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HEARTHSIDE HOUSE MUSEUM NEWSLETTER
Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park
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"The House That Love Built" Vol. 14, Issue 5 Oct. 2020
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Several weeks ago, we watched as a key part of the historical landscape, the maple tree at the head of the driveway, was cut down. It was so sad to lose it and see the dramatic change in the setting of the house. For some reason, every time there is a near catastrophe, Hearthside alerts us to an impending problem and it is avoided. So I view the tree coming down as averting the possibility of some real damage or injury from the falling limbs that we were seeing.  After the tree was cut, and I headed back into the house, I couldn't believe my eyes....there in front of me was the iris plant in full bloom! Wait...this plant blooms in May, and it already had its bloom this year. Here it was September 11, and performing again with its huge white blooms. Apparently the explanation is that a plant will have a second blooming in cases of great stress, such as a severe drought. (Or maybe the loss of that tree). In any case, it was a beacon of hope, offering some comfort and a smile! Our outdoor events have been quite popular, but with the colder weather we'll be moving inside, making it even more challenging to host visitors and do so safely. We're doing tours on Oct. 25, with only 4 admitted at once, every 20 minutes. The same model holds true for Christmas, which at this point, we are planning to do. Of course it will be quite different without the usual festivities that accompanied the tours. We know everyone is looking forward to enjoying some some semblance of normalcy and tradition this year with a trip to see the decorations during the holiday season!
Throughout the changes this year, we have maintained our mission of preserving and interpreting the past at the four sites we have responsibility for as stewards. A full schedule of restoration work has continued, and we've done our best to make opportunities available for visiting and learning our history, in an interesting and enjoyable way.
This year, we had to cancel one of our most extensive and popular exhibits, the Victorian Mourning & Funeral Customs. The exhibit ended with a mock funeral service, so I thought a flashback would bring back some memories. Hopefully we'll be able to recreate this next year.
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| Gone But Not Forgotten: The Mock Funeral of Simon Thornton
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So, just continue to watch your email for last-minute programming announcements, as we develop our plans from month to month. And please stay safe and healthy! |
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Schedule of Upcoming Tours & Programs
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Sun. Oct. 18 History Hike at Chase Farm Park 12:30-2:00 pm
Sun. Oct. 25 Guided Tour of Hearthside 1-4 pm
Sun. Nov 1 History Hike at Chase Farm Park
Fri. Nov. 13 Black Cats, Broken Mirrors & Fri. the 13th- At-Home Supper & Virtual Presentation
Sat.-Sun. Dec. 5-6
Old-Fashioned Christmas Self-guided tours
Sat.-Sun. Dec. 12-13
Old-Fashioned Christmas Self-guided tours
Sun. Dec. 27 Old-Fashioned Christmas Self-guided tours
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TWO GUIDED TOURS OFFERED
OUTDOOR MUSEUM AT CHASE FARM PARK ON OCT. 18
INDOOR AT HEARTHSIDE ON OCT. 25
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A new outdoor tour is being launched this weekend. Chase Farm Park, with its bucolic
 landscape also has a treasure trove of history within it. A 90-minute guided walking tour of the campus with stops at the historic blacksmith shop and one-room schoolhouse (and outhouse) along with an overview of the Moffett Mill's operations (not able to visit the Mill due to restrictions) is given by docents at each stop. As the granddaughter of Benjamin Chase, the owner of Lincoln's last dairy farm, I will be leading the hike through the hills and meadows to share the stories of its history and daily life. Limited to a small group to allow distancing. The tour takes place on Sunday, Oct. 18th at 12:30 pm. Advance tickets only. THIS TOUR SOLD OUT --- ADDITIONAL DATE ADDED FOR SUNDAY, NOV. 1ST
If an indoor tour is more your thing, Hearthside is hosting guided tours on Sunday, October 25th through two floors of the house. This is one of the rare times when there isn't a program or exhibit on display....just the history of the house and families to share.
Tours are capped at 4-5 in each group, with timed admittance every 20 minutes. The tour is an hour. Space is limited and advance tickets are required. Tours begin at 1:00 p.m. with the last admittance at
3:00 p.m. This will be the last guided tour till next season. Our Christmas openings will be self-guided tours.
Social distancing and face masks are mandatory at all programs.
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BLACK CATS, BROKEN MIRRORS & FRI. THE 13TH
Friday, November 13th |
 Here's another new event created this year for Friday, November 13th!
An evening of fun awaits for those who want to flaunt fate and celebrate this historic day of unlucky superstition. Our "Paraskavedekatriaphobia" (fear of Friday the 13th) virtual event begins with a pick up of a prepared supper box at Hearthside to bring home to enjoy an array of 7 "good luck" foods. You'll need all the luck you can get, as you'll encounter a number of unlucky superstitions displayed upon arriving at Hearthside.
Back home, join us on your computer for the program to begin at 7:13 p.m., with some superstition games followed by the feature presentation by Carl Johnson, paranormal investigator, noted demonologist, and history enthusiast, to learn about the origins of many superstitions you've probably never heard of on this most superstitious of days. He'll conclude the evening with a reading of Edgar Allen Poe's most memorable, gruesome and chilling tale, "The Black Cat." Pick up of supper 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. At Hearthside Virtual Program 7:13 - 8:30 p.m. At your computer
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It's just a small discreet item that sits on the bureau in the master bedroom that probably doesn't get noticed during our tours. But during the Victorian times, this little ceramic dish was a common fixture. It has a removable lid with a hole in the center. It is called a hair receiver and was used to save hair that was taken from the hairbrush and comb each day. Today, we toss these bits into the trash, so why would they want to save these scraps of hair? They were to be quite useful as it turns out. The hair could be stuffed into pincushions or pillows. It was an ideal stuffing for pincushions because of the oils in the hair (women didn't wash their hair nearly as much as we do). The oils from the hair were perfect for lubricating the pins, which in turn made it easier for pins to pierce the cloth.
Probably the most important use of the hair stuffing was for creating ratts, which was a small ball of hair that was inserted into the hairstyle to add puffiness to it (i.e. Big Hair!). The hair from the receiver was stuffed into a sheer hairnet until it was about the size of a potato and then sewn shut. The "Gibson Girl" look was achieved with the use of ratts.
Another popular style was to add a few dainty curls around the frame of the face. This was achieved with a curling iron. Yes, even before electricity, women used curling irons. The one pictured above with the hair receiver operated like the modern ones, with a heated cylinder that the hair was wrapped around and creating a curl. This very small one was the perfect size for the dainty curls and came with a small container of fuel that would be lit to heat it. This portable model made it possible to do in the bedroom, as opposed to heating it over the fireplace in the kitchen.
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Also from our Mourning collection is this small ring with a braided lock of hair. The ring also has an inscription on the back to memoralize the deceased. Photo by David Cruz
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From Hearthside's collection is this mourning pin featuring a lock of hair, seed pearls and a painted background. The back of the pin is inscribed with the deceased name and date of death.
Photo by David Cruz.
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Many may have thought that hair receivers were to save hair so that someday the hair could be used to create mourning jewelry. As these pieces in our collection show, there would be a compartment in the jewelry where some arrangement of hair from the deceased could be placed. The ring shows a small braid. The pin has a smooth curl with hand painted flowers in the background. The paint would be made with hair that was pulverized and mixed with a pigment for color. Hair work was a big industry during the Victorian times when mourning customs were so prevalent.
But, the hair used for jewelry and other pieces did NOT come from the hair receivers. Hair work requires smooth, silky hair and the hair coming out of brushes and combs is just too coarse and too tangled to work for those purposes. For best results, cut hair was most likely used for the hair art.
Next time you visit Hearthside, be sure to look for the hair receiver and be that knowledgeable one in the group who can tell everyone what that curiosity really was used for. |
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SAVE THE DATES
OLD-FASHIONED CHRISTMAS SCHEDULED
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What would the holidays be without the tradition of a trip to Hearthside to see it dressed in its Christmas finery. Our volunteer decorators are anxious to get started on transforming the house into an Old-Fashioned Christmas for everyone's enjoyment, so we're making our plans now to open. While it will be different this year because of the pandemic restrictions, a limited number of guests are invited to walk through the rooms and experience a bit of holiday cheer. With a greatly scaled back attendance allowed, the spots will fill up quickly. Watch for announcements of ticket sales in mid-November.
Saturday, Dec. 5th, Sunday, Dec. 6, Saturday, Dec. 12, Sunday, Dec. 13;
and post-Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 27
Self-guided tours held between 1-5 pm
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| HEARTHSIDE'S GIFT SHOP OFFERS UP OCTOBER SPECIALS |
   October has always been a popular time in our Gift Shop following the Victorian mourning tours. Since that exhibit was cancelled this year, some of our popular October items are being featured, just in time for Halloween. If you enjoy reading, why not pick up a copy of Victorian Ghost Stories, or Widow's Weeds and Weeping Veils (the book that our exhibit is based upon). Black accessories are also available, from our jewelry collection and fans. Prices range from $6 to $20 for these items.
For that special girl who adores her 18 in. doll (American Girl Doll or others), we have a wonderful selection of outfits, perfect for an
upcoming birthday or Christmas. And right now, we have a special SALE going on with 20% off on doll clothes!
The Gift Shop is open during the next tour day (just enter at the back if you're not on the tour) which is Sun. Oct. 25th, or by appointment on Wed. or Sat's between 12-2. You can EMAIL or call 726-0597, and we'll be happy to welcome you in for some shopping. Of course, there's no obligation to buy, but please know that your purchase helps to support Hearthside!
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RECENT HAPPENINGS
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words! |
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STARRY STARRY NITE
Sept. 4, Sept. 24, Oct. 1
An evening of stargazing at Chase Farm Park
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The stargazing event took place at the Visitors Center at Chase Farm Park, with telescopes set up on a hill close by. Photo by Jim Hendrickson
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Before going off to the telescopes, astronomer and Lincoln resident Francine Jackson gave an informative presentation to better understand what could be seen in the night skies. Photo by Jim Hendrickson.
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An exciting sight to see through the telescope on Sept. 4th was this view of Venus, the Moon and Mars.
Photo by Jim Hendrickson.
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Guests spread out in their lawn chairs for the presentation prior to viewing the skies once it got dark.
Photo by Jim Hendrickson.
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A stunning sunset unfortunately meant that the skies were too cloudy for stargazing. The program scheduled for Sept. 24 was held in two parts with the introductory taking place that night and the stargazing the following week on Oct. 1.
Photo by Jim Hendrickson
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It was good timing for the event taking place on October 1st when there was a Harvest Moon. This is a view of the moon through the telescope, although to the naked eye the moon was quite orange. Telescope and photo courtesy of Jim Hendrickson.
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GREAT ROAD DAY
September 26
A annual collaboration of historic sites along Great Road to offer this day of free admissions and tours. Participating were Hearthside, the Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, the Moffett Mill, the Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse, the Saylesville Friends Meetinghouse, Mt. Moriah Masonic Lodge, the Blackstone Valley Historical Society and Arnold's Bakery.
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Docent Kevin Marchand assembled some artifacts from the Moffett Mill for his exhibit and to demonstrate how the Mill operated and the types of objects made there. The Mill was not open due to COVID restrictions.
Photo by David Cruz.
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| | An exhibit featuring women trailblazers throughout history was displayed throughout the museum. Docent Terri Brophy pointed out some of the Rhode Island women's history that was displayed in the dining room. Photo by David Cruz. |
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Guests checked in for their visit to the schoolhouse and Moffett Mill exhibit with a dash of hand sanitizer before viewing. Photo by David Cruz
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Children experienced good old-fashioned fun on a beautiful fall day. Rolling hoops was probably much easier for them on the asphalt driveway!
Photo by David Cruz.
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This young girl checks out one of the tools used in hand forging as Ed Venditelli explains how the tool helped the blacksmith craft items at the forge.
Photo by David Cruz.
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A tour of the kitchen was given by docent Estelle Barada. Photo by David Cruz
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Greeting visitors upon arrival with refreshments for sale were volunteers Dennis Przybyla, Barbara Stevenson and Linda Lundgren. Photo by Kathy Hartley
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Big Bear Trading, portraying an 1812 privateer selling his goods, was on site with an array of interesting historical items for sale. Photo by David Cruz.
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At the Blackstone Valley HIstorical Society, a featured exhibit was on the recent cemetery restoration projects completed by Ken Postle and Greg Duhamel.
Photo by Jim Hendrickson
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One of the oldest continuous operating Quaker meetinghouses dating to 1704, the Saylesville Friends Meetinghouse, was open for tours. Visitors could go to the 2nd floor gallery to get a birds eye view of the meeting space, which is still used every Sunday morning. Photo by Jim Hendrickson.
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A flash mob performance brought a high energy dance routine to the Stevie Wonder "Sir Duke" released in 1976, clearly demonstrating the breadth of history covered at Hearthside. Photo by David Cruz.
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TOYS FROM THE ATTIC EXHIBIT
August 16, Sept. 6 & 13
Hearthside's major exhibit that was postponed by opening in March finally took place during August and September, with attendance restrictions in place. Well over 500 toys were displayed throughout the museum and arranged by decades that showed the evolution of play from the mid-1800s to the 1980s.
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Docent Ross Pini shows off the toys from the 1930s-1940s which included many made from tin, such as a wind-up carousel. Photo by Susan Gonsalves.
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Tours were kept to groups up to 4 family members, who represented many generations.
Photo by Susan Gonsalves.
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Hearthside's docents all masked up for tours. Photo by Susan Gonsalves.
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Board games were especially popular during the 60s. Many visitors were excited to see one of their favorite childhood games, Cootie, whether they grew up in the 1960s or the '80s they remembered it when they saw it.
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Docent Michelle Scully shows off the items in a typical girl's bedroom in the 1960s, such as a record player with Beatles albums.
Photo by Susan Gonsalves
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A grandmother shows her granddaughters how early dolls were constructed, with porcelain heads and sawdust stuffed bodies in this display of broken dolls. Photo by Susan Gonsalves
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| Docent Kirk Hindman proudly shows off some of the toys that he developed---GI Joe, My Little Pony, and My Beautiful Dolls---while employed at Hasbro.
Photo by Susan Gonsalves. |
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| | Children enjoyed making their own simple toys, as it was done in years past. Photo by Susan Gonsalves. |
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THE LOSS OF A GRAND TREE
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| | The maple tree at the head of the driveway was always a colorful spectacle in the fall and a welcome spot to catch shade during outdoor events. |
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Over the past few years, the tree has been slowly losing its foliage. This photo was taken at the height of the summer. With preservation as our mission, it was difficult to not be able to save the tree that was such a prominent part of our landscape.
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The inside of the tree clearly showed the diseased areas.
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Judging by the size of the trunk, it was estimated that the tree was between 70-80 years old.
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Our sincerest gratitude goes out to Navigant Credit Union for
all their support as Season Sponsor for 2020!
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| As they say, there's always something happening at Hearthside and at the Great Road Heritage Campus, even when we're not open! Stay safe and we hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Kathy Hartley Founder, President & CEO Friends of Hearthside, Inc.
The mission of the Friends of Hearthside, Inc. is to preserve, protect, promote, and interpret the history of the Hearthside House and the Great Road Heritage Campus. |
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