A few Saturdays ago I drove 20 miles west of Syracuse to Albany, NY, a city of about 100,000 people. I was excited to finally tour the Seward House, home to the late statesman William H. Seward, and a major tourist attraction in Central New York. I had been anxious for this trip for weeks; not only did it jumpstart my northeast U.S. history tour, but it also marked the beginning of my Central New York exploration in earnest.
Entering Auburn, I was greeted by blocks of standard strip malls (Big Box stores, neon lights) and the sudden hustle of cars zipping by. At first sight, I could have been anywhere—in the Midwest, driving through some suburb of Chicago. It seemed unimaginable to me that this cement symbol of consumerism, a familiar blight throughout our country, was once plush with 20-foot chokecherries and Cayuga Indians, was once home to the likes of William H. Seward and Harriet Tubman. As I neared downtown, however, the town showed its history: Willard Memorial Chapel this way, Harriet Tubman’s house that way, the Auburn Schine Theater, Fort Hill Cemetery.
Walking up to the Seward House, I tried to imagine Secretary of State William H. Seward (1861-1869), home from Washington, D.C., walking up to his grand Federal house on South Street. He was a tiny wisp of a man with red hair and a thin, long nose. Was he excited to see Frances after their long time apart, or were his thoughts on political matters? Standing in front of this great house, it was not a stretch to imagine the greatness of the man that lived within it.
Bob Hill was my tour guide, or “docent” as his nametag read, and for the next two hours Bob lectured with a seemingly endless enthusiasm and knowledge.
The top 10 things I learned about William H. Seward:
1. He was New York State Senator.
2. He was New York State Governor.
3. He was a United States Senator.
4. He was Secretary of State under President Abraham Lincoln.
5. He loved brandy and Cuban cigars.
6. From an early age he felt slavery was an immoral institution that went against the fabric of this country’s founding principles.
7. He was pretty short, so in most paintings and photos he is shown sitting down.
8. He was stabbed the night President Lincoln was shot at Ford Theater. Though Seward would survive the attack, he would never really recover (his wife, Frances, died a few months after the attack).
9. He was the key player in the purchase of Alaska from Russia.
10. The Seward House was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Seward worked with Harriet Tubman to house slaves bound for Canada.
Visit the Seward House website for hours and admission costs. 33 South Street, Auburn, NY; 315-252-1283.
Entering Auburn, I was greeted by blocks of standard strip malls (Big Box stores, neon lights) and the sudden hustle of cars zipping by. At first sight, I could have been anywhere—in the Midwest, driving through some suburb of Chicago. It seemed unimaginable to me that this cement symbol of consumerism, a familiar blight throughout our country, was once plush with 20-foot chokecherries and Cayuga Indians, was once home to the likes of William H. Seward and Harriet Tubman. As I neared downtown, however, the town showed its history: Willard Memorial Chapel this way, Harriet Tubman’s house that way, the Auburn Schine Theater, Fort Hill Cemetery.
Walking up to the Seward House, I tried to imagine Secretary of State William H. Seward (1861-1869), home from Washington, D.C., walking up to his grand Federal house on South Street. He was a tiny wisp of a man with red hair and a thin, long nose. Was he excited to see Frances after their long time apart, or were his thoughts on political matters? Standing in front of this great house, it was not a stretch to imagine the greatness of the man that lived within it.Bob Hill was my tour guide, or “docent” as his nametag read, and for the next two hours Bob lectured with a seemingly endless enthusiasm and knowledge.
The top 10 things I learned about William H. Seward:
1. He was New York State Senator.
2. He was New York State Governor.
3. He was a United States Senator.
4. He was Secretary of State under President Abraham Lincoln.
5. He loved brandy and Cuban cigars.
6. From an early age he felt slavery was an immoral institution that went against the fabric of this country’s founding principles.
7. He was pretty short, so in most paintings and photos he is shown sitting down.
8. He was stabbed the night President Lincoln was shot at Ford Theater. Though Seward would survive the attack, he would never really recover (his wife, Frances, died a few months after the attack).
9. He was the key player in the purchase of Alaska from Russia.
10. The Seward House was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Seward worked with Harriet Tubman to house slaves bound for Canada.
Visit the Seward House website for hours and admission costs. 33 South Street, Auburn, NY; 315-252-1283.
2 comments:
At the end of the Godfather the Corleone family gets rid of all their enemies at the same time. If Seward was stabbed the same night Lincoln was shot, was there a conspiracy to get rid of Lincoln and his friends at the same time? Was Lincoln really the Don in the Godfather all along?
It definitely was a conspiracy! The conspirators (John Wilkes Booth, Lewis Powell and George Atzerodt) were meant to assassinate Lincoln, Seward and Vice President Andrew Johnson all on the same night. They wanted to collapse the Cabinet to favor the Confederates. Now abour the Godfather, I don't know. Anything is possible :)
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