Month: March 2020

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In memory Of Roger Hoff

The Edinburg Historical Society has lost an active and longtime member. Roger loved his summering in Edinburg for a good portion of his life, beginning in the 1940s, when he vacationed at the Palmer place on Pucker Street and continuing after he bought Ross Mack’s house on North Shore Road in 1980.  Sitting on the backscreen porch listening to the music of Beecher Creek was his happiest time.  He enjoyed sociability with the Lathers, Fred Brownell, Dona and Marshall Robinson in Beecher Hollow and with all of his friends in the Edinburg Historical Society.

Roger held various positions while a member of EHS, staffing the museums, helping with the acquisition and preservation of the Copeland Covered Bridge, co-chairing the Edinburg Walking Tours, chairing the Nominating Committee for many years, and doing physical jobs like sealing the floor of the Rural Museum.

In 2001 Roger invited antique dealers for an end of the year sale at the Rural Museum and that started the Annual Edinburg Fall Festival. Roger donated his 1917 Old Time Canoe for the Hunting, Fishing and Trapping exhibit. With his wife, Kathy they did a layout of the Rural Museum. Both Kathy and Roger were given the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2011 and in 2018 were honored to become Lifetime Trustees.

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April 21, 2020: Organizational Meeting (CANCELLED)

The Edinburg Historical Society had planned to meet on Tuesday, April 21 at 7 p.m. at the Edinburg Community Center. President George Blackwood would have outlined our programs for the year and list the projects that EHS would like to accomplish this year. However, this meeting has been cancelled due to the coronavirus situation. We will provide an update as to when our next meeting will be as the situation becomes clearer.

Other updates:

The Sand Hill One-Room Schoolhouse has been completely renovated with a new roof, has been painted in and out by Joey Shield. Heat and air conditioning will be installed in April. The original schoolroom part will be cleaned in the spring and kept just as Roy Pearsall left it with the flag, old schoolbooks, desks, antique stove and the picture of George Washington.

EHS has educational merchandise for sale about the Edinburg. The DVD “Saving the Dream” featuring John Bennis’ photos documenting Edinburg’s history with music by Robin Gaiser and the Mill Run Dulcimer Band was created in a project lead by by past-president Maria Spaeth. It is narrated by Edinburg Town Clerk Denise Ferguson. It sells for $15. “Harnessing Nature: Building the Great Sacandaga” made by the Great Sacandaga Lake Advisory Council with the help of the Hudson River/Blacker River Regulating District, public historians, county historians and people in the community. This DVD sells for $20. The 2019 Taste of Edinburg Cookbook with local recipes may be purchased for $10. The cookbook and DVDs can be purchased at the Edinburg Town Hall on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon at the Town Historian’s office or mailed to you for a $5 handling fee. Please call the Edinburg Town Hall first to be sure a visit is OK given the coronavirus situation.

EHS continues to raise funds for the restoration and maintenance of the Copeland Historic Site which is comprised of the Copeland Covered Bridge and Carriage Shop. Your donation of $25 will purchase a share certificate for yourself, as a gift, in honor of a loved one or in memory of a loved one. An acknowledgement of your contribution will be sent to the recipient you requested, and the name will be posted at the Copeland Covered Bridge. Send your check and information to the address on the website.

The following have purchased shares in the Copeland Covered Bridge – Carol Fortin; Richard Kernan in honor of Dorothy A Kernan and in memory of Timothy F Leonard; Thomas Simpson in memory of Beulah and Raymond Simpson, Michael Allen and Alice Edel. Richard Muth in honor of Christine Saglimbeni.

We will have a separate post about the passing of longtime member Roger Hoff who — along with his wife Kathy — contributed so much to the Society.

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Vendors and Crafters wanted for 2020 EHS events

The Edinburg Historical Society is planning our two annual festivals and want to invite vendors and crafters to participate. Please fill out this [2020 EHS events vendor application form]. Forms can be emailed to aponi@frontiernet.net with the subject “EHS Vendor Application” in the title — or mailed to George and Andrea Blackwood, 4 Morris Road, Edinburg, NY 12134. For more information, contact George and Andrea Blackwood, 518 863-6772.

A 10% commission of sales is asked as a donation to help defray costs associated with these events.

HISTORIC EDINBURG DAY – Saturday, July 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is a community-wide event held up the hill from the Great Sacandaga Lake at the Edinburg Four Corners and along North Shore Road. There are free horse and wagon rides, two museums with demonstrations in spinning, knitting, weaving, period exhibits and a maple syrup demonstration, plus an old wood working tool shop. A bake sale is held in the Rural Museum and the Arts and Crafts Show is set up on the grounds outside the Rural Museum. Set up time for vendors starts at 9:00 a.m. There is something for everybody. The only covered bridge in Saratoga County, Copeland Covered Bridge, is just down the road. Edinburg boasts two historic churches built in the 1800s as well. Refreshments will be available.

EDINBURG FALL FESTIVAL – Saturday, September 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fall Festival also has free horse and wagon rides and demonstrations at the Rural Museum. Homemade soups and chili will be served. The Society is having a bake sale at the Rural Museum and the Arts and Crafts booths are set up outside the Rural Museum. Attendees can visit the Covered Copeland Bridge, 35 feet long and the only NYS queen post truss bridge in Saratoga County. It sits over Beecher’s Creek and is beautiful in the fall. Cross over the Batchellerville Bridge, one of the longest steel bridge spans in upstate NY. Folks can park and walk over the bridge. Vendors can set up at 9:00 a.m.