NEWS RELEASE: Historic Huguenot Street Presents “New Paltz in the Civil War” in Cooperation with the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection
Studio portrait of Johannes LeFevre, ca. 1860
From the Historic Huguenot Street Collections
NEW PALTZ, NY (September 4, 2015) – On September 26 at 4 pm in Deyo Hall (6 Broadhead Avenue), Historic Huguenot Street will host a performance of “New Paltz in the Civil War” based on the letters of Johannes LeFevre, his family members, and his friends from 1862 – 1864.
Originally performed at the Elting Memorial Library in September 2014, the production features original letters, photos, and newspaper items from the Library’s Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection and the Historic Huguenot Street Collections. These documents provide a glimpse into the Civil War experience; as Johannes wrote to his dear friend Sol Dubois in January 1863, “I suppose you people around the Paltz are real inquisitive to know how we live ‘a way down south in Dixie.’”
“We found the original performance at Elting Memorial Library last year to be very inspiring,” said Kara Gaffken, Director of Public Programming. “We’re so pleased to host this production for the public again. Special thanks to the Haviland-Heidgerd Historical Collection for sharing their historic primary documents.”
Scripted and directed by New Paltz’s Anne Wandres, the production is performed by all local volunteers, with music arranged and performed by Shirley Hoffman Warren and Sherry Kitay. The readings will be performed by: Mark Grunblatt as Johannes LeFevre; Andrew Benedict as Peter LeFevre; Sherry Kitay as Jenny LeFevre, Ken Thompson as Sol Dubois, Pip (Mathias Euen), and Josiah LeFevre; and Al White as New Paltz Times editor Charles Ackert, A.M. Hasbrouck, and Dr. West. Cathy Agnew Steinbach of Batavia, IL - descendent of Louis DuBois, Abraham DuBois, and Christian Deyo - will play an antique flute before the performance and during intermission.
The performance includes two 45 minute acts and an intermission, during which cider and donuts will be available. Members $10, seniors and military $12, general admission $15.
A National Historic Landmark District, Historic Huguenot Street is a 501(c)3 non-profit that encompasses 30 buildings across 10 acres that was the heart of the original 1678 New Paltz settlement, including seven stone houses that date to the early eighteenth century. It was founded in 1894 as the Huguenot Patriotic, Historical, and Monumental Society to preserve the nationally acclaimed collection of stone houses. Since then, Historic Huguenot Street has grown into an innovative museum, chartered as an educational corporation by the University of the State of New York, that is dedicated to protecting our historic buildings, conserving an important collection of artifacts and manuscripts, and promoting the stories of the Huguenot Street families, from the sixteenth century to today.
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Contact
Kaitlin Gallucci
Communications & Marketing Manager
(845) 255-1660
media@huguenotstreet.org