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Freethinkers Meeting Site (park) - Freethought Trail - New York
<!doctype html> <html lang="en"> <head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-Y49RKSZGSG"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments)}; gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-Y49RKSZGSG'); </script> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no"> <title>Freethinkers Meeting Site (park) - Freethought Trail - New York</title> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/assets/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/assets/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/assets/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16"> <link rel="manifest" href="/assets/manifest.json"> <link rel="mask-icon" href="/assets/safari-pinned-tab.svg" color="#800d0d"> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/assets/favicon.ico"> <meta name="msapplication-config" content="/assets/browserconfig.xml"> <meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff"> <link href="/assets/css/combined.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> </head> <body> <nav class="navbar fixed-top app-navbar app-red-bg-gradient"> <a class="sr-only sr-only-focusable" href="#app-page">Skip to main content</a> <div class="container"> <a class="navbar-brand" href="/" title="Freethought Trail" aria-roll="button" aria-label="Freethought Trail"><i class="sprite-logo "></i></a> <button class="navbar-toggler " type="button" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#navbarNavDropdown" aria-controls="navbarNavDropdown" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation"> <span class="navbar-toggler-icon "></span> </button> <div class="w-100 mt-auto app-nav"> <div class="collapse navbar-collapse" id="navbarNavDropdown"> <div class="text-center text-uppercase app-secondary-font-stack app-styled-nav"> <div class="px-3"> <img class="img-fluid mb-3" src="/assets/img/default/nav-line-top.png" srcset="/assets/img/default/nav-line-top.png 1x,/assets/img/default/nav-line-top@2x.png 2x" alt=""><br /> <a href="/trail-map/" class="app-styled-font-size-1">Trail Map</a><br /> <a href="/plan-your-journey/" class="app-styled-font-size-2">Plan Your Journey</a><br /> <a href="/our-history/" class="app-styled-font-size-3">Our History</a><br /> <a href="/latest-news/" class="app-styled-font-size-4">Latest News</a><br /> <a href="/partner-links-and-credits" class="app-styled-font-size-5">Partner Links & Credits</a><br /> <img class="img-fluid mt-3" src="/assets/img/default/nav-line-bottom.png" srcset="/assets/img/default/nav-line-bottom.png 1x,/assets/img/default/nav-line-bottom@2x.png 2x" alt=""> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="app-page"> <div class="app-red-bg"> <div class="container"> <div id="carousel" class="carousel slide" data-ride="carousel"> <div class="carousel-inner" role="listbox"> <div class="carousel-item active"> <img class="d-block d-md-none img-fluid" src="/cache/images/18ab93eaed83165fbc5de9ab54e8eb79.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/18ab93eaed83165fbc5de9ab54e8eb79.jpg 1x, /cache/images/2fa64670a3285b78c0f87f9d24ad8226.jpg 2x" alt="Freethinkers Meeting Site (park)"> <img class="d-none d-md-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/af67da137270503a03694469637ebb7d.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/af67da137270503a03694469637ebb7d.jpg 1x, /cache/images/39ace6dbd841de6687af0fe0a261d711.jpg 2x" alt="Freethinkers Meeting Site (park)"> <div class="carousel-image-overlay app-red-carousel-gradient"></div> <div class="carousel-caption carousel-caption-internal"> <div class="app-center"> <h1 class="mt-5 mt-sm-0">Freethinkers Meeting Site (park)</h1> <p>North Decatur Street and Fifth Street, Watkins Glen, New York <span class="mx-3">|</span> Unmarked Location</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="app-white-bg "> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12 app-links"> <p>The second annual <a href="/historical-events/event:inaugural-convention-of-new-york-freethinkers-association/">convention</a> of the <a href="/profiles/profile:new-york-freethinkers-association/">New York Freethinkers’ Association</a> (despite its name, a national conference) was held on August 22–25, 1878, mostly in this park and partly in the <a href="/trail-map/location:freethinkers-meeting-site-hall/">Freer Opera House</a> about 500 feet to the west-southwest. Outdoor speeches and events were held at the park in a rented tent and in the open air. Convention attendance at this park ranged as high as 3,000 persons.</p> <p>Here, on Thursday, August 22, <a href="/causes/cause:womans-rights-suffrage/">woman’s rights</a> and <a href="/causes/cause:freethought-atheism-secular-humanism/">freethought</a> activist <a href="/profiles/profile:gage-matilda-joslyn/">Matilda Joslyn Gage</a> delivered her first freethought address. (Nineteenth-century practice was to use the singular, <em>woman's</em>, when referring to women as a class; later practice was to use the plural, <em>women's</em>.) Gage's address stressed the role of Christianity in the oppression of women.</p> <p>Also on Thursday, New Jersey feminist Mary Tillotson spoke on <a href="/causes/cause:dress-reform/">dress reform</a>.</p> <p>Toward the end of Thursday's proceedings, regional freethought enthusiast <a href="/profiles/profile:cosad-james-madison/">James Madison Cosad</a> was introduced and honored before the convention. Cosad had organized <a href="/trail-map/location:huron-wolcott-grove-meeting/">the previous year's meeting</a> of the Liberals and Freethinkers of Central and Western New York, held at his farmstead grove in <a href="/regions/region:huron-wolcott/">Huron (Wolcott)</a>, New York, on August 17–19, 1877; the Liberals and Freethinkers became the New York Freethinkers' Association, sponsor of the Watkins convention.</p> <p>On the mornings of Friday, August 23, and Saturday, August 24, freethinker <a href="/profiles/profile:giles-badger-stebbins/">Giles Badger Stebbins</a> addressed the convention on Buddhism. (During this period, "freethought" encompassed a broad range of dissenters against Christianity, including atheists and also adherents of non-Christian traditions such as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakers">Shakers</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritualism">Spiritualists</a>, and some Eastern religions. All shared an opposition to Christian orthodoxy.) On Saturday, Stebbins spoke again—as did Tillotson—his audience consisting of convention-goers who had not embarked on a morning steamboat cruise.</p> <p>Also on August 24, freethought journalist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._M._Bennett">D. M. Bennett</a> was arrested, along with two other freethinkers (W. S. Bell, author of <em>The Hand-Book of Freethought</em>, and Josephine Tilton, both of Boston) , for selling a controversial marriage-reform and <a href="/causes/cause:birth-control-sex-radicalism/">birth control</a> tract, <em>Cupid’s Yokes</em> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Heywood">Ezra Heywood</a>. <a href="/regions/region:rochester/">Rochester</a> abolitionist, woman’s rights advocate , Quaker, and Spiritualist <a href="/profiles/profile:post-amy/">Amy Post</a> paid bail for Bennett and Bell. The feminist activist <a href="/profiles/profile:miller-elizabeth-smith/">Elizabeth Smith Miller</a> paid bail for Tilton—though she quickly reneged after reading the marriage reform tract, whose arguments she found repellent.</p> <p>This arrest led indirectly to a celebrated obscenity case involving decency crusader Anthony Comstock, agnostic orator <a href="/profiles/profile:ingersoll-robert-green/">Robert G. Ingersoll</a>, President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutherford_B._Hayes">Rutherford B. Hayes</a>, and others, which ultimately established the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hicklin_test"><em>Hicklin</em> standard</a>, the repressive legal definition of obscenity that prevailed in U.S. law until 1957.</p> <p>On Sunday, August 25, nationally prominent freethinker <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaddeus_B._Wakeman">Thaddeus Burr Wakeman</a> lectured on the principles of organizing freethought institutions. Of particular interest were his recommendations on the movement's further relationship with Spiritualism, whose eventual debunking he apparently anticipated.</p> <p>The New York State Freethinkers Association <a href="/historical-events/event:fourth-annual-convention-of-new-york-freethinkers-association/">convened again</a> in Watkins on August 23–27, 1882. Because of persistently rainy weather the park was not utilized, though seating and a tent had been set up. Most convention events took place in the Freer Opera House; a banquet honoring D. M. Bennett was held at <a href="/trail-map/location:freethinkers-meeting-banquet-site/">the Glen Park Hotel</a>.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-white-bg app-box-shadow"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-6 col-lg-4 col-xl-3 mb-5"> <a href="/cache/images/76497b4e14531c73e1da3b80d8363371.jpg" class="app-gallery" title="Freethinkers Meeting Site (park)"> <img class="d-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/87f95b14382784b6220d2cb4b5b013f8.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/87f95b14382784b6220d2cb4b5b013f8.jpg 1x, /cache/images/cd74684e48fd773f362f2f9f10f1f32b.jpg 2x" alt="Freethinkers Meeting Site (park)"> <div class="app-white-text"> <div class="p-3"> <h3><i class="far fa-fw fa-search-plus mr-2" aria-hidden="true"></i> Freethinkers Meeting Site (park)</h3> </div> </div> </a> <div class="mt-3 app-caption"><p>This site, now Lafayette Park between Fourth and Fifth Streets in Watkins Glen, is one of the locations of the 1878 New York Freethinkers Convention. Here meetings were held outdoors whenever weather permitted. Here also D. M. Bennett and two other freethinkers were arrested on charges of obscenity for selling a marriage reform tract.</p></div> </div> <div class="col-6 col-lg-4 col-xl-3 mb-5"> <a href="/cache/images/0f61cac0d5e807b5e70180f687021d04.jpg" class="app-gallery" title="The Trinity"> <img class="d-block img-fluid" src="/cache/images/484791dd44b707a3d5307b2691c66dc0.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/484791dd44b707a3d5307b2691c66dc0.jpg 1x, /cache/images/6cea730df8bda0d593e717a6c3730105.jpg 2x" alt="The Trinity"> <div class="app-white-text"> <div class="p-3"> <h3><i class="far fa-fw fa-search-plus mr-2" aria-hidden="true"></i> The Trinity</h3> </div> </div> </a> <div class="mt-3 app-caption"><p>Arrested at the Watkins outdoor meeting site were (left to right) D. M. Bennett; Josephine Tilton, sister-in-law of <a href="/causes/cause:birth-control-sex-radicalism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> sex radical</a> Ezra Heywood, author of the pamphlet the trio had been selling; and Prof. W. S. Bell of Boston. At their arraignment an onlooker sarcastically compared them to the Holy Trinity. The enterprising threesome quickly had this photo taken, which they sold under the title "The Trinity" to defray costs of their legal defense.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-tan-bg"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12"> <h4>Associated Causes</h4> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/causes/cause:birth-control-sex-radicalism/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/5e59ae5121a7ad2ce27fc94237b64d63.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/5e59ae5121a7ad2ce27fc94237b64d63.jpg 1x, /cache/images/e2facf10562d204c19add6cae6096edb.jpg 2x" alt="Birth Control / Sex Radicalism"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Birth Control / Sex Radicalism</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/causes/cause:freethought-atheism-secular-humanism/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/27aabec993ace73d7bf98b4065273141.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/27aabec993ace73d7bf98b4065273141.jpg 1x, /cache/images/f9be28a654e87c7f8c610cf2332b24c6.jpg 2x" alt="Freethought / Atheism / Secular Humanism"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Freethought / Atheism / Secular Humanism</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-tan-bg"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12"> <h4>Those Involved</h4> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:colman-lucy-n/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/0b4e12abeb8f7df0e685261f71061659.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/0b4e12abeb8f7df0e685261f71061659.jpg 1x, /cache/images/482c103b4fca75e1714a88c8add68de1.jpg 2x" alt="Colman, Lucy N."> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Colman, Lucy N.</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:cosad-james-madison/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/81ad16fe294bc3f59a7a1a360861bb80.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/81ad16fe294bc3f59a7a1a360861bb80.jpg 1x, /cache/images/1bc31be43c08f0be99b7b234081cbc53.jpg 2x" alt="Cosad, James Madison"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Cosad, James Madison</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:gage-matilda-joslyn/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/017a42b75222fca3e602b708a323cc4f.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/017a42b75222fca3e602b708a323cc4f.jpg 1x, /cache/images/18597c86df28eb76f12cb2f6c7ae2c06.jpg 2x" alt="Gage, Matilda Joslyn"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Gage, Matilda Joslyn</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:ingersoll-robert-green/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/0a03cd0f4936358cb4ed9b121c4605c9.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/0a03cd0f4936358cb4ed9b121c4605c9.jpg 1x, /cache/images/c6187ce06172d3039905d445091ea848.jpg 2x" alt="Ingersoll, Robert Green"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Ingersoll, Robert Green</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:miller-elizabeth-smith/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/47b32589396f4e894c6094758865d811.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/47b32589396f4e894c6094758865d811.jpg 1x, /cache/images/680149c0389428b4dc7fa0be3982dc1a.jpg 2x" alt="Miller, Elizabeth Smith"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Miller, Elizabeth Smith</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:mills-c-d-b/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/38dea60ef02149ab3fda2c4d7af410ce.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/38dea60ef02149ab3fda2c4d7af410ce.jpg 1x, /cache/images/a2252c73758fecb681180f799f1a7bf7.jpg 2x" alt="Mills, C. D. B."> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Mills, C. D. B.</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:post-amy/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/c7a34bd7507479289e705a4872db18bb.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/c7a34bd7507479289e705a4872db18bb.jpg 1x, /cache/images/db218685e3141f03e93447f960682220.jpg 2x" alt="Post, Amy"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Post, Amy</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:giles-badger-stebbins/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/8c5552d9219efd0e328d7ef5c9faa184.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/8c5552d9219efd0e328d7ef5c9faa184.jpg 1x, /cache/images/ec3c58afec3b2c85931a159239be17fc.jpg 2x" alt="Stebbins, Giles Badger "> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">Stebbins, Giles Badger </h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-6 col-sm-6 col-md-4 col-lg-3 mb-5"> <a href="/profiles/profile:new-york-freethinkers-association/" class="app-item"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/10e8c5214227ec96ff58b2b38b654cd2.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/10e8c5214227ec96ff58b2b38b654cd2.jpg 1x, /cache/images/20e5e59302026dcc612f72b2c0d35326.jpg 2x" alt="New York Freethinkers Association"> <div class="app-dark-gray-bg-b-gradient"> <div class="p-3"> <h4 class="app-white-text">New York Freethinkers Association</h4> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-tan-bg-gradient"> <div class="container py-5"> <div class="row row-eq-height mb-3"> <div class="col-12"> <h4>Associated Historical Events</h4> </div> </div> <div class="row row-eq-height mb-3"> <div class="d-none d-md-flex col-md-5 col-lg-4 col-xl-3"> <a href="/historical-events/event:inaugural-convention-of-new-york-freethinkers-association/"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/2e4b06df95197852b750b601034debe2.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/2e4b06df95197852b750b601034debe2.jpg 1x, /cache/images/4f34801dccc35324e4b2d815dacce6d0.jpg 2x" alt="Second New York Freethinkers' Association Convention"> </a> </div> <div class="col-12 col-md-7 col-lg-8 col-xl-9"> <h3><a href="/historical-events/event:inaugural-convention-of-new-york-freethinkers-association/" class="app-red-text">Second New York Freethinkers' Association Convention</a></h3> <p>August 22–25, 1878</p> </div> </div> <div class="row row-eq-height mb-3"> <div class="d-none d-md-flex col-md-5 col-lg-4 col-xl-3"> <a href="/historical-events/event:fourth-annual-convention-of-new-york-freethinkers-association/"> <img class="d-block img-fluid w-100 " src="/cache/images/2e4b06df95197852b750b601034debe2.jpg" srcset="/cache/images/2e4b06df95197852b750b601034debe2.jpg 1x, /cache/images/4f34801dccc35324e4b2d815dacce6d0.jpg 2x" alt="Sixth New York Freethinkers' Association Convention"> </a> </div> <div class="col-12 col-md-7 col-lg-8 col-xl-9"> <h3><a href="/historical-events/event:fourth-annual-convention-of-new-york-freethinkers-association/" class="app-red-text">Sixth New York Freethinkers' Association Convention</a></h3> <p>August 23–27, 1882</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="app-red-bg app-white-text"> <div class="container"> <div class="row py-5"> <div class="col-12 col-md-8"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-12 mb-3"> <h3>Browse Historical Sites</h3> </div> </div> <div class="row text-uppercase"> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6"> <h4><a href="/causes/" class="d-block py-3 app-white-text app-border-bottom app-border-top">By Cause <i class="far fa-long-arrow-alt-right float-right"></i></a></h4> </div> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6"> <h4><a href="/profiles/" class="d-block py-3 app-white-text app-border-bottom app-border-top app-no-border-top">By Those Involved <i class="far fa-long-arrow-alt-right float-right"></i></a></h4> </div> <div class="col-12 col-sm-6"> <h4><a 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