Dr. Catherine J. Ullman

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center continues the fall installment of its Chautauqua County History Lecture Series on Thursdasy at 7 p.m., with An Evening with the Undertakers, presented in partnership with the Darwin R. Barker Historical Museum.

The program’s speaker, Dr. Catherine J. Ullman, is an independent researcher with an avid interest in death, the dead, and death culture in medieval Europe, as well as in 19th century and modern US. Her passion for these unusual subjects was sparked by growing up in one of the older homes of Fredonia and waiting for the school bus across from the Forest Hill Cemetery.

In An Evening with the Undertakers, Ullman will discuss how early undertakers were integral to the community, beyond their responsibilities in caring for the dead. Their primary occupation, in fact, often was typically not undertaking. Who were these people and what other important role did they play in society?

Having moved to the Buffalo area, Ullman is still a regular attendee at the Harvest Moon Cemetery tours. In part, these tours inspired her to pursue research about the historical undertakers of the area through the Dunkirk Historical Society & Museum and Darwin R. Barker Historical Museum. She will share the results of that research in this fascinating program.

“We’re grateful to Max Walters and the Barker Library and Museum, for working with us to bring Dr. Ullman here for the lecture,” notes Opera House Executive Director Rick Davis.

Admission to the lecture is free, with donations gratefully accepted. Opera House programming is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and the Ralph Wilson Jr. Arts & Cultural Initiative as administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo.

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center is a member-supported not-for-profit performing arts center with a mission to “present the performing arts for the benefit of our community and region … providing access to artistic diversity … and high quality programming at an affordable price.” It is located in Village Hall in downtown Fredonia. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.fredopera.org.