MAY 24TH PATRIOTS DAY EVENT SUCCESSFUL DESPITE RAIN

Herkimer Home State Historic Site and the Little Falls Historical Society co-hosted a very successful Patriots Day event on Saturday May 24 as part of Herkimer Home’s 2025 season-opening, afternoon-long Living History event.  The event was well-attended, despite periodic rainfall; some forty people were present for the Patriots Day program.

Program presentations began with Anita Dulak providing the welcome and introduction, followed by Michelle Baum who spoke about the previous thirteen Patriots Day events that were held at various area historic buildings and burial grounds. David Krutz spoke next about Captain Marcus Petrie, followed by Herkimer Home director Edward Heinrichs who spoke about the history of Herkimer Home itself and the surrounding grounds, cemetery and obelisk.

Pat Stock next spoke about Marquis de Lafayette, Pat Frezza-Gressler followed with an address about the Preamble and United States Constitution. Louis Baum next spoke about obscure General Herkimer facts and then Jeffrey Gressler followed with remarks about the Iroquois Confederacy.

Pat Stock laid a Daughters of the American Revolution wreath in Herkimer cemetery. A spectacular 18th century musket salute took place at the gravesite of General Herkimer, followed by Dr. Oscar Stivala’s playing of “Taps” next to the cemetery obelisk

Colonial Era musician Robert Schmelcher provided musical accompaniment at various points during the program, at times complemented by Dr. Stivala on trumpet.

Attendant Cheyenne Dorsagno spoke about her experience of the event: “I felt the importance of the event when I saw smoke coming up from the muskets and when I saw participants in period costumes. Speakers set the tone with music and personal stories. Most of all, I toured the Herkimer Home, and I felt that shift in perspective – I thought about the people who fought for citizens like me to have the country we do today, one where the luxuries of the past are now commonplace.”

Other Living History events included tours of Herkimer Home itself and the historical site’s fine museum. Herkimer Home staff and volunteers were dressed in appropriate Colonial Era attire and were on hand to demonstrate various time-period weaponry, military camp artifacts and other articles of everyday 18th century colonial life.

Herkimer Home State Historic Site was the perfect setting for this Patriots Day event which honors the contributions and sacrifices made by our Colonial and Revolutionary War eras ancestors.