June 15-16 marks Path Through History Weekend in New York State, a chance to celebrate the rich and vibrant past, from the lush Adirondacks to the sandy shores of Long Island. Below, we’ve selected a series of can’t-miss events ranging from Juneteenth celebrations, ghost hunting at a mansion, to Father’s Day railroad rides. With over 100 offerings across the state, be sure to check out the Path Through History events calendar for a full guide to historical and educational attractions hosting something special during the weekend.
Visit the Olympic Museum on June 15 to participate in the “Igniting Dreams Craft Activity and Touch-A-Torch Torch Program.” Visitors of all ages are invited to create their own Olympic Torch while learning about the importance of design and the Olympic Games. During the Touch-A-Torch program, visitors have the opportunity to hold the 1980 and 2002 Winter Olympic torches and learn about the history and significance of the Torch Relay. This is a free event hosted by the museum, and all craft supplies will be provided. Lake Placid; 6/15, 11am-3pm. Free.
Head to Fort Ticonderoga for a family-favorite cultural event that explores Scottish clan tents and their rich ancestry and culture. Merchants selling kilts, crafts, and other gifts will join Scottish organizations from across the East Coast to greet visitors with information on all aspects of their heritage. Discover the heroic stories of Scottish soldiers in the British Army serving at Ticonderoga and North America through the campaigns of the 18th century. Thrill at musket demonstrations and enjoy performances by Vermont Highland Dance, the Fifes and Drums of Fort Ticonderoga, and solo pipers from the City of Albany Pipe Band and the Leatherstocking District Pipe Band. The full day of activities includes special guided tours and a remembrance service on the Carillon Battlefield at the Memorial Cairn. Carillon boat cruises will carry visitors onto the water to explore the epic historic landscape and its strategic importance during the 18th century. Fort Ticonderoga; 6/15, 9:30am-5pm. $29/adults; $27/seniors; $13/children.
Celebrate 100 years of New York State Parks and Historic Sites at Grant Cottage Historic Site! This free family-friendly event will feature music, food, exhibits, reenactors, entertainment, children’s activities, and walkthroughs of the historic Grant Cottage. All are invited to visit the final home of Civil War general and two-term American president Ulysses S. Grant where he finished his memoirs in 1885. The cottage, located on top of Mount McGregor, has been preserved as a time-capsule memorial ever since Grant’s death and features original furnishings and unique artifacts. A visitor center onsite features a gift shop, exhibits, and video. The site grounds feature historic walking paths, interpretive panels, and a dramatic overlook of the upper Hudson River Valley. A free cell phone audio tour of the grounds and a scavenger hunt are available to all visitors. Wilton; 6/15, 10am-4:30pm. Free.
All aboard the USS Slater! Docked on the Albany waterfront, this is the only World War II-era destroyer escort still afloat, and the only one in existence with its original battle armament. Moored on the Hudson River, the USS Slater has undergone an extensive restoration that has returned the ship to her former glory. The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum offers one hour guided tours which cover three levels and includes the galley, mess, crew quarters, officers country, private Captain’s quarters, chart room, and pilot house. Albany; 6/15-6/15, 10am-4pm. $12/Adults; $10/Seniors; $8/Children.
Reflect on the voices of survivors of genocide as you explore the multiple medium exhibit of paintings, photographs, and poetry at the Liberty Museum & Arts Center. Read about people who sponsored individuals and families, listen to authors and Holocaust survivors share their stories. Meet a baker whose father was a baker at the iconic Katz’s Deli, immerse yourself in live musical performances, and engage with members of the community in the Creation Center. This exhibit bridges the past and the present to add to a future exhibit. Liberty; 6/14-6/16, 12pm-4pm. Free.
Some visit to relive the past and their journey to Woodstock; others come to experience what it was like for the first time. As you step inside the Museum at Bethel Woods you hear the echo of 450,000 chanting “no rain” and see the stories of those who were actually at the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. Through artifacts, films, music (and even a hippie bus) you will be inspired not only by what was the most prolific three-day festival in history, but by the ideals that still remain relevant today. Bethel; 6/15-6/16, 10am-5pm. $22.69/Adults; $20/Seniors; $5/Children; Children 5 & under are free.
“There’s No Place Like GO!” Join the All Things Oz Museum team for an introduction to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz games! See the 1921 Parker Brothers’ Wonderful Game of Oz, and get hands-on with the newest games based on the land of Oz — all of which started in the imagination of L. Frank Baum, born in Chittenango in 1856! Chittenango; 6/15-6/16. $9/person; children 10 & under are free.
Learn about the Oneida Community and its legacy through a guided tour. The historic site comprises four 19th century buildings situated on 33 acres of landscaped lawns and gardens. Guides will share the story of the most radical American utopian community and its footprint as a major silverware company. Guests will walk through both historic rooms and museum displays. Oneida; 6/15-6/16, 9am-5pm. $10/Adults; $8/Seniors; $5/Students; Children 6 & under are free.
Get the family together and head to the Cattaraugus County Historical Museum for its annual “Family Day at the Museum” on June 15. A featured exhibit is the newly restored regimental flag of the 37th NY Vol. Infantry, which was captured at the Battle of Chancellorsville. And stick around to enjoy a performance from the WNY Fiddle Kids! Machias; 6/15, 10am-2pm. Free.
Enjoy a presentation about the Holland Land Company at the Leon Historical Society. Barker Museum’s archivist, Catherine Oag-Miller, will lead an engaging presentation detailing her extensive knowledge of the people and happenings of the local area. Leon; 6/15, 11am-12pm. Free
Honor Juneteenth at the 4th annual event hosted by the Genesee Country Village & Museum – this year encompassing a whole week’s worth of programming! Juneteenth is considered the oldest celebration of the end of enslavement in the United States, and the week-long event will feature the experiences and people fundamental to our collective understanding and appreciation of freedom. The holiday is inspired by events that occurred on June 19, 1865, when Union troops brought the message of emancipation and the end of the Civil War to over 250,000 enslaved persons in Texas – more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Mumford; 6/12-6/16, 10am-4pm. $16/adults; $14/seniors & students; $10/youth.
Tour one of the finest examples of 19th century architecture still standing in Auburn, The Willard Memorial Chapel. The building was constructed as part of the Auburn Theological Seminary between 1892 and 1894 and features 14 opalescent windows, a rose window, a large figure window, nine Moresque-style chandeliers, memorial tablets of glass mosaic tile and gilt bronze, furnishings of oak inlaid with metal and glass mosaic, a ceiling with gold leaf stencils and mosaic flooring, entirely designed by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Co. of New York City. Auburn; 6/15, 11am-4pm. $10/Adults; $8/Seniors & Students; $5/Veterans; Children 12 & under are free.
Enjoy a round-trip train excursion on the Arcade & Attica Railroad for a special Father’s Day ride. Step back in time aboard vintage WWII-era diesel and steam locomotives that hold the distinction of being one of the last “common carriers.” As you enter the historic station, you’re surrounded by the history of railroading in America, and once you embark on your journey you’ll traverse the countryside and farmlands that have remained virtually unchanged since the line was originally laid in the 1880s. Arcade; 6/15-6/16. $24. $22/adult; $20/seniors & military; $19/children; dads are free when accompanied by a purchased fare.
Admire the architecture and grounds of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff, a summer retreat for the Martin Family (Isabelle R. Martin, wife of Buffalo industrialist Darwin D. Martin, and one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest patrons.) The Home & Garden Tour of Graycliff focuses on the history and rehabilitation journey of the historic gardens and grounds, and also includes a tour of the first floor of the main house. It covers the details of Ellen Biddle Shipman’s involvement in the design for the landscape that was initially outlined by Frank Lloyd Wright, and is led by a docent who has specialized knowledge related to the plant life on the property. The grounds include productive growing spaces, garden rooms, sweeping views of Lake Erie, and a large lush perennial garden designed for continuous blooms. Derby; 6/15, 10:30am. $37/Adult; $22/Student.
Gather ‘round as Bill Jeffway (Executive Director of the Dutchess County Historical Society) discusses two local Black women, Susan Elizabeth Frazier and Sadie Peterson Delaney, in honor of Juneteenth. Hosted in Staatsburgh’s elegant dining room, this talk will explore the role that these two Black women played in uplifting the Black community of the Hudson Valley during the Gilded Age. Both women succeeded in a way that defied societal expectations. By doing so, they changed the playing field in irreversible ways on a national level. Light refreshments will be served following the presentation. Staatsburgh; 6/15, 2pm-3:30pm. $5/person; children 12 & under are free.
Venture along a half-mile nature trail to the idyllic Saugerties Lighthouse. On the riverside deck you’ll hear stories about the women keepers who lived and worked at the lighthouse, learn about the history of the lighthouse, and explore the small museum inside which displays images and artifacts of the original lighthouse and the commercial heyday of the Saugerties waterfront. Saugerties; 6/16, 12pm-3pm. Free.
Boo! Ever wanted to be a ghost hunter? Join the crew of the Long Island Paranormal Investigators and spend the night exploring the 1843 Rogers Mansion and find out what it really takes to be a Paranormal Investigator. You will get a chance to participate in experiments to test various paranormal theories, learn about the paranormal, hear great spooky stories and maybe even leave with one of your own. Tours begin with an introduction to the Long Island Paranormal Investigator and a crash course in the theories and devices used to interact with and document paranormal beings. From there, venture into the unknown and unexplained with a 45-minute ghost hunting adventure. Southampton; 6/15, 7:30pm-10pm. $40.
Join mother, scientist, decorated professor, and author Robin Wall Kimmerer, for a conversation on her collection of essays, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants. As a botanist, Robin has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, she brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise.” East Hampton; 6/16, 2pm-3pm. $35/Person; $56.73/Person and book.
Visit Historic Richmond Town to honor Juneteenth, featuring a day of special programming including demonstrations of hearth cooking, discussions of social history, and historical reenactment. Learn about the history and origins of this holiday celebrating the end of American chattel slavery. The centerpiece of the day’s events is the Juneteenth Reenactment by the Freedom Players, which re-creates the enforcement of the General Orders No. 3 in Galveston, Texas in June of 1865. This immersive theatrical performance will happen at the center of Historic Richmond Town’s main village. Afterwards, visit shops and houses throughout the village, showcasing programs exploring African American history. Staten Island; 6/16, 11am-4pm. $15/person; children 5 & under are free.
Visit The Merchant’s House Museum and discover the story of the domestic life of a wealthy merchant family and their four Irish servants in the mid-19th century, when the mercantile seaport of New York City emerged as a growing metropolis and the commercial emporium of America. The Merchant’s House was built in 1832 and purchased by Seabury Tredwell, a prosperous New York City hardware merchant, in 1835. The Tredwell family continued to live in the landmark late-Federal and Greek revival style row house for nearly 100 years. On this guided tour you’ll visit five floors of period rooms filled with the family’s original possessions – furniture, decorative objects, household goods, books, even their clothing. Manhattan; 6/15-6/16, 12pm-5pm. $20.50/person.
Take a snapshot on your camera or cell phone and get creative at the “Introspection & Reflection: Building Stories” workshop hosted at the historic Union Hotel building in Sackets Harbor. Gather at the Union Hotel and then head out to photograph historic buildings, notable sites, monuments on the battlefield, the harbor, and locations throughout the village. Afterwards, practice your creative writing skills to ‘build’ three-line haikus inspired by the images and sites in the history-rich community. Sackets Harbor; 6/16, 1pm-5pm. $8.
Immerse yourself in a presentation that showcases the rich cultural Haudenosaunee art traditions of raised beadwork, corn husk doll making, and storytelling at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site. Stop by the 1817 Union Hotel building to visit with Dolores Elliott and Ronnie Reitter. Centering on “past to present,” their arts compliment the Smithsonian traveling exhibition “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America.” The historic site’s supporting exhibit includes Haudenosaunee women’s influence on the women’s suffrage and abolition movement, amplifying this arts series. Sackets Harbor; 6/15, 10am-12pm. Free.
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