Otis Family Headstone Dedication & Skills Demo

Past event
Sep 8, 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Sep 9, 2023

The Otis family will host a commemorative ceremony (Sep 8 @9:30am), hike (Sep 9 @9:30am), and 18th century skills demonstration (Sep 9 @1:00pm). The 2-day event celebrates a famous son of Halifax and colonial Vermont, Elisha Otis, inventor of the safety elevator brake (1857). Having safe elevators led to the rise of skyscrapers and our now-familiar city skylines. All events take place at or depart from the Halifax Community Hall, 20 Brook Road, West Halifax.

Preview of the headstones: https://czresearch.com/newsletter/Otis-Stephen-new-stone.jpg *Friday, Sept. 8* Gather at the Hall in West Halifax at 9:30am to carpool up to Whitneyville Cemetery for the Otis Family Commemorative Headstones Dedication (10:00-11:30 AM, Whitneyville Cemetery, 1470 Old County Road, Halifax). The ceremony will include color guard, live music, blessing by local pastor Doug LaPlante, and dedication by DAR members from Brattleboro. Fine hand-carved headstones will be revealed honoring Revolutionary War Patriot Stephen Otis & Mayflower Descendant Lucy Chandler Otis. Stephen and Lucy lived the last 20 + years of their lives in Halifax at the home of their son and daughter-in-law, Stephen Otis, Jr. and Phoebe Glynn Otis. They helped raise Elisha Graves Otis at the Otis homestead on Perry Road. This celebration is hosted by their direct descendants, Carol Otis and Kelly Otis Hazen.

*Saturday, Sept. 9* Gather at the Community Hall (20 Brook Road, West Halifax) at 9:30 to carpool up to the upper (south) end of Perry Road for the Otis Homestead Hike. Hike to the birthplace of Elisha Graves Otis and then visit the old Otis Mill on lower Perry Road, time permitting. Note: the trail is extremely wet and uneven. Waterproof boots, bug spray, and good balance are a must! This event will be cancelled if it is raining.

*Saturday, Sept. 9* Come to the Community Hall at 1:00pm for skills demos. David Gillespie of South Carolina will demonstrate the traditional 18th Century method of carving headstones while Native American Crafters demonstrate flint knapping, bead artisanry, and porcupine quill artisanry. David Gillespie will also have copies of his book for purchase and signing.

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Event Info

Community Hall, 20 Brook Road, West Halifax, VT

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