It’s July and you are thrilled that you don’t have to rush the kids to school every morning, but the question hits you fast “What am I going to do with the kids every day for the next 2 months?” Many parents feel the same sense of stress when summer vacation officially starts. Don’t panic! There is plenty to do in our area for children of all ages and the best part is you won’t have to spend a lot of gas money to visit these fun places!When was the last time you visited a historical museum in Oneida or Herkimer County? Take your child back in time for a unique history lesson and allow your child to explore the artifacts on display at several museums in the area. Recently, my daughter and I had the opportunity to visit the Oneida County Historical Society with a few friends. It was a wonderful educational experience and I learned a lot about Utica’s history.
Did you know that the 27th Vice President of the United States was from Utica? His name was James S. Sherman and he was born October 24, 1855. He graduated from Hamilton College in 1878 and became the Utica Mayor in 1884. He was in office as the Vice President of the United States from March 4, 1909 to October 30, 1912 under President William Howard Taft. James S. Sherman died in 1912 and was the last Vice President to die in office. The historical society had several artifacts on display of Vice President Sherman. Even my daughter who is only three, had fun seeing some of the items that were on display. We signed a sheet that was hanging in the community interactive area of the museum. The sheet is hanging for signatures of support for those who are serving their country. When the sheet is full of signatures it will be sent to the local National Guard and then off to our troops in Iraq.
We are very fortunate to have over ten historical museums in our area and I encourage you to visit each one over the summer. Your visit will not only help support the museum it will also help expand your child’s mind with a little bit of history.
Kelley Salamone
ksalamone@mvparentonline.com
