Brown Bag Talk: Utopian Visions in Mr. Seward's New York

Bring your lunch and learn some history in the Seward House Museum gardens! Sociologist and Oneida Community Mansion House volunteer Tim McLean will explore why Central New York "burned over" with a passion for reform in the middle 19th century. This ferment manifested in movements around abolition, women's rights, and temperance. Some reformers even believed that society could be perfected with proper planning. Experimental utopian communities like the Oneida Community sprouted up to challenge traditional views on property ownership, gender roles, child-rearing practices, monogamous marriage, and work.

This event is free and open to the public.