“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

World Kindness Day, November 13

Woodlawn will have a table to encourage you to visit this winter - skate, sled, hike, and hopefully, win at the Cardboard Sled races if we get enough snow!

See you there - this sounds like a great event!

Join the team at Woodlawn and be part of the new Barn magic!

Title: Sales & Membership Manager

Reports to: Executive Director

Salary range depending on experience; $52-56,000

We are looking for someone creative, organized, proactive, tech savvy, and fun who will promote and manage the campus facilities and membership programs.

Key Responsibilities:

60% Facilities: responsible for promoting and booking barn, cottage, and grounds

30% Membership: database, mailings, events

10% Volunteers: promote, coordinate, and celebrate

Physical Requirements: Able to lift up to 50 lbs, use stairs and walk on uneven ground surfaces, and stand/walk 75% of each shift

To apply for this position, email Director@woodlawnellsworth.org with your resume, cover letter, and three professional references. We will begin interviews in mid November.

Three generations of music

Music was a regular part of life in the fine homes of nineteenth century Ellsworth. At Woodlawn, singing and instrumental music filled the parlors and main hall. John Black, son of a dancing master, is said to have played the violin; his wife Mary may have been schooled in voice and piano before moving to Gouldsboro in the 1790s. Their eight children at the very least learned to dance, and their grandchildren’s education included dancing, singing and piano lessons.

Nixon’s mother, Mary Peters Black, was a skilled pianist who, together with her daughters, passed many delightful hours making music in their Ellsworth and Boston homes.

In addition to their own musical performance, the Black family enjoyed music played mechanically on an early 19th century barrel organ. Now located in Woodlawn’s main hallway, the barrel organ played tunes on demand just as we play records or CDs today. All it took was a specially made barrel inserted into the instrument’s case and the crank of a handle to make it play. A barrel organ consists of a decorative wooden case containing organ pipes, a bellows to force air through the pipes, a percussion drumhead, and interchangeable cylindrical wooden “barrels”. On the outside of the case is a brass crank with wooden handle used to rotate the barrels and fill the bellows with air. The barrels are covered with a complex pattern of precisely arranged brass staples hammered onto them. It is the unique arrangement of the staples that determines what tune is played as air is forced through the pipes. A single barrel could be designed to play as many as ten songs.

Woodlawn’s barrel organ is a work of art with its delicate carving, contrasting wood inlay, and painted front. It includes five interchangeable barrels that play over thirty different songs. There are also six mechanical “stops” that control the air flow to specific groups, or ranks, of pipes adding variety to the sounds that can be produced. A playlist of songs including marches, country dances, folk tunes, and even Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus is glued to the underside of the case lid. Although Woodlawn’s barrel organ lacks a maker’s label, it closely resembles those sold by Clementi & Company of London in the 1790s-1830s.

You can listen to the sound of a barrel organ like Woodlawn’s by clicking this YouTube Link.

Thank you sponsors!

Richard has made two beautiful cornhole sets sponsored by Bar Harbor Bank & Trust and Brown, Holmes & Milliken. A big thank you to both for your patience and support! I called for sponsors in late 2021 with a goal of getting up to 20 sets for outdoor tournaments and fundraisers knowing we would be limited to outdoor activities during construction. These two loyal Woodlawn supporters immediately said yes! Then, not only did we got distracted by barn construction, the lack of parking meant hosting big events was not possible. Watch for these to pop up around Woodlawn so you can relax and throw a game while you visit, inside this winter and on the lawn next summer.

Renting space at the Barn - let's talk soon!

Are you in a wool spinning club, regular book discussion group or maybe you have been looking for a commercial kitchen to rent?

The barn has three different meetings spaces to accommodate a range of activities and gatherings.

We can accommodate up to 50 upstairs and up to 125 downstairs. The kitchen is sweet and perfect for someone who wants to start small with an idea....you might be able to sell the items in our gift shop...

On our website (woodlawnellsworth.org) there is a tab called The Barn - use the enquiry form to tell us about what you might want to do and someone will get back to you about a shared future!

Barn Update

The turf they rolled out is growing well and the hydro seed has also been doing well with the rain and sun combination we have been experiencing. The deer love the fresh grass! Inside we are testing systems and doing all the finishing touches. We are at the punch list stage which means we go through and identify any lingering spots or issues. There is a domino effect of who and what needs to signed off - wifi, the elevator, the generator, the city....I am not sure that is the right order and I probably left someone off but we are getting very very close. Thanks to everyone for their patience.

We have a logo and a winter lecture series - there will be an open house and registration session in December. This is something to get excited about! We look forward to hearing from folks who want to teach, who want to learn as well as those who like to volunteer and make it all come together.

Ground improvements - As always, be mindful!

Through the month of November, staff and volunteers will be setting up lights for the December holiday display. That will be along the driveway and the short story trail loop. Please drive slowly! We are keeping the tape up around the new grass so that people are reminded not to attempt short cuts. For this month, parking is still restricted to the lower parking lot if you are visiting. As an active construction site, the upper lot is still not safe.

Wish List:

Amazon let's us create a wish list - click the link and pick items to purchase that are mailed directly to us. We will recognize your generosity as a membership donation!

Binoculars

Game Camera

Headlamps

Leaf blower

Rubber wheel snow blower

Wood chipper

Woodlawn

Black House Drive, P.O. Box 1478

Ellsworth, Maine 04605

(207) 667-8671

For general questions, click here