~~   The 2017 Bradt Family Reunion   ~~

Reunion Updates

Planning is now in progress for the 2017 Bradt Family Reunion.  It will be held in the Albany area.

Other things to do near Albany

The Adirondack from New York to Montreal (You Tube)

The Ethan Allen Express (You Tube)

Information about earlier reunions:

BRADT FAMILY SOCIETY REUNION 2007

(including a celebration of Albert Bratt's 400th birthday, 1607–2007)

Date and Location: July 12–15, 2007, Albany, New York

Headquarters Hotel: Desmond Hotel, 660 Albany Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12211

Main Themes: "Arent Bradt", Fort Orange (Albany) 1637, Schenectady later

Preliminary Schedule – Draft 2

Thursday, July 12

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Registration and Distribution of Reunion Kits.

— Bradt Family Society Store Open at the Desmond.
— Bradt Family books, plates, trays, cups, bags, etc.

— Social Time, sub-groups, and cousinly meetings.

6:00 PM Optional event: Buses leave the Desmond for the Dutch Apple Dinner Cruise. (Guided Cruise on the Hudson River. We will have exclusive use of the boat if 125 sign up.)

Friday, July 13  - Informational Sessions at the Desmond

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Registration, Packet Distribution and BFS Store Open.

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Partner booths open: Books, Paintings, Societies, etc.

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM Session 1: Life in 17 and 18th Century New Amsterdam/New York. Likely surprise speaker.

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Session 2: The Bradt Family in the 17 and 18th century New Netherland/New York. Speaker: Peter Christoph.

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Optional Buffet with a surprise speaker and entertainment.

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Session 3: Bradt family members who went to Canada and stayed. Speaker: Joan Bradt Wood

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM Session 4: DNA Testing in Genealogy: the Bradt Surname Study Group. Speakers: Family Tree DNA and Cynthia Brott Biasca

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM Reception & Cash refreshments.

6:30 PM Group Photo.

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Optional Dinner with Speaker, Len Tantillo on Research for New Painting, Schenectady Stockade. Door prizes.

Saturday, July 14 - Tour of the Schenectady Area

8:30 – AM Buses depart the Desmond for the Schenectady Area. The tour will include some or all of the following: the Schenectady Stockade, the Schenectady County Historical Society and Library.

Noon - Picnic Lunch, Mabie Farm on the Erie Canal/Mohawk River.

Afternoon - Bus Tour to prior and existing Bradt Houses of interest.

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Reception & Cash Refreshments at the Desmond.

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Optional Dinner with Awards, Entertainment and Door prizes, at the Desmond.

Sunday, July 15

8:00 AM – 10:30 AM Breakfast on your own 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Bradt Family Society Annual Meeting, at the Desmond. —Election of Officers and Directors, update of By-Laws, new business, discussion of a possible tour to Holland and/or Norway. Door prizes.

12:00 PM Adjournment

Informal Social Gatherings, at the Desmond

BRADT FAMILY SOCIETY REUNION 2012 HIGHLIGHTS
A special Welcome to our Swartwout Family cousins

July 19-22, 2012 Desmond Hotel & Conference Center, Albany, New York, 12211


THURSDAY, JULY 19
   — Dutch Apple II Dinner Cruise On-The-Hudson

FRIDAY, JULY 20
   — Lunch Buffet on the patio
   — Dinner at The Desmond.
       •Guest Speaker Mr. Len Tantillo (our favorite artist)

SATURDAY, 21 JULY
   — Tours of Historic Areas (Bus Fare, bag lunch, and cold drink included)
        #1 Historic Sites Tour
        #2 Rural & Garden Cemeteries
   — Banquet Dinner at The Desmond.
   •Guest Speaker Mr. Torbjorn Greipsland, Author of "Norwegian Pioneers"

SUNDAY, 22 JULY
   — Breakfast Buffet at The Desmond

Subject : Onrust ship at the Mabee Farm

Date : Thu, Apr 19, 2007 03:33 PM

Dear Cousins,

I talked with Don Rittner, Schenectady County and City Historian, and arranged for the Bradt Family Reunion attendees to have a visit to the construction of the Onrust at the Mabee Farm on Sat., July 14th, where we will be having our picnic at noon. They will be working on the ship that day, and will give us a briefing on the ship and its construction project.

From a news release of the "Onrust Shipbuilding Project":

During the fall of 2006, New Yorkers have been able to watch the beginning of the construction of the first European ship built in their state in 1614 -- the Onrust (Dutch for Restless). The ship was built by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block after his ship, 'The Tyger', burned at the tip of Manhattan. The Onrust is considered the first decked sailing vessel built by the Dutch in the New World and extensively explored the northeastern seaboard. It is America's first research vessel.

Under the auspices of New Netherland Routes, Inc. (NNR) a non-profit organization dedicated to rediscovering New York's historic byways, The Onrust Project is seeking to construct a full-size replica of this remarkable ship. Using authentic 17th century shipbuilding techniques, only recently re-discovered, construction on the Onrust began in October on the banks of the Mohawk River, at the well-known Mabee Farm Historic Site of the Schenectady County Historical Society in Rotterdam Junction. Students, adult volunteers with a wide range of experience, historians, archaeologists, maritime experts and shipbuilding professionsls are all participating in the project.

The Onrust is designed by Gerald de Weerdt, Director of the Maritime Museum of Terschelling in the Netherlands (Het Behouden Huys) and former director of the National Institute of Ship Archaeology in Lelystadt.

Our goal is to complete the ship by 2009, in time for New York State's upcoming Quadricentennial, celebrating the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage to America.

Many thanks, and Best Wishes, Brinson.