Old Fort Johnson
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Calendar Archive: Events offered at Old Fort Johnson in 2020-2021
Saturday, August 28 ~ Re-Open House: An Anniversary Celebration
It's been ten years since Hurricane Irene roared through the Mohawk Valley, and we are inviting all of our friends to come celebrate what we have accomplished at Old Fort Johnson since then. Check out our new flood walls and beautifully restored gardens. The house will be open for tours and there will be lots of family-friendly activities, including free ice cream! Come join us for the day. Open 10:00-4:00 pm.
here to edit textOld Fort Johnson will not open until June 18, 2021. Due to ongoing construction on Route 5 and COVID restrictions, the museum will only be open for tours on Fridays and Saturdays from June 18-October 16, 2021. Appointments are required in advance - call the museum at 518-842-0300 to schedule your visit
Calendar Archive: Events offered at Old Fort Johnson in 2019
Byron Nilsson and Malcolm Kogut present "Songs along the Mohawk"
May 31, 7:00 pm
Return to the fabulous days of yesteryear in a cabaret-style entertainment in which Nilsson and Kogut share songs from the 19th- and early 20th-centuries, including Erie Canal songs, vaudeville numbers, temperance ditties, and even some of those Victorian-era ballads in which people dropped dead for no apparent reason. Sing along to our own "Bright Mohawk Valley" (later repackaged as "Red River Valley".)
This concert is made possible by a Saratoga Arts Individual Artist Grant funded by the NYS Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the NYS Legislature. Suggested donation of $10.00 at the door to help with the ongoing restoration of Old Fort Johnson.
Evenings at the Fort: 3rd Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 pm
June 19 "Scots-Irish Immigrants on the Old New York Frontier"
Terry McMaster, independent historian, looks at the settlement patterns of Ulster Scots who left northern Ireland for religious and economic liberty in America. First settling in New England, these “northern dissenters” began to migrate into the Mohawk Valley by 1740. Their interwoven family histories, ethnicity and religion would create hotbeds of rebellion that had a sizable impact on the American Revolution.
Evenings at the Fort: 3rd Wednesdays 6:30-8:00 pm
July 17 “Roots
in the Valley: Mohawk Valley Merchants, Settlers, and Indians in the Colonial
Ginseng Trade”
Sherri Cash, Utica College history professor, digs into the story of a local plant that became a hot commodity in the eighteenth century British Empire. Highly coveted by the Chinese, ginseng was the center of an international trade supplied by Mohawk Valley settlers, slaves, and Native Americans. Business records of Schenectady merchant John Sanders show how the ginseng trade helped many local families acquire luxury goods in return. All lectures are free to MCHS members, $2.00 donation for others.
Local historian Dan Weaver reviews what is known about the Willigee Patent, a 266-acre land patent across the Mohawk River from modern-day Cranesville. Its earliest settlers were the Van Coppernol, Van Olinda and Philips families, but who were the mysterious “Willigee Negroes” mentioned in Sir William Johnson's papers and what was his relationship with them during his early years in America?
All lectures are free to MCHS members, $2.00 donation for others.
Summer Garden Teas
Join us on the second Tuesdays of the summer months for Tea in the gardens of Old Fort Johnson. The cost is $25.00 per person and includes your choice of tea, savory sandwiches, assorted sweets, and fresh fruit. Held indoors in case of rain. Seating is limited and places fill quickly. PRE-PAID RESERVATIONS ARE NOW REQUIRED.
Book your tea reservation by calling 518-843-0300, then send a check to confirm your seat (MCHS PO Box 196 Ft Johnson NY 12070.)
A Colonial Tavern Night at Old Fort Johnson
Friday, July 19 5:30-9:00 pm
Join us for a midsummer evening on the lawn of Old Fort Johnson featuring Wolf Hollow craft beers and Rogers Cideryard hard cider, a pulled pork BBQ dinner and a variety of 18th century tavern games. Proceeds benefit our Restoration Fund.
$25.00 admission includes a pint of your choice of beverage, pulled pork barbecue & 3 sides, dessert and a souvenir glass. Tickets required in advance NOW AVAILABLE online through Eventbrite.
Montgomery County Historical Society Annual Membership Meeting
Wednesday, September 11, 6:30-7:30 pm
Our annual gathering of the membership of the Montgomery County Historical Society is held in September. Invitations will be mailed out in August to all current members of the Montgomery County Historical Society in good standing.
A Taste of History: Saturday, September 28, 5:30-7:30 pm
Our annual fall fundraiser features over a dozen of our favorite historic soups, along with freshly baked breads and homemade pies. Enjoy amazing regional cooking while supporting the preservation of Old Fort Johnson. Admission includes unlimited soup samples, bread, pie, beverage and a special soup mug.
This year the event will be held indoors at the Century Club (130 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam) Thank them for their support of Old Fort Johnson!
$25 adults, $10 children (ages 5-12)
Limited seating, advance tickets recommended.
Harvest Festival at Old Fort Johnson
Saturday October 19
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Help make apple cider on a real cider press, then see what David Manthey is creating up at our historic bake oven. Museum is open for house tours on the hour. Gift Shop will be open all day.
Holiday Tea at Old Fort Johnson - Saturday, December 7
Seating at 12:00 noon & 3:00 pm
Celebrate the holidays with an old-fashioned tea party in the decorated rooms of
Old Fort Johnson. Enjoy tea & a tasty tower of sweets
& savories for a good cause: all proceeds support the restoration of the
Old Fort. $30.00 donation per person.
Seating is limited - Book in advance.
Due to the popularity of this event, non-refundable PRE-PAID Reservations are required –
Call 843-0300 for details.
