Author: clermontstatehistoricsite
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Under Cover: Setting Clermont\'s Christmas Table
Almost as soon as we can get our Halloween decorations put away, Clermont\’s staff begins our work decorating for Christmas. I know, it\’s little early. We\’d like to join the major national retailer who pledges not to decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving, but the fact is that it takes our small group of 2-3 part-time…
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Finding the Patio: Landscape Discoveries at Clermont
Sometimes historic discoveryjust depends on getting the right people there at the right time. This was the way with the patio just recently discovered hiding under a few inches of dirt next to the mansion. Our gardener (who is notoriously camera shy so I can\’t include a picture of her) was admiring a photograph on…
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Ticket: How to Reserve for Legends by Candlelight Ghost Tours
Hi there! I\’ve been seeing a lot of hits on this blog by people trying to find out how to get tickets for the Legends by Candlelight Ghost Tours, and it seems that I\’ve never gotten around to making all that information available on the blog. You can always find information about our events on…
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Appleton Manor–part 3!
One of the nice features I\’ve discovered about this blog is that it connects me to other people out there writing history. I usually pose questions rhetorically, not expecting a reply, but every now and then I am lucky enough to get responses from Livingston family members and other historians. And today\’s fun response was…
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Always Guess Robert: Sorting Out the Livingston Men
When I hand around the Livingston family tree on mansion tours, I joke that \”If you ever are asked about a Livingston man, guess Robert. You\’ll probably be right.\” It\’s only mostly a joke. It seems like every nuclear family in the Livingston genealogy has a Robert in it. And then you\’re left depending on…
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A Ghostly Preview: Legends by Candlelight 2012
As the weather chills, Clermont is diving headlong into Halloween. And we are just thrilled. Okay–at least I am just thrilled. Legends by Candlelight is my favorite annual event around here, and I love to put my all into it. The Legends by Candlelight Spook Tours are on October 19 & 20, 26 & 27…
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Getting Around: Travel in the 18th Century
We\’ve all heard it; we all know it. Travel in the 18th century was just not what it is today. But the details of what it was like are usually obscured. Blurry images of dirty taverns, idyllic horseback rides, or \”Lord of the Rings\” style treks through the mountains kind of get mixed together in…
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Exotic Beauties
I\’ve recently been drawn to Clermont\’s more exotic artifacts, and it seems we have more than I realized. While assisting with photography for the Friends of Clermont\’s upcoming art publication, I realized that the glittering gold of the tea set in the drawing room was in fact distracting me from some very Chinese-style ornamentation (seen…
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Wheat Farming in New York
Lots of people ask me how the Livingstons got their money. It\’s a good question, but there really isn\’t a short answer. The Livingstons had their fingers in many pies, which was not uncommon for the 18th and early 19th centuries. However at least a portion of their money came from land. Prior to the…
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Rambling and Drawing Around Clermont
Clermont has many things to offer on its 500 acres of historic grounds. Many of our neighbors (and I\’m talking everyone within a ten minute drive) have made us their regular spot for watching sunsets, walking their dogs, and generally taking in the peace and quiet of the landscape. Conrad Hanson–who is not only our…
Clermont State Historic Site 