The Seward House is one of the most magnificent museums that you could visit. It is rich with history, from the Seward family, takes you back into a time you only read about in history books, and provides an educational experience for any student. Here are 3 reasons to visit the Seward House.
3 Reasons to Visit The William Seward House Museum in Auburn NY
You would think a house will so much history would have a bunch of ghost stories right? Well, they only have one ghost story about a Death Rattle. If you would like to hear the story told from one of the tour guides you can see the video on our YouTube Channel here.
#1 The Seward’s Family are a Part of Our Rich History
The Sewards were some of the most influential people of their time. They played a great deal in establishing the beauty of freedom we have today. At the Seward House, you can meet the Sewards and discover how each one played a part in history.
- William H Seward – Defender of Freedom and United States Secretary under President Lincoln
- Frances Miller Seward-Woman of principle
- Augustus H. Seward-Frontier soldier
- Frederick W. Seward-Right hand man
- William Seward-War hero
- Fanny Seward- Eyewitness to history
They also had a lot of famous visitors and they liked to keep portraits of them in the upstairs hallway.
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#2 Everything is From the Sewards
The Seward house is amazingly well preserved, and nearly 99% of everything in it is from their original home. You truly feel like you stepped back into a time in the 1800s with items that are truly one of a kind!
Tea form the Boston Tea Party
A vile of tea: The tea was actually from The Boston Tea Party.
The green couch: The green couch is the original couch that Seward died on.
The office desk: The desk was present during the inauguration of the president George Washington.
The books: All the books in the library are original and have Sewards writing in the pages. They come from some very famous authors!
The girl’s library: The girl’s library that was in the 19th century is encased in class and hasn’t been touched in 150 years! This library was his daughters and when she died he encased it as a memorial to her.
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The cigar humidor: Many of the cigars are half smoked by Sewald himself and then put back in the box.
The underground railroad stop: Yes his house was a stop on the underground railroad! With William Seward working under President Lincoln bet you didn’t think to check here huh? You can see a video of the space on our YouTube Channel here.
The Gold Ring: Was one of 5 made from the gold railroad spike from the First Transcontinental Railroad.
The blood-stained sheets: They are from the night Seward was stabbed. The same night President Lincoln was assassinated, Seward and 3 other who works with Lincoln were also supposed to be killed, they weren’t but the people who tried to kill them were hung.
Pressed flowers: These flowers are from President Lincolns funeral. Seward’s wife was friends with other wives who attended and they made this for her since she stayed to tend to her husband.
The Statue Head: This head is from a statue that survived Pompeii! Of course, this is from before they started to really preserve everything but this was given to him when he visited.
#3 It Makes a Great Educational Experience
Whether you homeschool, are a teacher, or just want to help your children explore our rich history, The Seward House makes learning fun!
Resource Kit
As a teacher or parent, you can combine field trips into a lesson at home or at school. The Seward House museum has created a complete teacher resource kit filled with biographies, vocabulary lists, pre and post session materials, timelines and correlates them all to NY standards.
Hands-On-History
With a hands-on approach, kids can choose from three different interactive experiences. These experiences allow kids to interact with artifacts, play roles in telling stories, and learn crucial historical information in a fun way. The three ways to teach include Mr. Seward’s traveling trunk, Fanny Seward’s Purse, and Underground Railroad luggage.
Junior Detective
Although history may seem like it only fits with older kids, Seward House makes visiting with younger children just as educational and fun. The Junior Detective League is a tour that is specially designed for 4-6-year-olds. This allows kids to explore through being a detective that leads them to their next artifact.
Whether you want to visit the William Seward House Museum on your own or with children, it is the perfect place for all ages. History helps us to become better in the future. Take a step back in the past and watch the future unfold at Seward House.