Summer Newsletter 2025

The Summer Newsletter is on the website. Select About Us and scroll to Newsletters.

Our next program is August 17th at 7pm. Ran Away with the Circus with Jane Oakes. Oh, the excitement of seeing a poster announcing that a circus was coming to your town! Many a young person dreamed of running away with the circus, and some did.

Come an listen to "one of western New York's most popular historical speakers whose well-illustrated programs are always lively and engaging."

Refreshments will be served. Your seat is waiting! See you there!

Ran Away with the Circus! August 17, 2025 at 7pm

Jane Oakes has been teaching people history for over 40 years. She lives in western NY and gives dynamic talks on Circuses. Jane has been described as "one of the area's most popular historical speakers whose well-illustrated programs are always lively and engaging."

Oh the excitement of seeing a poster announcing that a circus was coming to your town! Many a young person dreamed of running away with the circus, and some did! New York State has many interesting connections with American circus history. From "Yankee Robinson, who gave the Ringling Brothers their start, to P.T. Barnum's "Ossian Giant". You'll meet some New Yorkers who followed the lure of the sawdust circle.

This program is free and open to the public. Donations to support these programs are always welcome. There will be a raffle of a MacKensie-Childs Rosy-check ceramic fluted cake stand with tickets only $2 each or 3 for $5. Refreshments will be served.

COME ONE - COME ALL! THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN! JANE OAKES WILL BRING THE CIRCUS ALIVE!

An Exciting New Raffle Begins Today!

Rosy Check Ceramic fluted Cake Stand

This piece is handmade and hand-painted in rosy hues, trimmed with gold luster and stamped by the Aurora artisans involved in its creation. Value is $500. It was donated by McKenzie-Childs.

Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 tickets for $5. You can purchase tickets at the upcoming Doug's Fish Fry on July 5th at the Fire House in Union Springs from 11am-6pm. They are also available on weekends at the museum from 1pm-4pm and at our future programs. The next program is entitled Our World Underwater with diver Henry MacDonald showing some amazing underwater photos. This program will be at 7pm on July 13th.

We are also pleased to announce that the winner of the McKenzie-Childs compote bowl donated by Claire Morehouse was Ruth Bradley, Cayuga County Historian. Congratulations Ruth!