York Town News
Old York Historical Society offers Morning Adventures
beginning July 6
By Jennifer L. Saunders
Village Elementary School second-grader Callie Alexander, pictured above, was one of many local children to take part in the most recent educational offering hosted by the Old York Historical Society and the Piscataqua Gundalow Project. The children spent afternoons at Old York's John Hancock Wharf and on the York River learning about the town's maritime history. This month, Old York was selected to receive a $500,000 toward its visitor and educational center building project, and has been honored by the National Endowment for the Humanities as one of the best of the best at what it does. This summer, Old York is offering a wide array of programs for children of all ages.
Photo by Jennifer L. Saunders
Then you won't want to miss the latest list of offerings for youngsters between the ages of five and 12 from the Old York Historical Society.
This year marks a change, explained Education Director Anne Poubeau, as the traditional afternoon events have been moved to the morning, based on feedback from past participants and others in the community.
Each individual program will be held from 10:30 a.m. until noon at one of Old York's museum buildings - and many will even offer some fun outside activities away from the beach.
The first offering for Morning Adventures 2006 is "Breaking the Emerson Code," set for Thursday, July 6. Children between the ages of eight and 12 can take part in a fun scavenger hunt, Poubeau explained, finding clues in Old York's buildings that will lead them to a treasure.
Then, on Tuesday, July 11, children between the ages of five and seven will get the chance to play "Colonial Survivors" for a morning of dress-up, cooking, games and colonial chores. Older children will also get their chance to survive on this Colonial-era "island" on Thursday, July 13.
The fun continues on July 18 with Victorian Dare at the Emerson-Wilcox House where children between the ages of five and seven can travel back in time 150 years.
July 20 is the date for Extreme Makeover at the Emerson-Wilcox House, where children ages eight to 12 will have 90 minutes to, as Poubeau put it, "become a true Victorian" - complete with clothing, home-made hats and calling cards.
Old York is offering two age-appropriate sessions of "A Wicked Good Time at the Old Gaol" for younger children on July 25 and older children on July 27 - complete with a chance to take a picture in the pillory, have a seat in one of the cells and make a surprise craft.
Old York's week-long camp for children ages eight to 12 is set for July 31 through August 4 this year and is entitled "Acting Out the Past." The camp will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday, at the Emerson-Wilcox House.
"Every day children will explore different time periods through games, food and crafts," Poubeau explained. "They will focus on the time periods represented in the Emerson-Wilcox House and will prepare a theatrical performance for their parents."
And the fun continues in August with such offerings as Games of the Past, River Rats' Adventures and the special end-of-the-summer party called Brunch at Bessie's at the Elizabeth Perkins House.
Reservations are required for all of the programs, and some are filling up fast. The cost is $10 for OYHS members and $13 for non-members for individual programs and the weeklong camp is $100 for OYHS members and $120 for non-members.
For more information or to register, call Old York at 363-4974 or visit www.oldyork.org.
