Our 2022 Foote Family Association of America Educational Conference was held in Waltham, MA. The theme was “Where It All Began”, since Waltham is connected to Watertown, where by 1633 Nathaniel Foote had first settled in America, before he moved on to Connecticut.
Our Conference had originally been scheduled for 2021 but was postponed due to the coronavirus. It was decided that from now on, Conferences will be held in even numbered years, and our next one will be in 2024 (location still being discussed).
Pat Kenney, Secretary, organized the Conference, with the assistance of Meg Macdonough and John and Susan Foote. We are all very grateful for the excellent job they did of planning.
Most of us registered at the Hyatt House on Thursday, June 23.
On Friday, June 24, we had a chartered bus take us to several stops. We started at Plymouth Rock, where we learned that, although the rock appears small, it serves as a powerful symbol of the arrival of the early voyagers. We then went to the Mayflower 2, where we spent some time exploring the ship.
From there we went to Plimoth Grist Mill, a working reproduction of the Pilgrims’ 1636 water-powered mill. We then drove to Plimoth Patuxet (formerly known as Plymouth Plantation) and were served a lunch called “A Taste of Two Nations”, comprised of both Native American and English foods. We then toured the historic area with very knowledgeable guides.
On Saturday, June 25, everyone could choose their own activity during the day. Some of us went on a tour of the Old Stone Cemetery and the Mt. Auburn Cemetery, guided by knowledgeable Carolyn Bigelow. Others pursued their own interests, choosing from an extensive list of activities in the Boston area.
We regrouped Saturday evening for a raffle at the hotel, and then went “down the hill” to the Local, where we held our Banquet and our General Board Meeting. We enjoyed a wonderful presentation by our Banquet Speaker, Carolyn Bigelow, who gave a talk on early Watertown history, tying it all nicely together with information about Nathaniel Foote’s role in that city’s history.
The Conference wrapped up with goodbyes on Sunday, with all of us feeling grateful for our excellent weather, tours, and the joy of seeing old friends and making new family connections. There is always a wonderful spirit of camaraderie at the FFAA Educational Conferences.