WADDINGTON — The Waddington Historical Association will mark Oct. 3-4 as “History Weekend in Waddington,” with several events highlighting the community’s history as part of St. Lawrence County’s “Open Doors to History” and the national “We Want More History” project.

The weekend will begin Saturday, Oct. 3, with a fall cemetery tour at 10 a.m. at Old Brookside Cemetery on Linden Avenue.

The tour will focus on patriot soldiers recently honored with a Pomeroy Burial Marker Ceremony, along with others buried at the cemetery. The event will be conducted by Tracey Putney of the Waddington Cemetery Association and is free to the public.

Saturday afternoon, visitors can explore the Waddington Historical Walkway and its 13 storyboards recently placed by the historical association along the waterfront walkway from Maple Street to Pine Street.

The storyboards highlight Waddington’s history from 1800-1959.

The Waddington Museum in the Town Hall on Main Street also will be open from 1 to 3 p.m. for visitors seeking additional historical information.

‘Isaac and the Town Hall’

The historical association’s annual “Celebration of History” will take place Sunday, Oct. 4, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the old Town Hall on Main Street.

This year’s event, titled “Isaac and the Town Hall,” will honor Waddington’s iconic Town Hall and its builder, Isaac Johnson, a master stone mason and freedom seeker.

The free event will feature a presentation by Nolan Cool, educational programs director at Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH).

Cool will share Johnson’s life story, offering a window into the African American experience in 19th-century Northern New York. The presentation also will explore Johnson’s personal history, family life and the architecture produced during his career.

A musical tribute highlighting old-time Town Hall events will follow, featuring NCPR’s “String Fever” host Barb Heller, accompanied by master fiddler Donnie Woodcock and retired NCPR host and ballroom dance instructor Todd Moe.

Town Hall renovations

The afternoon also will include an overview of the Town Hall’s current renovation plans by town officials, including what work has been completed and what remains to be done.

The event will conclude with refreshments reflecting bygone eras.

The Waddington Historical Association is using the weekend to promote local history while participating in the countywide “Open Doors to History” initiative and the national “We Want More History” project.