Deerfield, Mass. (August 21, 2018)----
There is beauty in this landscape any time of the year, but autumn in Deerfield typically wins the prize. The canopy of trees that line the Street turn to hues of orange, yellow, and red. The breezes are cool on crisp, sunny days. The scent of a hearth fire fills the air from open hearth cooking demonstrations showcasing the bounty of the harvest. A visit to Deerfield in the fall is essential, and there are so many things for everyone to see and do.
The following is a list of upcoming programs and events at Historic Deerfield in September, October and November 2018. Unless otherwise noted, all programs are included with general admission.
Special Events
Fashion and Conflict in Early America
September 28-30, 2018
Historic Deerfield's fall symposium, "Fashion and Conflict in Early America," will provide an in-depth look at the broad meanings of conflict on clothing and textiles that defined culture in 18th-and early 19th-century British and French North America. For more information and to register, contact Julie Orvis (413) 775-7179 or visit historic-deerfield.org.
Dressed Rehearsal: Fashion as Performance
New Exhibit
September-October 2018
Stebbins House and Wells-Thorn House
What do you do when you first wake up in the morning? Chances are, getting dressed is at the top of the list! The reasons we dress are myriad; we dress for modesty, the weather, our jobs and roles in society, how we want to be perceived by others, and our mood. None of these reasons is fixed, and can change from one day to the next and over time. Formal and informal clothing, accessories, make up, hair care, and perfume or cologne, all contribute to our self-fashioning, and the impressions we give to others.
Historic Deerfield explores this concept in a special, 8-week fall exhibition of early 19th-century clothing and accessories. Examples of men's and women's dress from the collection will be on view in the Stebbins House and Wells-Thorn House in September and October of 2018.
2018 ADA/Historic Deerfield Antiques Show
To Benefit the Connecticut Humane Society
Saturday and Sunday, October 20-21
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (10/20), 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (10/21)
Hartford Armory, Hartford, CT (NEW LOCATION). $15, free for Historic Deerfield members.
The Antiques Dealers' Association of America, Inc., will once again bring together some of the nation's finest dealers for their annual art and antiques show featuring the best of 18th- and 19th-century American art, antiques and design. The ADA/Historic Deerfield Show provides customers with a fun and informative experience in antiquing and early design. The show is considered by both serious and casual collectors to be one of the year's most important. On view and for sale will be remarkable objects from the 17th through the 19th centuries that will improve the quality of any collection and the look of any home. For more information, visit
adadealers.com.
Lecture: "The Dirt on Deerfield: Historical Archaeology on Old Main Street"
Thursday, October 18, 7 p.m.
Hall Tavern Visitor Center
Free
Join Claire Carlson, Education Program Coordinator, as she examines the archaeological items found on Old Main Street through the years.
Day of Giving
Friday, November 23, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Opt-out of Black Friday chaos, and instead let Historic Deerfield be your destination for handmade, heartfelt giving in preparation for the holiday season. On the Day of Giving, every museum visitor will have the opportunity to handcraft a special gift using simple or natural materials. The Day of Giving also kicks off our holiday support of the Community Action Family Center.
Hands-On Learning
A Clean Sweep: The History and Crafting of Brooms
Weekends, September 15 - November 18
12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., History Workshop Building
People everywhere in the world have used brooms for centuries to sweep caves, cabins and castles, to sweep bedrooms, ballrooms and barns. People found whatever was available: brush, thin twigs, straw and even corn husks were tied to a handle and used to sweep dirt from the floor and ashes from the hearth. These crude brooms were the kind used in New England and elsewhere in America until 1797 when Levi Dickinson, a farmer in Hadley, Massachusetts, grew broom corn and invented tools and equipment to make a sturdy, long-lasting broom. Come to the History Workshop and learn all about brooms, and broom making. See our crop of broom corn, sweep with a handmade broom and make a small, serviceable whisk broom to take with you.
Demonstrations
Open Hearth Cooking: It's Pumpkin Time
September 15, 22, 29
9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Visitor Center at Hall Tavern Kitchen
If it's September, it must be pumpkin time. Before the pumpkin spice lattes and muffins of today, people were eating dishes made from Connecticut Field and Long Island Cheese pumpkins. It was a dependable crop and stored well over the colder months providing a reliable source of food. Meet the workhorse of the Colonial kitchen - the pumpkin. Our hearth cooks will be making a variety of dishes with heirloom pumpkins. Stop by and learn more about this staple of the fall menu.
Open Hearth Cooking: Tavern Fare
October 5-8, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28
9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Visitor Center at Hall Tavern Kitchen
Colonial New England taverns were common in both small towns and cities. They were a welcome sight for travelers who could stop for a drink and a hot meal. Local people went to taverns to catch up on town news, see friends, have a drink or transact business. Taverns were known for their hearty meals rather than fine dining. Come see the 1786 kitchen at the Hall Tavern and see what's on the Bill of Fare for the day.
Open Hearth Cooking: Time for Pie
November 3, 10, 17
9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Visitor Center at Hall Tavern Kitchen
Who doesn't love pie? As the fall settles in and the days get shorter, our cooks will be busy in the kitchen making pies. Pies were a common dish served as part of the meal. They were savory or sweet-sometimes both with surprising flavor combinations. Come and learn about pie!
Historic Trades Demonstrations
Visitors will meet talented craftspeople and observe their work up close each weekend this fall with our Historic Trade demonstrations. Learn how a printing press was important to communication in colonial times. See a joiner use a series of tools to square, shape, and join separate pieces of wood into a single, strong window sash. Working with the head of fiery coals, watch the blacksmith deftly transform hard, shapeless metal into a graceful, functional object. Check the calendar for a schedule of specific demonstrations which occur on Saturdays and Sundays, September 29 - November 24. Included with general admission.
Program Calendar
Historic Trades Demonstrations
Saturdays and Sundays (unless otherwise noted), September 29 - November 24, 10:00 a.m. -
4 p.m.
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Stoneware Pottery with Mark Shapiro
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Tinsmithing with Bill McMillen
Sunday, September 30, 2018
The Doctor is In! Early 19th-Century Medical Practices with Dr. Jack Richman
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Blacksmithing with Rick Martin
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Gunsmithing with Leonard Day
Saturday, October 13, 2018
The Fine Craft of Building 17th & 18th Century Furniture: Demonstration with Craig Farrow
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Redware Pottery with Rick Hamelin
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Letterpress Printing Demonstration with Carl Darrow
Sunday, October 14, 2018
The Fine Craft of Building 17th & 18th Century Furniture: Demonstration with Craig Farrow
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Dressmaking with Linda Oakley
Shoemaking with Peter Oakley
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Silversmithing with Steve Smithers
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Architectural Woodworking with Ted Ingraham
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Tailoring with Henry Cooke
Sunday, October 21, 2018
White Pine Bark and Ash Bark Basket Making with Jennifer Lee
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Coopering with Neil Muckenhoupt
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Gravestone Carving with Karin Sprague
Friday, November 23, 2018
Redware Pottery with Stephen Earp
Paper Marbling with Regina St. John
Saturday, November 24, 2018
17th Century Life
About Historic Deerfield, Inc.
Historic Deerfield, Inc., is dedicated to the heritage and preservation of Deerfield, Massachusetts, and the Connecticut River Valley. Its museums and programs provide today's audiences with experiences that create an understanding and appreciation of New England's historic villages and countryside.
Admission is $18 for adults (18+), $5 for children (6-17), free for children under 6, members and Deerfield/South Deerfield residents. For more information, please call (413) 775-7214 or visit
historic-deerfield.org.
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