“Children, eat slowly,” spoke Margret Reed as she stirred a pot of bubbling soup for her starving sons and daughters, “for this one day you may have all that you wish.” On this Christmas Day in 1846, Reed and other members of the Donner Party – a group of pioneers who infamously resorted to cannibalism while trapped for the winter in the Sierra Nevada – prayed for God to end their gnawing hunger. Together we’ll explore the fascinating story of the Donner Party, with a special focus on how they spent Christmas… and what they ate for dinner.

This is intended to be a fun, socializing virtual event. Prep a cocktail or a mocktail, kick back, and listen to this interesting piece of history! Participants will be free to ask questions.

Registrants will be emailed the Zoom link one day prior to the event. This session will not be recorded.

About the Presenter:

Maya Rook is a historian and educator living in Rochester, NY. She holds an MA in American History from the University at Albany and specializes in blending critical insight with humor and empathy in her investigations of the dark, often absurd, aspects of the past. Maya has visited the site of the Donner Party camps in northern California three times and was the 2015 keynote speaker at the annual Donner Party Hike’s luncheon. Learn more about History Happy Hours.

Register @ WNYLRC