Field trips connect classroom learning with local history
Otselic Valley Local History students recently participated in field trips to the Lorenzo House State Historic Site in Cazenovia and the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich. During their visit to the Lorenzo House, students learned about the mansion built by Colonel John Lincklaen, founder of the village of Cazenovia and an agent of the Holland Land Company, which purchased the 135,000-acre tract of land where the village later developed. Students also explored the history of the mansion’s ownership, including learning that their tour guide was a descendant of a family who once served the Lincklaen household. At the Northeast Classic Car Museum, students discovered that a local family from the Lincklaen/DeRuyter area donated more than 80 classic cars to the museum. Students worked in teams to complete a scavenger hunt, searching for features such as vehicles without seat belts, whitewall tires, the oldest car on display, and unique hood ornaments. These field trips provided students with an opportunity to connect their classroom studies with local history and engage in hands-on learning experiences.