59°
In honor of the Village of Ossining's Bicentennial Celebration, the Ossining Historical Society is hosting several tours that detail local history dating back to the village's inception. The first tour, starting at 1 p.m. Saturday at South Highland Avenue and Ellis Place, gives residents the chance to learn about the Victorian Era homes that dot the area.
"We want to know where we came from and why we're here. We pass these houses every day but we don't know who was here before us," said Miguel Hernandez of the Ossining Historical Society. "We're teaching history, not in terms of classes and names and dates, but history you can use."
The Victorian Era was a time in which some of the "most beautiful art and architecture were crafted," said Hernandez, who designed the tours. Several of the 10 homes on the weekend tour are also on the National Register of Historic Places.
"We want to do tours that focus on our rich, 200-year history. This street is tremendously important to the community because it represents an excellent example of Victorian Era houses and that influence here locally," he said. "We want people to know about the history of Ossining and the community in which they live. There is an awful lot to see here."
Those looking to join this weekend's tour are asked to meet at noon at Mahopac Bank for a pre-tour reception. The tour begins at 1 p.m. on Ellis Place.
The other tours set for the next few months include "Holy Ossining," a tour of local churches, on June 18 and "A Grave Situation: A Tour of Dale Cemetery" on July 14. More information on the tours is available at the Ossining Historical Society website.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Ossining and receive free news updates.
