By Kurt Lewis
The Haldimand Press
SELKIRK—A crowd of over 50 Haldimand residents gathered on the grounds of the historic Cottonwood Mansion on Sunday, August 18, 2019 for the 14th annual Peach Social Concert.
It was the second such event this year, and Administrative Assistant Walter Planksen couldn’t be happier with this month’s turnout. He says that while fundraising is a significant part of why the socials are held, exposure is also a large factor, which can be hard to come by in rural communities. He thinks of the mansion, which was built circa 1865, as a “hidden gem” of Haldimand, and that it differs from other historic sites by being an “interactive museum” where tourists can touch, sit on, and interact with almost any of the mansion’s antiques and ornate furniture. He went on to emphasize that they are a community always seeking members and volunteers that have a passion for historic preservation.
The highlight of the Peach Social was The Cottonwood Brass Band, performing music from the 18th to 20th centuries on antique brass instruments ranging from cornets to cornopeans, to saxhorns and ophicleide. Preceding each song, one of the five members of the band, or special guest Dr. Henry Meredith of Western University, would give a brief summary of the historical context. Some of the historic music played included Land of the Maple – Canadian March (L.P. Laurendeau, 1906), the Ontario Quick March (Henry Schallehn, 1848), and the Cayuga Two Step (W.H. Hodgins, 1906), composed to celebrate the launch of the Cayuga passenger steamship.
Following the performance, the attendees were treated to a peach dessert made with five baskets of Haldimand peaches by Cottonwood members. As the social wrapped up and the last visitors were making their way out of the museum, Walter Planksen’s words seemed to ring true with every last one: “If you want to keep history… then you must preserve it.”
