Grant Cottage named Literary Landmark
» Grant Cottage State Historic Site has been named the 24th New York State Literary Landmark by United for Libraries and the Empire State Center for the Book.
Literary Landmark status is given to public places associated with a literary figure, author, or his or her work.
President Ulysses S. Grant completed the second volume of his memoirs at the cottage, just days before his death in 1885.
The Friends of Grant Cottage will hold a public Literary Landmark Plaque Dedication Ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 at Grant Cottage, featuring keynote speaker David S. Nolen, assistant editor at Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, in Mississippi, and contributor to the annotated edition of The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant.
Early-release copies of the annotated memoirs will be available for purchase and signing by Nolen, a news release said.
Other speakers are Rocco Staino, director of Empire State Center for the Book; and Alane Ball-Chinian, Saratoga-Capital Region director of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Grant, portrayed by Steve Trimm, and Mark Twain, portrayed by Kevin O’Brien, will be in attendance and available for tintype photographs by Glens Falls Art, weather permitting.
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant has never been out of print and stands as a work of profound political, historical and literary significance, praised by such diverse critics as Twain, Thomas Nast, Henry James, Gertrude Stein, Edmund Wilson, Bruce Catton and Gore Vidal.
The following additional autumn events are planned at Grant Cottage.
• Sunday, Sept. 10: (1 p.m.) Elmira, New York Civil War Prison-Death Camp of the North. The Civil War prison in Elmira was called “Hell-mira” or the Andersonville of the North. Dave Hubbard, Grant Cottage site manager, will tell about the prison’s history and mismanagement.
• Saturday, Sept. 16: (5:30-7:30 p.m.) Edison Bulb Tour of Grant Cottage. Step back in time and experience the beginnings of the Electric Age during a tour through Grant Cottage, lit with 19th century-style Edison light bulbs. Reenactors dressed in period 1880’s clothing will be on hand to bring the Grant family and their visitors to life. Registration required. Early registration is recommended as space is limited.
• Saturday, Sept. 23: (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) Grant Cottage Arts Festival A Plein Air Event. Artists bring easels and art supplies to paint the historic site and its panoramic views. This event is free to artists. To register email: bjsartworks@gmail.com or call (518) 793-9350.
• Saturday, Sept. 23: (1 p.m.) “In the Days of Stephen Foster” resented by the Lost Radio Rounders. Born on the Fourth of July in 1826, America’s first great songwriter was a talented but troubled man. Famous the world over by his late 20s, Stephen Collins Foster would die a penniless alcoholic before he reached 40. Lost Radio Rounders will present Foster’s life story and perform classic compositions including “Beautiful Dreamer,” “My Old Kentucky Home,” “Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair,” “Camptown Races,” “Oh, Susanna,” “The Old Folks at Home,” and “Hard Times Come Again No More.”
• Saturday, Oct. 7: The Yanks are Coming. Civil War Encampment.
• Sunday, Oct. 8: (1 p.m.) Civil War medical re-enactor Wayne Waite will discuss the life and career of Dr. Jonathan Letterman. When the Civil War began battlefield medical practices were incredibly insufficient for the vast number of casualties. Learn how this “Father of Battlefield Medicine” drastically improved the medical system during the Civil War and saved countless soldiers lives then and since.
For more information go to: grantcottage.net.