Heritage Holidays
Johnson Hall celebrates St. John’s Day as part of area eventBy KAYLEIGH KARUTIS, The Leader-Herald
Article Photos
JOHNSTOWN - Visitors toured the historical Johnson Hall Saturday as part of the second annual Heritage Holidays in the Mohawk Valley, a promotional tour of historic sites across the region.
The event encourages local residents and visitors alike to visit the various historical sites in Fulton and Montgomery counties. Visitors are given a passport to take to each site, which is marked at each site and then entered into a drawing for a gift basket.
Hagaman residents Joan and Ben Beitka and Jean Nicholas visited four of the sites Saturday, and finished the day at Johnson Hall. As they strolled from room to room admiring the historical recreations and artifacts, Joan Beitka took pictures.
"This is the most elegant of the sites [we visited today]," Nicholas said. "It's really lovely."
Joan Beitka said she would be bringing her grandchildren, who live in Florida, to visit the hall when they are in the area.
"I've lived here all my life and I've never been to [the historic sites]," Beitka said.
Her husband, Ben Beitka, said he was impressed by the detail of the exhibits and the knowledge of those who spoke at each of the sites.
"[The speakers] had a lot of good points," he said. "We learned a lot of history today."
The trio said they were planning on visiting more sites on Sunday and next weekend, and said they also enjoyed the live music being played at each of the sites.
Glenn Weiser of Glenmont and Greg Schaaf of Scotia, known as Byrne and Barry, played guitar and lute, respectively, on the second floor of the historic building. Weiser said he was contacted by site manager Wanda Burch, who asked him to play for Heritage Holidays. Weiser said he happily agreed.
"This is the third time we've played here," he said. "We really enjoy it."
Schaaf agreed. He said the room on the second floor of the hall was made for chamber music.
"It's the best natural concert hall I've even been in," he said. "The acoustics are great."
Though she was unsure of the number of people who visited the hall Saturday, Burch said visitors came in a steady stream throughout the day. Many families with young children visited as well, she said.
Burch said the passport idea is a new concept developed to further encourage people to visit historic sites often close-by but sometimes overlooked. She said the area has many historic sites worth visiting.
"We spread it out over two weekends because a person couldn't possibly visit all of them in one day," she said.
Heritage Holidays will continue today at the Fort Plain Museum, Johnson Hall, Old Fort Johnson and the Schoharie Crossing State Historic site. The event will continue next weekend next weekend at the Rice Homestead and the Fort Klock Historic Restoration. Visitors can also participate in a History Hunt, in which visitors are encouraged to find answers to questions relating to the history of each site.
