Photo by Phyllis Palladino

Austerlitz Historical Society Cemetery Walk and Calendar

A cemetery walk, during which five spirits who are buried in Austerlitz Cemeteries, attracted about 30 hearty people on Saturday at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Spencertown. The event was sponsored by the Austerlitz Historical Society to raise interest in the 2009 calendar published by the Society and which features photos of tombstones and houses associated with those buried in the local cemeteries.

The ghostly guide legendary raconteur Anna Rundell (portrayed by Connie Mondel) escorted the group to the graves of Hiram Mather(Joe Mondel), an undertaker; May Wolfe Howes (Mitzi Lobdell), former resident of Clatter hall; Clara Blanchard Wadsworth(Sally McCarthy), founder of Wadsworth Park- known as the village green; Jonathan Chamberlain(Phil Palladino), a shoemaker, blacksmith, and farmer; and of course poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (Diane Arduini). Each of the ghostly figures recounted stories about the times and places where they lived back when.

The stories, tombstones, and homes of these five and six others are featured in the 2009 Calendar which is dedicated to Marion Kern the former Town Historian and a charter member of the historical society. Creating and producing the calendar is an effort by the Austerlitz Historical society to stimulate interest in the Town of Austerlitz and engender an appreciation of its heritage. Calendars are available for purchase at the Chatham Bookstore and the Spencertown Store, and at AHS quarterly meeting on November 16th and the Holiday Sing on December 7^th. The price of a calendar is $8 or 2 for $15. You may call (518)392-0062 for additional information about purchasing calendars. Visit www.oldausterlitz.org for coming events.

Phil Palladino

Publicity Coordinator

Austerlitz Historical Society

392-5933