Elizabeth Cady Stanton Home — Attraction in Town of Seneca Falls

AWFUL!!! Unless you are obsessed with vintage wallpaper, there's not much of interest here. Read a book instead if you want to learn much about one of the pioneers of the women's movement.My sisters and I went to the home of a woman we have longed admired and could not have been more disappointed. The house, particularly the upstairs bedrooms and nursery, is devoid of meaningful furnishing. The park ranger told us her desk -- which would be an amazing relic -- was locked up in a storehouse because of a leaky roof. We asked why the desk could not be shown in another corner of the room, or another room, or if the leak was getting fixed. The ranger didn't know. In fact, while she repeatedly welcomed questions from the tourists, she didn't know any answers. The one exhibit in the house was on domestic duties of women of Stanton's era, an astounding choice considering that this mother of 7 modeled a new role and changed the status of women. Why now an exhibit on abolition or on suffrage and conflict with black civil rights in the U.S. There is just no excuse for the house of this woman to be so boring and un- engaging. It is free, so I guess that deflects criticism, but I for one would have paid if it would help get curated exhibits, lectures and repairs...

Sadly, the house has closed for the winter, waiting only a few weeks to open on March 1st. The view of Van Cleff Lake from the front porch makes a good place to contemplate civil rights, which very well might be the foundations of all rights, including property rights. I doubt the lake existed when Elizabeth Stanton lived on the gorgeous prominence. The locks and the canal existed and so existed the post Civil War industrial might of this town so quiet on a Sunday. I hear the caws of crows and the cry of a bird in flight. To this add the trill of a bird...

We visited on 7/16/22. The house was open for visitors. However, it is not a historic house museum (like Susan B. Anthony's home in Rochester). The house was completely empty but well maintained. There were two rangers available for questions and prominent signage around with information about the house and it's famous owner. I believe there are pre-scheduled historical interpretation events daily. All in all, a pretty neat site to visit but I would suggest making it a stop as part of a larger trip rather than a...