Trail at Ganondagan, New York, June 13, 2010I just returned home from an unscheduled trip to the Great White North. It was a mixed trip; sadness for a grandparent who is very, very ill and joy at seeing a very dear friend and watching siblings and second cousins mix it up at a local contra dance for the first time. As I get older, I get more and more practice at simultaneously holding wildly conflicting emotions.
Seneca Knitting Mills, Seneca Falls, New York. Wesleyan Chapel is to the right. The National Women's Hall of Fame is restoring the Knitting Mills and will move in when the work is done. I can't wait to see the inside! June 9, 2010During the drive, I made a few stops to get out of the car and stretch my legs. A couple of stops, at Taughannock Falls and Women's Rights National Historical Park, are standard for me when I'm in the area. I also made a new stop at a place near Victor, New York called Ganondagan -- the former location of a Seneca town destroyed in 1687, and now a New York State Historic Site. Really nicely kept trails; I took "The Earth is Our Mother" trail out to Great Brook. Quite the workout, especially in the humidity, but well worth a visit to falls on Great Brook at the end.
Taughannock Falls, from the overlook, no zoom. June 9, 2010
Taughannock Falls, taken from the same location as above, using the camera's zoom. I'm pretty happy! June 9, 2010.
The Longhouse at Ganondagan, June 13, 2010
The falls at Great Brook, Ganondagan, June 13, 2010
Reconstruction of the Wesleyan Chapel at Women's Rights National Historical Park continues. It should be finished by the end of June. The exterior structure is mostly done; I couldn't get a good peek inside. June 9, 2010.
A closeup of the new brick (lighter) and the original 1843 Wesleyan Chapel brick and stone foundation (darker, to the right). The brickwork looks fine to me; at the moment, the discontinuity in the foundation from stone to nothing bothers me. June 9, 2010
A structural history of the Wesleyan Chapel. Quite the dog's breakfast; I am still amazed that any of the original building was in there, and that people remembered its significance. The folks at the Park very kindly let me take a photo of their display. I need to figure out how to kill the fisheye effect, especially for flat things like this. I left this file big; click to embiggen for details. June 9, 2010
4 comments:
Wow! I'm going to have to go see that site. A Seneca village destroyed in the 17th century? Amazing! So beautiful, too.
Of course, I will also go make a pilgrimage to Seneca Falls!
We must be passing each other on the interstate.
I'm sorry about the grandparent, too. Wildly conflicting emotions, indeed.
Apparently destroyed by Canadians; we have a horrible track record of relations with the First Nations. Most Canadians are oblivious to the existence of residential schools, never mind the rest of it. Then again, while I was in the Great White North, I marveled that First Nations were actually mentioned in the news... for things other than opening casinos, even. Very different from this neck of the woods!
To get to Seneca Falls, I recommend taking Route 89 from Ithaca up the west side of Cayuga Lake. Stunning. And just as fast as taking I-81 to the Thruway and exiting at Waterloo from points south(get off I-81 at Whitney Point, just north of Binghamton, onto Route 79. It will take you right into Ithaca; follow the signs out to 89 North, and make a left at the flashing lights at the north end of the lake).
Thanks re: the grandparent. They won't be getting any better, unfortunately, so now we wait. Honestly, I'm not sure how much more loss I can manage; it's been a hell of a nine months.
OMG, these are beautiful!
And I grew up in upstate NY, as I probably mentioned before, and these make me homesick.
So sorry about the dear one who is ill. (((((Digsy))))
TY for the hugs, Inky. Glad you liked the pics! Any suggestions of things to see up thatta way?
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