Morningside Cultural Trails Note: We are working towards a planned Grand Opening of the trail in late Spring. Keep an eye open for ways you can help us build for that day. Over the next few months there will be more frequent postings as projects develop and the trails grow
Vol. 2016 Issue 3, 10-4-16
Ghost trail!
photo: Courtesy of Steve Pearlman of the Syracuse Camera Club
Ghost Trail Finished: Just in time for Halloween: Our“paranormal experts” have finished their work. We now have a lengthy 12 to 15 location ghost trail! Our "experts" mostly past or present ESF, LeMoyne and "Ham students and staff " used local legends and modern Google searches to make a really spooky adventure. On top of that the International Paranormalist John Zaffis, will be revisiting the cemetery October 19th do see what he can add. He is the speaker who a half dozen years ago treated an ESF audience to at least one new ghost who they seemed to have contacted during his visit. Attached is the beginning narrative though it will be updated after Zaffis' visit. SU's Geography Professor, Jonnell Allen, has once again joined in and has one of her students mapping the trail so that GPS locations will be available for each stop. Do you know of any? How about You? Experienced something spooky along the trail? Have you heard about the ghostly Black lab; or a strange and lonely Bride? Contact us at luludoodah@aol.com
Preliminary listing of the Ghosts attached
Ghost Busters? As mentioned above John Zaffis will revisit ESF and the cemetery 10/19 at 8PM. He will give a brief talk on his efforts with the spirit world and then leada search for our ghostly companions, along the trail. To learn more about Zaffis and his last exciting tour (2010) readthe attached "Ghost trail" document
The Students are Back! This time of year brings an added joy along the trails as our ESF, SU and Lemoyne students are seen everywhere. It certainly adds color and life to our area to see the gang drawing, writing poetry, doing Yoga, walking "slack lines," marching in support of "Black Lives Matter" in the same way many of us have demonstrated against war, racism and for the environment, walking and cycling to class, socializing among the beautiful statuary and mausoleums (trivia: Who knows from where the word "mausoleum" was derived ?)
ESF student effort.ESF, it's staff and the ESF student bodyhas, for years, been an active partner to the trail. This year they are taking it up a notch with several work crews already active, more planned and a new emphasis on new appropriate recreational uses of the area (fun runs, developing invasive species info and more). For more information contact Amelia G, Hoffman at aghoffma@esf.edu
Look for future posts for our many new developments such as the Public Arts Pathway, Smart Phone Tours, Chess tables in Barry Park and a NEW nature Trail
With the Morningside Cultural Trails you can:
Science and Nature
-View the different stages of technological growth in CNY.
-Go geo-caching!
-identify rare trees!
-Become a bird watcher
-pick wildflowers!
-grow a garden!
-Surprise a deer.
-collect autumn leaves!
-find a strange fungus!
-Study invasive species
-use the binoculars you've always wanted to...
-Pick up walnuts and make a pie.
Recreation and Fitness
-walk a mile or seven!
-go for a bike ride!
-use a stopwatch to time your run up Morningside Hill or how long it takes for the setting of the sun!
-fly a kite as you overlook the City of Syracuse!
-roll down a hill with your friends and family!
-sit and talk with friends in the nicest place you'll find!
-stretch on a beautiful hilltop!
-roller blade
-Walk up the Morningside Stairway…then come down…see how fast or many times you can do it…or just enjoy the secluded beauty.
-Practice Yoga exercises while overlooking the county under the twisted pines.
-see some of the most beautiful views in CNY!
-Kiss your main squeeze!
-meditate!
History and Culture
-find the graves of the abolitionist leaders from the 19th century.
-study historical landmarks reaching across thousands of years!
-meet the founders of Syracuse including the original Ham White.
-Show your children the touching ritual practiced by our Jewish community members of leaving a stone on a grave at every visit.
-discover the archaeological remnants of the famed "toboggan slide."
-view the unusual architecture of our community's beautiful Mosque and the Islamic graveyard at the entrance to Oakwood.
-find Ed Smith and his three wives!
-see the original home of the Haudanosee!
-visit the Civil War monument
-find out who Maggie loves (according to the Water Tower drive)!
-Visit OHA and research the different parts of the trail!
-Get entranced by the beauty of the Oakwood Chapel!
-and get passionate about its condition!
-be amazed at the diversity of our community as seen from the hilltops, in the cemeteries and while walking through our neighborhoods!
-discover the remnants of the old toboggan run
-Research to find out if an accident involving a Mayor’s wife really was the reason it was closed.
Arts and Literacy
-sing "Danny Boy" to the Irish canal workers buried at Oakwood!
-read a book in a secluded glen!
-paint a beautiful landscape while looking at it!
-write a poem while sitting in the shade of ancient mausoleums!
-Memorize a poem while walking your dog!
-make up a trivia contest of local sights
--Design a sculpture from found items from nature!
-Enjoy the year round beauty of the Morningside gardens!
-create a new dance step as you boogie around the Water Towers!
-Start that novel!
-play an instrument in the midst of a natural setting!
Community
-Imagine what CNY looked like a hundred years ago… a thousand...a million!
-Imagine CNY will look like in a hundred years… a thousand… a million!
-Invent a project for the trail
-add ideas for other ways to use the trail.
-help us make your family and our community's dreams come true by developing a resource that speaks to all of our needs
Have an idea? Want to help?
Send it to Paul Harvey at luludoodah@aol.com or call 432-1914