Schoharie County Historian Ted Shuart will be the guest lecturer at the Old Stone Fort Museum this Thursday, August 18 at 7pm in the final installment of the Summer Lecture Series.
His topic, "The Inns and Hotels of Schoharie County"
will focus on some of the best-known inns, hotels, taverns and tavern stories of Schoharie County.
Mr. Shuart will include a look at some of the historic taverns, most currently private residences, still standing in the area.
The program is free and light refreshments will be served.
The earliest lodging establishments in the area were private homes where a family would take in a few travelers.
Such inns, or taverns if they also had a public room where food and drink was available, tended to spring up where-ever settlers and travelers might pass through.
They operated along highways, near crossroads, at river confluences, or near scenic wonders.
Each tavern tended to be a unique establishment reflecting its location, management and clientele.
Villages often developed around taverns.
It has been said that a good tavern was essential to a village's growth and a region's development.
Mr. Shuart, a graduate of Cobleskill Central School, is a master interpreter at the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown.
He is a long-time Civil War reenactor, who participated in the filming of the 1993 movie Gettysburg and many other events and is active in a number of local historical organizations.
On September 10 and 11 he will command a living history encampment of the 125th NY Volunteer Infantry at the Old Stone Fort.
For more information on Thursday's talk, contact the museum at 295-7192, office@schohariehistory.net, or on the internet at TheOldStoneFort.org.