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Vicky Daly
Palmyra's Museum Trail
Museums, museums and more museums! In Palmyra’s 1.3 square miles, it boasts five intriguing, world class museums, and they are all within a one block radius of free, public parking. You can’t do better than that.
Palmyra’s Museum Trail, Market Street, includes the Wm. Phelps General Store, a literal step back into the era of the Erie Canal of 1826 - 1840. Not a re-creation, the General Store is as it was when the second Mr. Phelps closed the doors and walked away, leaving the contents behind. Also available to the public is the beautifully restored Phelps family residence on the upper floors. Here the furnishings are largely original. Some say the ghost of Sibyl Phelps, William’s granddaughter greets the visitors to her home, so proud is she of its refurbishing.
Just a few steps to the south, the Palmyra Historic Museum, also on Market Street, is the Palmyra Historical Museum. Originally, the St. James Hotel, the building was purchased by Historic Palmyra during the village’s urban renewal effort and moved to its current location. Built in 1826 as a tavern and hotel, it now contains artifacts from the era. Included are exhibits on Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church, Winston Churchill who had family roots in Palmyra, Admiral William T. Sampson, hero of the Spanish American War, and Henry Wells, founder of Wells Fargo. Intriguing, too, are the items from everyday life in the nineteenth century. A frequent reaction by visitors is ‘ My grandmother had one of those.’
Completing the Market Street portion of the museum trail is the brand new Print Shop. In 1860 an inventive printer, John M. Jones opened a business which supplied printing presses and related equipment to the world. Historic Palmyra has assembled examples of his equipment which was marketed under the familiar names of Peerless, Ben Franklin, Global and Star.
En route to the fourth Historic Palmyra museum, the Alling Coverlet, one block to the west on William Street, stop at the Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site, the Grandin Building, on East Main Street. One can enter from the street or the parking lot behind it. In 1830, the first Book of Mormon was printed by Egbert B. Grandin. The initial run of 5,000 copies was quickly distributed and marked the beginning of the world wide growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The handsome museum includes a replica of the original press, a bindery, and a gift shop. This part of New York State history is well worth a visit no matter what one's affiliation.
The Alling Coverlet Museum contains the world's largest collection of handwoven coverlets or nineteenth century woven bedspreads. The collection is so extensive that it takes six years to rotate it for display. The coverlets include jacquard, double weave, and overshot. Also on display are nineteenth and twentieth century quilts, fabric art, looms, spinning wheels and tools of the weaver. A truly unique gift shop is available. Among its offerings are one-of-a-kind pillows made from salvageable remnants of nineteenth century coverlets; puzzles, games, posters and books of a historical nature or theme, Erie Canal memorabilia, and reference materials on the items displayed.
Plan a day in Plamyra to visit the five diverse but complimentary museums. Lunch at one of our affordable family restaurants or bring a picnic for the Village Park or the Port of Palmyra Marina Park. Park your car once and spend the day. You will be glad you did.
To you can learn more about Palmyra and its museums, and everything else it has to offer at www.palmyrany.com, www.placestovisit.lds.org, or waynecountytourism.org. Helpful phone numbers are (315)597-4849 and (800)527-6510.
A minimal admission fee is asked at the Historic Palmyra Museums. The Book of Mormon Publication site is free.
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| Palmyra on the Erie: June 2005 | Login/Create an account | 0 Comments |
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