Unsolved Mysteries
“You too could help solve a mystery!”
The late Robert Stack used this tag line when he introduced that pioneer reality TV show, Unsolved Mysteries.
At Hyde Hall, we are constantly reviewing and learning new aspects about this fascinating homestead and the five generations of the family who built it and lived here for nearly a century and a half.
This past year our in-house “History Detectives” have been re-discovering a wealth of artifacts ranging from lost wardrobe pieces, the silver plated front door pull cover, the original mahogany coat racks, and the front hall stove pipe. Information about our vast collections is becoming more accessible as old bills are scanned and matched with pieces from corner cabinets to dishware.
Besides artifacts, we have been exploring the many connections between the Clarkes and the notable figures with whom they interacted. While members of the family may not have been famous, they were well acquainted with significant historical figures such as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr (attorneys for George “the Builder”), Samuel Morse, Juliette Gordon Low, both President Roosevelts, and assorted Rockefellers – and they witnessed great events from the building of the Erie Canal to the sinking of the Titanic.
Yet for every new clue or discovery, another mystery crops up. Here’s where we present some of our latest mysteries to see if any of you might help us with that “missing link” – a photo or document, a witness or a newspaper account – that will add to the impressive heritage of Hyde Hall.
