Otsego 2000 to offer Walking Tours Highlighting Local Architecture
This summer Otsego 2000 will offer a series of walking tours, led by Dr. Cynthia Falk, in three Route 20 villages: Cherry Valley, Sharon Springs, and Richfield Springs. Dr. Falk will explain how the natural environment as well as year-round and summer residents shaped architectural expressions. She says that in all three villages, building form and style combined tradition and innovation to create structures that were functional and fashionable. Builders added classical columns, decorative cornices, and colored glass windows to connect with larger architectural styles. At the same time, local materials and distinctive landscapes shaped architectural expressions that marked these places as unique.
“The villages of Otsego and Schoharie counties are rich in architectural history,” Falk explains. “Each has its own story to tell, and the built environment helps us understand how each place developed over time.” Cherry Valley, Sharon Springs, and Richfield Springs are especially rich in buildings from the 1800s and early 1900s, which embody the culture of each place—from transportation to recreation to religious expression.
Cherry Valley
The Cherry Valley walk on June 26 will focus on Turnpike architecture, the Sharon Springs walk on July 31 will highlight development undertaken to support Jewish visitors to the springs, and the Richfield Springs walk on August 14 will feature resort building. All walks will be held on Sundays and begin at 4:30 pm. The cost for each walk is $10, and space is limited. Register for the Cherry Valley Walk at Otsego2000.org. The walks are about two miles, with some uphill stretches. Registration for the Sharon Springs and Richfield Springs Walks will open three weeks prior the events.
A professor of material culture at the Cooperstown Graduate Program, Dr. Falk served as co-editor of Buildings & Landscapes: The Journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum for five years. She is an adviser to Otsego 2000. This walking tour series is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
“We’re very grateful to NYSCA for their support, and to Cindy for sharing her expertise and perspective to enrich our understanding of the history and unique development of villages along Route 20,” says Ellen Pope, Executive Director of Otsego 2000.
“ The villages of Otsego and Schoharie counties are rich in architectural history. Each has its own story to tell, and the built environment helps us understand how each place developed over time.”
June 26, 4:30 pm
Cherry Valley Walking Tour: Turnpike Architecture
July 31, 4:30 pm
Sharon Springs Walking Tour: Jewish Adaptations
August 14, 4:30 pm
Richfield Springs Walking Tour: Resort Building