The Friends of the Slingerland Family Burial Vault will present “A Visit with Slingerlands’ Founding Family” on Saturday evening, Aug. 1. Attendees will enjoy an evening walking tour of historic Slingerlands and experience first-person presentations by costumed performers at locations along the tour route.

After a general history of the hamlet provided by Bethlehem Town Historian Susan Leath, groups will head to the Slingerland family homestead built in the 1790s for a visit with Congressman John I. Slingerland and his mother Leah Slingerland.

The walk includes visits with his brother William H. Slingerland, an  engineer and surveyor, plus two new personalities this year: James Dickson, the African-American protégé of John I. and Adam Mattice, an in-law of the Slingerland family and star pitcher of the Slingerland Echoes baseball team.

The walk ends at the cemetery where attendees can see the final resting place of family members and the work that has been completed on the burial vault.

COVID-19 precautions will be in place, including the wearing of face masks by all participants (including attendees and volunteers) and the maintenance of social distancing.

Tours step off at 6:00, 6:30, and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1, from the picnic pavilion at the Slingerlands firehouse at 1520 New Scotland Road. Advance tickets are required and may be purchased through Eventbrite. https://slingerlandvault.eventbrite.com.