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To people of the Victorian age, a parlor in the home was a mark of social and financial status. Find out the significance and most-wanted, fashionable contents of this special room at the Niagara History Center's May family night, Tuesday, May 16, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the museum, 215 Niagara St., Lockport.
The Victorian parlor was also a sanctuary from the busy, noisy and sometimes dirty outside world of the Industrial Revolution. The parlor could be a formal gathering place reserved for special occasions, or a family's room for evenings of reading, conversation, music, games or sewing.
Becky Pittler, co-curator of the History Center's Bond-Hawley House, will tell guests how the parlor was used, and what furniture and other objects were in this room and why. She'll also give a tour of the re-created parlor in the circa-1863 Outwater House. Hands-on activities related to the history of the parlor will follow.
Admission to family night is free. A pizza and beverage supper will be available for a nominal donation from 5:30-6 p.m., followed by the program.
Family nights are a series of monthly programs and activities specifically designed for families with children ages 5 and up. All ages can share a good time learning about history that happened in Niagara County. The series highlights local history in formats appealing to everyone with a different theme each month.
Family nights are open to all Western New Yorkers, regardless of residence. For more information, or to make a reservation (required), call the History Center at 716-434-7433.
The History Center receives grant assistance from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.