Oakwood Tours for 2012

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1 An Historic Rural Cemetery Oakwood Cemetery A Nonsectarian, Not-For-Profit Cemetery Founded in 1848 Troy, New York Oakwood Tours for to register Note: Most tours begin at the Bell, just beyond the Chapel, just inside the Oakwood Avenue entrance to Oakwood Cemetery. Call to register. Tour goers should wear hiking boots or sturdy shoes, as many tours take place off-road. Bring drinking water. Please be prompt, as all tours begin at the time posted. All tours take place rain or shine, and are only cancelled in case of thunderstorms. APRIL Sunday-April 15, 2 Seatings-10:00 am and 12:00 noon $15.00 Daffodil Brunch at the Earl Enjoy a brunch, with omelets made to order, amidst magnificent Tiffany windows, intricate mosaics and rich oak furnishings at this popular annual event. Take in the beauty of the Earl Chapel, then stroll the grounds and enjoy the blooms of 14,000 daffodils as you view the many ornate monuments and the famous panorama at the bluff. Or take a short ride back into history in one of Jack Byrne s famous antique cars. Reservations are a must, and limited to 200. Call for your choice of two seating s, 10:30 am or 12:00 noon. MAY Saturday, May 19, 9-11 am $12.00 Get Acquainted with Oakwood Take a look inside the beautiful Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel and Crematorium. Visit the final resting place of the movers and shakers of Troy and surrounding areas. Led by Oakwood volunteer, Toni Craft, discover the history and beauty of this 1840 s rural cemetery, as you walk among the beautiful monuments for Civil War generals, lawmakers, educators and the founding fathers of the City of Troy. We will see the final resting place of Uncle Sam, as well as beautiful ponds, waterfalls, and a spectacular panoramic view of the Hudson River valley.

2 Saturday, May 26, 9:00 am Free Memorial Day Ecumenical Service Join Oakwood Cemetery and the Veterans of Lansingburgh for their annual graveside Wreath Laying Ceremony, and the placement of flags on the gravesites of Veterans in the Soldier s Plot. Oakwood President Tom Maggs and fellow trustee Charles R. Johnson, Col. US Army Ret. will officiate. The service will be brought indoors in case of heavy rain only. Registration is not required, line-up subject to change. June Saturday, June 2, 8am-10 am $12.00 Spring Bird Walk Enjoy Oakwood s remarkable mix of birds as they return to the cemetery s varied habitats for spring nesting. Clint Anglin, Naomi Jaffe, and Dick Patrick will lead this annual tour. Oakwood is home to more than 70 species of birds. Previous years birds have included bluebird, goldfinch, scarlet tanager, Baltimore oriole, indigo bunting, white-breasted nuthatch, chickadee, great crested flycatcher, red-tailed hawk, bald eagle, and six species of woodpecker. Bring binoculars and wear comfortable shoes. Sunday, June 10 1pm 3pm $15.00 Special Day-Special Time Meet the Women of Oakwood; Costumed Interpreters at Gravesites! Join us for this special treat!! Come to the cemetery for a unique and old-fashioned day in the park. Go back in time as you stroll the grounds of Oakwood Cemetery. Meet some of our famous residents; Betsey Hart, Emma Willard, Mary Warren and many more. Listen as they tell you about their final resting place. Children under 12 are free. Rain date; June 17 th. Saturday, June 16, 9am-11 am $12.00 Visit the gravesites of Troy and Rensselaer County Artists Join Warren F. Broderick, from the Lansingburgh Historical Society and New York State Archives. Emeritus as you visit the gravesites of 8 important artists of the 19 th and 20 th centuries from the Troy area. At each site we will learn why the artist is significant and will receive a handout with a brief biographical sketch and examples of each person s work. Warren is engaged in conducting extensive research into county artists who worked between 1800 and 1960.

3 Sunday, June 24, 9am-12 noon $12.00 Celebrate the Civil War Sesquicentennial Take a Sunday walk with famed military historian, Michael Barrett, and discover Oakwood s Civil War history. See if Michael can really introduce you to 9 ½ Civil War Generals (1/2..that one should be interesting!!) Learn of their private lives and the battles they fought. July Thursday, July 19, 6pm 8pm $12.00 Twilight Tour Take a look inside the beautiful Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel and Crematorium. Visit the final resting place of the movers and shakers of Troy and surrounding areas. Led by Oakwood volunteer, Toni Craft, discover the history and beauty of this 1840 s rural cemetery, as you walk among the beautiful monuments for Civil War generals, lawmakers, educators and the founding fathers of the City of Troy. We will see the final resting place of Uncle Sam, as well as beautiful ponds, waterfalls, and a spectacular panoramic view of the Hudson River valley. Tuesday, July 31, 6:30pm 7:30pm $5.00 per family Lambs, Snakes & Swords; Family Scavenger Hunt (Meet at the Earl Chapel) Oakwood s gravestones reveal clues to a person s age, gender, occupation, military service etc. Join Kathy Sheehan, Rensselaer County Historian, for an hour scavenger hunt as we search a limited area of the cemetery. Clues will be given to all participants. Children as young as 3 will be able to identify animals, crosses, swords, even chairs! Wear sturdy shoes. A fun and educational evening for the family! AUGUST Tuesday, August 21, 6pm 8pm $12.00 Twilight Tour- Get Acquainted with Oakwood Not a morning person? Here is your chance to stroll in the cemetery in the lovely early evening. Visit the final resting place of the movers and shakers of Troy and surrounding areas. Led by Oakwood volunteer, Toni Craft, discover the history and beauty of this 1840 s rural cemetery, as you walk among the beautiful monuments for Civil War generals, lawmakers, educators and the founding fathers of the City of Troy. We will see the final resting place of Uncle Sam, as well as beautiful ponds, waterfalls, and a spectacular panoramic view of the Hudson River valley. We will also take a tour of the spectacular Gardner Earl Chapel and Crematorium.

4 SEPTEMBER Saturday, September 15, 9am-12 noon $12.00 Casualties of the Civil War Many people today fail to grasp the tremendous impact that the estimated 620,000 Civil War dead had on this country. To commemorate the 150 th anniversary of the war, Michael Barrett is offering a brand new tour that will honor the sacrifice of the men who were prepared to put their lives on the line in order to save the union. We will examine the pre-war history and battle and illness-related deaths of just some of the dozens of the fallen who lie here in Oakwood. A combined walking and driving tour. Saturday, September 22, 1:30pm to 4:30pm $15.00 * Tiffany Windows, Waterfalls and a 100-Mile View Join Ned Pratt and Michael Barrett as they introduce you to the amazing beauty and history of Oakwood. See the Earl Chapel s Tiffany windows, Uncle Sam s grave, and a 100 mile view, as well as ponds, waterfalls, striking gravesite markers and more. Meet at the Earl Chapel. Co-sponsored by the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway. * As it is every year our Tiffany Windows, Waterfalls and a 100-Mile View tour is a Hudson River Valley Ramble event. For those who might want to enjoy a full day of Tiffany windows, the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway will also be hosting a Ramble event on the morning of this same day. Troy s Tiffany Treasures. 9:30am 12:30pm. Troy may very well have more Tiffany windows per square mile than any other city in the nation. Their tour, one of their most popular of all time consists of a walking and driving tour of the abundant Tiffany windows and interior designs in downtown Troy. If you have never taken this tour, you should not miss this opportunity; Call for details and reservations. (Oakwood will not be taking these reservations.) OCTOBER Thursday, October 4, 5 7:30 p.m. EVENING AT THE EARL ANNUAL FUND-RAISER Celebrate an Evening at the Earl a gala fundraiser to support ongoing restoration of this Historic Rural Cemetery, and for this famous and historic building, the jewel of Oakwood s architecture. For details, call to leave your name, address and phone number. Specify Gala and information will be sent when further details are revealed. Saturday, October 6, 9am-11am $12.00 Celtic Crosses of Oakwood Oakwood has some spectacular examples of the art of the Celtic Cross, which are said to be a pillar which links heaven and earth. Come enjoy the fall foliage while examining the history and symbolism of these ancient-style memorial stones. A walk/drive tour led by Michael Barrett. continued

5 Saturday, October 6, 9am-11am $12.00 War of 1812, 200 th Anniversary Two hundred years ago this June, the U.S. went to war with Great Britain for the second time. Oakwood contains the resting place of a number of veterans of that struggle to keep out the British shadow. October 13 th is the actual 200 th anniversary of the first major battle of the war at Queenston Heights which was Captain (later Major General) John Ellis Wool s baptism of fire. Take a walk with local Historian Michael Barrett as we examine the lives of the men, and the causes of what has been referred to as our first unnecessary war. Wednesday, October 17, 6:30pm to 7:30pm $15.00 An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe returns from beyond the grave to present some of his greatest works! Poe spent his last few years as a New Yorker and it was during that period that Oakwood Cemetery was founded. In his struggle to make a living as a writer, Poe was often invited to present public readings of his works; the traditions continue today in this dramatic presentation by Poe himself (portrayed by literary historian Rob Velella). Boston native, Velella has dramatically brought to life several literary figures, including the young Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathanial Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe. Through his performances, lectures and publications, he strives to bring writers of the past back to readers of today marks the second year of his Edgar Allan Poe; Cemetery Reading Tour ; this year, Oakwood joins a roster which also includes New York s Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Philadelphia s The Woodlands, and Mount Auburn in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Most tours begin at the Bell, just beyond the Chapel, off the Oakwood Avenue entrance to Oakwood Cemetery. Call to register. Tour goers must wear hiking boots or sturdy shoes, as many tours take place off-road. Bring drinking water. Please be prompt, as all tours begin at the time posted. All tours take place rain or shine, and are only cancelled in case of thunderstorms.