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Trio of American Genius: Mark Twain, Glenn Curtiss and Frederick Carder

Program Number: 19707RJ
Start and End Dates:
11/17/2013 - 11/22/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Corning, New York
Price starting at: $698.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Multi-Topic; History & Culture
Meals: 15; 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Low Fat; Vegetarian; Low Salt    


Date Specific Information

11-17-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Coordinated by Watson Homestead Conference and Retreat Center.



Mark Twain

Sam Clemens married Livy Langdon in Elmira in 1870. Over the next 20 summers, Twain wrote his most famous novels there at Quarry Farm. Visit the Farm and join our lively discussion with a Twain scholar about this most beloved author and his family. Elmira College professor and Director for the Center for Mark Twain Studies, Dr. Barbara Snedecor will instruct.



Glenn Curtiss: Father of Naval Aviation

The "father of naval aviation" had humble beginnings in Hammondsport, NY. He set motorcycle speed records and worked with Alexander Graham Bell. Celebrate the 105th anniversary of the "June Bug" flight that launched Curtiss' naval aviation career. Retired Glenn Curtiss Museum director and aviation historian, Kirk House, will instruct.



Frederick Carder And Steuben Glass

Frederick Carder began Steuben Glass in 1903, and until his death at age 100, continued to refine processes for hot glass manufacture, coloration and surface decoration. Some say he sparked the Studio Glass movement that defines art glass today. We will use the collections of Carder Steuben at the Corning Museum of Glass as well as expertise of museum docents and local collectors.




Corning

The southern gateway to the Finger Lakes region in western New York, Corning is a charming and historic community best known for the world-renowned Corning Museum of Glass, as well as nearby glacial lakes and gorgeous panoramas.



Accommodations
Conference center on nearly 400 acres of unspoiled land with heated indoor pool.
Meals and Lodgings
   Watson Homestead
  Painted Post, NY 5 nights
 Watson Homestead
Type: Conference Center
  Description: Watson Homestead has been an Road Scholar super site since 1982. It was established by Thomas J. Watson (founder of IBM) in 1957 on his birthplace - hence Watson Homestead.
  Contact info: 9620 Dry Run Road
Painted Post, NY 14870 USA
phone: 607-962-0541
web: www.watsonhomestead.com
  Room amenities: Heat and AC, some rooms feature an outside patio and are located one level below the dining room and classroom level - via stairs.
  Facility amenities: Amenities on site and at no extra charge to Participants include indoor heated pool, hiking trails, daily newspapers, wifi connection, chapel, 24 hour coffee/beverage, and abundant snacks.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Additional nights prior: $75 Add-a-room accommodations for participants may be available, depending on availability. Please inquire.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: $75 Add-a-room accommodations for participants may be available, depending on availability. Please inquire.
  Check out time: 1:30 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Registration in lobby, starting at 3 PM You will be staying at Watson Homestead that night.
  End of Program:
Program ends with lunch in dining room at 1:30 PM You will be staying at Watson Homestead the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Parking at Watson Homestead is available at no charge.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Painted Post, NY
  Nearest city or town:  Corning, NY
  Nearest highway: NYS Route 17 / Interstate 86
  Nearest airport:  Elmira-Corning Regional Airport
  From End of Program
  Location: Painted Post, NY
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Corning Bus Station

 

From Bus Terminal

 
 

Service:

 

Hotel Shuttle
Watson Homestead
phone: 607-962-0541
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$10
Prices are subject to change.

 

Travel Time:

 

15 minutes 

 

Distance:

 

8 miles

   

Call ahead with your bus arrival time. A Homestead staff member will meet you and transport you to the Homestead.

 

ELM airport

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Hotel Shuttle
Watson Homestead
phone: 607-962-0541
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$25
Prices are subject to change.

 

Travel Time:

 

30 minutes 

 

Distance:

 

25 miles

   

Call ahead with your flight arrival time. A Homestead staff member will meet you and transport you to the Homestead.

 
Driving Directions
  From Albany, Massachusetts & New England: Find your way to Interstate 88 (just north west of Albany, off I 90). Travel west on I 88 to Binghamton. Then go west on Interstate 86 West (also State Route 17) to exit 42. Follow signs from the exit to Watson Homestead. You will travel just over 3 miles on County Road 26, Meads Creek Road, to the Homestead entrance. Turn right on Dry Run Road and follow signs to the Main Lodge.
  From Canada and Buffalo: Take Interstate 90 East to Rochester, then 390 South. Route 390 T's into Interstate 86 (also NY State Route 17). Take I86 east to exit 42. Follow signs from the exit to Watson Homestead. You will travel just over 3 miles on County Road 26, Meads Creek Road, to the Homestead entrance. Turn right on Dry Run Road and follow signs to the Main Lodge.
  From Jamestown and the West Travel east on Interstate 86 (also NY State Route 17) to exit 42. Follow signs from the exit to Watson Homestead. You will travel just over 3 miles on County Road 26, Meads Creek Road, to the Homestead entrance. Turn right on Dry Run Road and follow signs to the Main Lodge.
  From Pennsylvania and South: Travel north on State Route 15 N from Harrisburg to Interstate 86 West (also NY State Route 17) at Painted Post. Take Interstate 86 West to exit 42. Follow signs from the exit to Watson Homestead. You will travel just over 3 miles on County Road 26, Meads Creek Road, to the Homestead entrance. Turn right on Dry Run Road and follow signs to the Main Lodge.
  From the New York metropolitan area: Travel west on Interstate 86 (also NY State Route 17) to exit 42. Follow signs from the exit to Watson Homestead. You will travel just over 3 miles on County Road 26, Meads Creek Road, to the Homestead entrance. Turn right on Dry Run Road and follow signs to the Main Lodge.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Registration and Swimming/Orientation
(Sunday, November 17)
   
 Afternoon: Registration at 3PM in the lobby, refreshments in the dining room. Swimming pool available from 3:30 - 4:30 PM
 Dinner: Dinner at 6PM
 Evening: Orientation to the program and introductions to each other.
   
Accommodations: Watson Homestead
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Introducing local context for Twain and Curtiss and the Crystal City
(Monday, November 18)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast in dining room
 Morning: Two lectures, each 90 minutes on Mark Twain and History of the Crystal City, stretch/snack break between. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
 Lunch: Lunch
 Afternoon: Lecture on Glenn H. Curtiss and American Aviation. 1:30 - 3 p.m. Pool will be open for swimming.
 Dinner: Dinner in dining room
 Evening: Viewing parts of the Ken Burns film on Twain that were filmed locally.
   
Accommodations: Watson Homestead
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Field Trip to the Carder Collection at Corning and the Glenn Curtiss Museum
(Tuesday, November 19)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast in dining room.
 Morning: Morning lecture on Mark Twain, followed by field trip to the Carder Collection at the Corning Museum of Glass
 Lunch: Lunch will be with vouchers at the Cafe at the Corning Museum of Glass.
 Afternoon: Field trip continues to Hammondsport, village of Curtiss' birth and his early inventions. A wonderful museum of his achievements plus local Finger Lakes history. Don't miss the restoration shop where museum volunteers recreate antique aeroplanes.
 Dinner: Dinner in dining room
 Evening: We'll open the pool after dinner, due to our late afternoon field trip.
   
Accommodations: Watson Homestead
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Monring lectures on Twain and Curtiss with afternoon free for on own visits to the Corning Museum of Glass and downtown Corning.
(Wednesday, November 20)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast in dining room
 Morning: Morning lectures on Mark Twain and Glenn H. Curtiss and American Aviation. Stretch/snack break between. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
 Lunch: Lunch at the Homestead
 Afternoon: Afternoon free to return to Corning Museum of Glass on own, or hike on trails on Homestead property, weather dependent. Pool will be open for swimming, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
 Dinner: Dinner in dining room
 Evening: Evening curatorial lecture.
   
Accommodations: Watson Homestead
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Field Trip to Quarry Farm, site of Twain's family's summer home in Elmira. Field Trip to two Aviation Centers.
(Thursday, November 21)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast in dining room
 Morning: Bus field trip to Quarry Farm for lecture and tour, then on to Elmira College for exhibits on Twain and the Twain Study.
 Lunch: Lunch will be at the Elmira College Campus Center in the college dining hall.
 Afternoon: A quick stop at the Twain gravesite, then on to two aviation museums - the National Soaring Museum and the National Warplane Museum.
 Dinner: Dinner in dining room
 Evening: Our final evening together always features the group making ice cream the old fashioned way - hand cranked. Then we'll sample our efforts with fudge sauce or home-made maple syrup from Watson Homestead. We also stamp passports this evening.
   
Accommodations: Watson Homestead
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Final Twain lecture and departure with bag lunch and vouchers to visit the Rockwell Museum of Western Art in downtown Corning.
(Friday, November 22)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast in dining room
 Morning: Final lecture on Twain. Participants depart with bag lunch and vouchers to the Rockwell Museum of Western Art in downtown Corning.
 Lunch: Participants assemble their own bag lunch for departure.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Free Time Opportunities
 
  Painted Post, NY Greater Corning Area Chamber of Commerce
607.962.8997 toll free 1.866.163.6264 For additional information, visit www.CorningNY.com
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

What’s included in this Road Scholar program?



Except for the occasional meal on some programs, Road Scholar programs are all-inclusive. That means there are no extra “options,” no passing the hat for tips and no surprises. From lectures and field trips to gratuities and accommodations – the price you pay up front is the price you pay.

Specifically, this program includes:


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