Category: Uncategorized
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Nicholas and the Apocalypse
The second post in a series on Nicholas van Rensselaer… When last we left our intrepid hero, Nicholas Van Rensselaer, he was just stepping off the boat at Albany in 1675. He had gone from being the black sheep of his family to being the director of the family\’s great holdings in the new world…
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Nicholas the Prophet
Joshua Hauck-Whealton is a curatorial intern at Clermont State Historic Site. His prior research into the Livingston family and other prominent New Yorkers gives him some additional perspective on the Livingston\’s early days in America.The first post in a series on Nicholas van Rensselaer… Of all the characters that pass across our stage, none have…
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Paper Pieces
The third installment in my Halloween series… When I started decorating Clermont for Halloween, it seemed to me that historic party decoration was all about paper. I\’ve already discussed silhouettes in this blog, paper decorations also included Chinese paper lanterns, printed place cards, die-cut decorations (pictured at left from an eBay auction), and copious usage…
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Learn How to Dance at Clermont
While the rest of nation is watching Kelly Osbourn spin around the dance floor on \”Dancing with the Stars,\” Clermont is giving out free dance instruction for anyone who\’s decided its time to try this dancing stuff out for themselves. Salmagundi Consort will be here on October 10th with a caller to direct and explain…
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Scary Silhouettes
The first installment of my Halloween history series… A large number of historic seasonal decorations (Halloween or otherwise) we handmade, relatively easy, and inexpensive–making them perfect for anyone trying to make the most out of their budget. Paper decorations were incredibly popular: some were mass-produced, others made at home. Silhouettes were an element of decor…
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Why Halloween?
I\’ve already mentioned in previous posts what a big deal Halloween has become at Clermont. A few of us around here have even begun to joke that our Halloween decorations have begun to give Christmas a run for its money. In fact, I just put in my annual order for streamers, balloons, and candy. Scissors…
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Music to Our Ears
This spring we put the music back in the library. As part of our efforts to bring Clermont to life, we installed a small stereo and began poking around in the small stack of records that we have in collections storage. This handful of recorded music was given to Clermont by Honoria in the 1980s,…
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Olivek Christensen Myers
Olivek (or Olivia) Christensen was one of Honoria and Janet\’s two nurses during their childhood, and of the two she was at Clermont the longest. Her close interaction with the children and Alice has made her story the best known of any of Clermont\’s servants. Before coming to Clermont, we know that she emigrated from…
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Dog Blog
Dogs, were a part of life at Clermont probably beginning as soon as the Livingstons settled in with their furniture. Animals were most certainly present from day one, and the term \”pet\” was already coming into use to denote a preferred or \”favorite,\” an animal or person to whom one devoted extra attention and love.…
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Do You Know How to Set a Table Correctly?
\”Do you know how to set a table correctly? Are you familiar with the right linen and silver to use for every occassion?\” These are the rather dictatorial questions printed on the cover of Table Service and Decoration, a 1935 entertaining manual I found in Alice\’s library. My 21st century brain reacted first with derision…
Clermont State Historic Site 