Guilds

Our guilds study, practice, and teach 19th century crafts and trades. Throughout the year, they sponsor workshops, meetings and field trips. Guild members support the educational mission of the Historical Society by demonstrating their skills at public events. Members share their knowledge and experience with our Youth Interpreters. All of our guilds welcome new members.  You must be a member of the Newark Valley Historical Society in order to join a guild.  Contact us for more information about joining guilds.

Shuttles and Spindles Guild

Members of the Shuttles and Spindles Guild explore spinning, weaving and related textile arts. They focus primarily on traditional methods, although ethnic and contemporary techniques are also of interest. The Society’s collection of antique and modern looms, wheels and equipment are used for study and research. Guild members maintain and operate our 19th century barn frame loom, given by Clar Holden and affectionately known as “Clar de Loom”.

Open Hearth Cooking Guild

The Farmstead’s working open hearth and beehive oven are used by the Cooking Guild to practice food ways of the 19th century. Meals are prepared and served with reproduction cooking equipment and tableware in the Farmstead’s kitchen. Members enjoy discovering old recipes, studying the uses of herbs and experimenting with early food preservation techniques.

If you enjoy cooking, or just learning about it, the old-fashioned recipes section is another area of interest.

Blacksmiths Guild

Our blacksmiths work at the forge just as Asa Bement and John Rewey did in the early 1800’s. Here in our well equipped shop, they create graceful and elegant wrought iron implements. Guild members research and reproduce cooking utensils, hinges, candleholders, hooks and other farmstead necessities. The hardware for the Herrick barn was produced by our blacksmiths.

Woodwright Guild

The Woodwright Guild is dedicated to the crafts of woodworking and timber framing. Opportunities are offered to learn about the care and use of antique woodworking tools. Guild members will played an important role in the reconstruction of the Herrick Barn, a pre-Civil War timber framed structure.  Workshops were scheduled to prepare timbers for the Herrick Barn frame.

Guides Guild

Our guides offer informal tours on summer weekends and work with school groups during May, June and September.

Old Hickory Long Guns

Members of this guild practice black powder shooting on the Farmstead’s, black powder only, range with flintlock, percussion, or side-lock guns. Certified instructors offer training and safety instruction to all participants. The Old Hickory Long Guns are the only Black Powder guild associated with a museum or historical society east of the Mississippi River. Members meet every Wednesday at 6 PM, from May 5 through July 7.  For further information, call Joe Cavanaugh at (607) 723-8405 or Jerry Rhodes (607) 687-2271; geraldrhodes@gmail.com.

The Jane Bement Arts Guild for Fine and Decorative Arts

This new guild will focus upon the romantic revival of the pastoral arts inspired by our museum grounds, architecture, costumes, collections and poetic valley surroundings. Let’s renew our respect for and connection with nature much as did our ancestors. All levels of experience are welcome. Contact the Society for upcoming events and workshops.

P.O. Box 222, Newark Valley, NY 13811 ♦ (607) 642-9516 ♦ NVHistory@stny.rr.com