Page 16 - 2024 Cortland Travel Guide

HISTORY s

C uriou r Are you captivated by the strange and unusual? Looking to get off
the beaten path to explore the obscure? Cortland County is filled
De to u s like you to discover. We’ve rounded up just a few of Cortland’s more
with weird, wacky and wonderful history just waiting for someone

peculiar artifacts to instigate your next adventure.

1925 Brockway Fire Truck

What do a butcher, a locksmith, an engineer and a chauffeur have in common?
They would all climb aboard this antique Brockway fire truck for an adventure
that, unbeknownst to them, would become a national sensation, forever cement-
ing their trans-centennial tale in Cortland County history! Visit the CNY Living
History Center’s new Antique Firehouse Museum to read the countless signatures
these brave volunteer firefighters collected on the sides of the 1925 Brockway dur-
ing their harrowing 20,000-mile journey.

Curiosity piqued?
Check out the Firecracker Trail to uncover the spark that ignited historic
heroic, historic and daring events.

Human Hair Wreath

There are wreaths, and then there is this wreath, proudly displayed at the 1890
House Museum parlor. Each delicate flower is carefully woven with a unique fiber-
human hair. Memento moris were all the rage at the height of the Victorian era.
Traditionally handmade by the women of the household, it could include hair from
many family members, both living and deceased. Book a tour of this Victorian
mansion to determine for yourself just how many tresses are eternally entangled.
Curiosity piqued?
Check out the Wickwire Legacy Trail to discover Cortland’s very-own castle
and the spirits that live within.

Ox Shoe

Did you know that in the early 19th century, oxen, like their counterpart the horse,
once wore shoes? Unlike horses, shoeing an ox was a tremendous undertaking!
Unable to stand on just three legs, massive stocks were built to keep the lumber-
ing beast from collapsing during the farriering. Because of this, very few ox shoes
were made, and as beasts of burden were replaced with machinery, very few of
these artifacts remained. Lucky for you, this unusual shoe is on display at Cortland
Country Music Park.
Curiosity piqued?
Check out the One-off Oddities Trail to explore all things
weird and wonderful in Cortland County.

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