Oakes Ames, the man and his place in history, will be explored in a day-long public symposium in Easton on Sept. 21.
“The Enigma of Oakes Ames” was organized by his descendant Fred L. Ames and historian Maury Klein and features numerous speakers, including Pulitzer Prize winning author T. J. Stiles. The event — which will be held at Stonehill College, followed by a reception at Oakes Ames Memorial Hall — was timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad, in which Oakes Ames played a major role.
Ames is most known for his involvement in the Credit Mobilier scandal involving financing of the railroad, but he was also a congressman and prominent Easton businessman in the 1800s. He helped make the family business, Oliver Ames & Sons, into the leading shovel manufacturer in the world after the Civil War.
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Registration is available at stonehill.edu/archives, or at the door of the Martin Institute on the college campus. The cost is $20 for adults, $10 for seniors, and free for students, and includes a light breakfast and lunch.
Johanna Seltz can be reached at seltzjohanna@gmail.com.