Rapoza (Geneva), and Matt Vitticore (Canandaigua) 

The show will be performed in the Black Box Theatre in the Geneva Community Center on February 4-6 at 8pm and February 7 at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at the following outlets in Geneva: UPS store and Area Records and online at www.gtglive.org and are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.  

For more information about the Geneva Theatre Guild look to the website www.gtglive.org.

Museum Receives Grant for Acrylic Museum Displays 

The Wayne County Historical Societys Museum of Wayne County History has received a very generous grant from the Augustus & Jennie Hoffman Foundation. The grant is for Two Thousand Dollars ($2000) and will be used to purchase acrylic and plexi-glass cases for the museums exhibits. 

Enclosing some of the exhibits like the military uniforms and some of the paintings has a two-fold purpose, said Executive Director Larry Ann Evans. Visitor experiences are enhanced as is security by using plexi-glass displays. 

Also included in the grant is funding for the museum to purchase a case for the exhibition of the 1892 Grand Army of the Republic Dept. of New York personal War Sketches of the Members of William B. Vosburg post number 99 of Newark. This incredible book is currently not on display and contains the record of the war services 1861-1865 of the living and deceased members of post number 99.  

The Wayne County Historical Societys Museum of Wayne County History is located at 21 Butternut Street, Lyons, NY. For more information call 315 946 4943 or check out the website, www.waynehistory.org

Call for Artisans 

The Wayne County Historical Societys Museum of Wayne County History is looking for Artisans to be part of the Museums first Artisans Faire, to be held on June 5, 2010 from 10am - 4pm. 

Museum staff are looking for a wide range of Artisans to be involved in this educational and fun event that will include demonstrations and sales of the Artisans work. The museum is interested in finding artisans that perform painting, chair caning, basket weaving, candle makers, whittlers, potter, rug hooking, quilters, story tellers, calligraphy, floor clothing, rubber stamping, batik making, and more.  

Artisans booth space is $20 or in lieu of that a donation can be made of one of the artisans items worth $20 to the museum raffle.  

Interested artisans can call the museum at 315 946 4943 for more information or email three photographs of their work to the museum at info@waynehistory.org. 

The Museum is located at 21 Butternut Street, Lyons, NY. and is open Tues. - Friday 10am-4pm (Nov. to March) and from Tues - Saturday 10am-4pm (April to October).

History at Night topic is UGRR at Museum of Wayne County History 

The Wayne County Historical Societys Museum of Wayne County Historys first event of 2010 will be History at Night with featured speaker Wayne County Historian, Peter Evans, February 4 at 7pm. The topic is New findings on Wayne Countys Underground Railroad. 

Evans, who through a Preserve NY Grant Project has been documenting Anti-Slavery, Abolitionism, the Underground Railroad and African American Life in Wayne County from the period 1820-1880 will be talking about the new findings. 

Evans will be giving the talk in the conference room at the Museum located at 21 Butternut St., Lyons, NY and seats 40. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required for this event and can be placed by calling the Museum at 315 946 4943 or by emailing laevans@waynehistory.org