Livingston County Historical Society 30 Center Street, Geneseo, NY 14454 585-243-9147 www.livingstoncountyhistoricalsociety.com lchistory@frontier.com January 2015 2015 Board of Directors Sandra Brennan, President Sally Wood, Vice President Jon Perkins, Treasurer Jeanne Galbraith, Secretary Ford Best, Research Secretary Cathy Adams Bill Brummett Liz Collins Joe Cope Tom Maimone Liz Porter Ken Richardson Anne Zmich Anna Kowalchuk Museum Administrator Civil War Letters: Love and War FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13 RIVIERA THEATER 8:00pm Performance 6:45pm Patron Wine & Cheese Tasting TICKETS AVAILABLE ON LINE or at Inside this issue: Civil War Letters: Love and War at the Riviera Theatre 2015 Programs New Lighting Coach Cards for Sale Thank you Members & Donors Reinterpreting Museum Collections Architectural Planning Thank you GCS Quilt Winner New Board Members 1 2 3-6 7 8 DAVID MANN JEWELERS & NOT DOT SHOP-Main St. Geneseo $15.00 General Admission ($18.00 after 2/7/15). Tickets will be available at the door if not sold out. $25.00 Preferred Seating & Admission to Wine & Cheese Tasting Enjoy a staged reading of a collection of Civil War love letters penned in 1862 by Colonel John Rorbach & his wife Elizabeth Vance Rorbach of Geneseo, NY. This performance will take place at the recently renovated Riviera Theater, 4 Center Street, Geneseo, at 8:00pm. Those with patron tickets will be invited at 6:45pm prior to the performance to enjoy a wine and cheese tasting. Museum Administrator, Anna Kowalchuk promotes this event as the premier performance at the Riviera Theater. Those who pay a patron ticket price will have preferred seating and a first glimpse at the amazing work completed by proprietor Don Livingston-all while enjoying a wine and cheese tasting in a brand new community venue.
2015 PROGRAMS LIVINGSTON COUNTY HI STORICAL SOCIETY NEW YEAR NEW LIGHTING PAGE 2 2015 LIVINGSTON COUNTY MUSEUM PROGRAMS January 25 Reinterpreting Museum Collections- Dr. Ken Cooper, SUNY Geneseo English Department & Chelsea Butkowski, SUNY Geneseo Intern February 13 8:00 pm Civil War Letters: Love and War Location: Riviera Theater Tickets Required March 11 7:00 pm Native American History Michael Galban April 12 History of the Riviera Theater-Don Livingston, Louise Wadsworth, Charlotte Brummett Co-sponsored with Association for the Preservation of Geneseo (APOG) at the Riviera Theater May 3 Semi-Annual Meeting & The Civil War & 136 th Regiment-Wayne Mahood & John DuBois June 14 WWI Program & Posters Amie Alden, Livingston County Historian August 29 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Attic Treasures Sale Donations graciously accepted August 29 Dusk Movie on the Green Co-sponsored by Friends of Wadsworth Library September 13 Immigration in Livingston County-Dr. Kathy Mapes, SUNY Geneseo History Department October 18 Walls & Fences - Steve Clary & Kurt Cylke Co-sponsored with APOG November 8 The Geological Story of Livingston County Dr. Jeff Over, SUNY Geneseo Geological Sciences December 4 6:30 pm Member and Donor Reception Next time you walk into the museum auditorium, look up. New track lighting has been installed and the antiquated lighting replaced based on a design by exhibit consultant Scott Wood. Electrician Mike Falk created a supported 16 by 16 foot box of track to which he added 36 led lights and wired two circuits. LCHS now has the ability to modify lighting in ways that it could not do before and illuminate exhibits. NOTECARDS FOR SALE Light Refreshments will be served. Additional parking is available in church lot next door. A set of Wadsworth Coach notecards designed by Donna Kelsey are now available for sale for $5.00.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY HI STORICAL SOCIETY Join us for the First Program of the Year. PAGE 5 Learn about the "Blue Tour" from Dr. Ken Cooper, whose SUNY Geneseo English students reinterpreted waterrelated objects in the museum's collection. Given the Livingston County region s rich history in agriculture and the centrality of both Conesus Lake and the Genesee River to the area s past, it is evident that much of Livingston County s history has been influenced heavily by its water resources. As such, the Blue Tour highlights for visitors the importance of the area s water resources throughout its history by focusing on specific objects and fostering an appreciation for the degree to which we depend on water for life. A blue droplet identifies specific objects highlighted and interpreted for the tour, opening May 1, 2015. Listen to SUNY Geneseo senior Chelsea Butkowski as she re-interprets the museum's China Collection. Chelsea has been inventorying and cataloguing the museum s china collection since the spring of 2014. She has become familiar with the origins, Maker s Marks, and designs of the china plates, pitchers, cups and more. Learn about how reinterpreting the pieces of china in the museum s collection allows us to better understand the time period in which they were used. ACHITECTURAL PLANNING UNDERWAY Thanks to funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the generous support of the Livingston County Community, architectural plans for museum improvements are underway. The current project brings together an interdisciplinary team of architects, engineers, and museum-related professionals to advance preliminary conceptual Facilities Master Plan designs for improved collections storage and exhibit spaces at the Livingston County Museum. Over the course of a four-month period, Bero Architecture PLLC, in consultation with museum specialist planners Weatherston Bruer Associates and collections conservator Barbara Moore, will complete the next phase of planning (programming and measured drawings, governmental review and schematic designs, and design development) needed to move forward the design of the first collections storage facility, designated spaces for collections care, and a controlled, sustainable environment. This project represents the next step in the Museum s long-range planning goals, and is founded in the Museum s mission to provide the best care possible for its collections for the benefit of the residents of Livingston County and the Western New York region. As a result of this project, LCHS s ability to preserve, care for, and manage collections will be transformed.
PAGE 6 Thank you Geneseo Drama Club And We Have a Winner... Thank you to Musical Director Sean Perry and Theater Director Bettina DeBell for sharing the musical talents of students from Geneseo Central s production of A Christmas Carol at the Museum s Members and Donors Holiday Reception. LCHS is grateful for the generous support of our many members and donors. Thank you to all named in this newsletter. MEET NEW BOARD MEMBER LIZ COLLINS Christine Brennan was selected on December 6th as the raffle winner for the American Quilt crafted and donated by Joan Reeves. Thank you to all of you who purchased a raffle ticket to support this LCHS fundraiser. MEET NEW BOARD MEMBER TOM MAIMONE I retired in February of 2013 after a 32 year career as a physical therapist in an acute care hospital in Buffalo NY. I relocated to Geneseo to be closer to my sister and friends and made through visits to this area over the past 27 years. My daughter lives in Amherst NY and my three grandchildren are the loves of my life. I enjoy my cat Bella, hiking, and being active with the Theresa House, Wadsworth Library and the Geneseo Community Players. The Livingston County Museum of new is close to my heart as a significant icon of history and folk lore of Livingston County. I am honored to be elected to the board for this time. My grandparents were from Groveland Station which is where my father was from. My father served in the Army/ Air Force during WWII. I grew up in Danville NY graduated from Dansville High School Class of 1964. Attended Geneseo State University and received a Bachelor s degree in Anthroplogy studying under Dr. Rhodes and did my graduate work in History under Dr. Derby. I taught US History and Government at Warsaw High School From 1968 until 2001. Since 1968 I have run an antique business and currently have an antique shop at 15 and 17 Main Street in Mount Morris. I have always admired the Livingston County Museum with its cobblestone architecture, great collections, and traditions. I am very glad to be able to serve this fine institution.