NORWICH, N.Y. – The Chenango County Historical Society (CCHS) will be open to host a special program on June 19, with several activities planned in celebration of Path Through History Weekend.
Beginning at 3:30 p.m., the “David Maydole: An ‘Adz’ Eye for Innovation” exhibition will be unveiled. Celebrating the remarkable legacy of the Oxford blacksmith whose hammer redesign forever changed toolboxes, this unique exhibit is located both inside and outside of the James S. Flanagan Research Center, located on the CCHS campus at 43 Rexford St.
Maydole’s adz-eye hammer – featuring a wooden handle that fit into the hammer’s blade – was significantly safer than previous versions of the tool. Having resolved the worry of a hammer head “flying off the handle,” Maydole became the largest hammer manufacturer in the U.S. Even after his death in 1892, the various businesses which occupied the Maydole Hammer Factory structure continued to innovate with a variety of new product lines – including ice skates – until the plant closed in 1961.
Immediately follow this exhibit opening, join CCHS for a brief awards ceremony when the Elinor Robb Troicke Memorial Scholarship will be presented to two graduating high school seniors from Chenango County: Amy Avolio from Unadilla Valley Central School, who plans to study game design and development at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and Sherburne-Earlville High School’s Baily Mizrahi, who is enrolling at SUNY Cortland to pursue a degree in early childhood/childhood education.
At the conclusion of the scholarship ceremony, the newest members of Chenango’s Heritage “Wall of Honor” will be revealed. The “Wall of Honor” is a meaningful way to recognize someone and a thoughtful way to support the mission of CCHS. A donation is made in honor of a recognized individual, and their name is then displayed on the “Wall of Honor” inside the main entrance of Ward School No. 2. Additional information on each honoree will be featured in an upcoming virtual experience.
Both award presentations will be held at the David & Carol Miller Pavilion, located adjacent to the parking lot at 41 Rexford St. on the CCHS campus. The afternoon will also feature an open house in The Loomis Barn until 4:30 p.m. Home of the Marshman Agriculture Education Center, The Loomis Barn honors the enduring agricultural heritage of Chenango County from the Civil War era through the present.
During Path Through History Weekends, special events are held to highlight historically and culturally significant sites, and offer new perspectives on New York state’s heritage. (All visitors must follow standard contact-tracing, mask-wearing, and social-distancing guidelines.) For more information, visit www.ChenangoHistorical.org or call (607) 334-9227, ext. 2.
