A recent gift to the New London County Historical Society is this 1940s counter display for the Radway Dairy, a business that was located in New London. It’s a motorized advertising piece — the head of the cow goes up and down, as does the chicken, and the scroll in the middle rotates as well. It stands about 2.5 feet tall and is constructed of painted wood and sheet metal with paper images glued to the surface.
New Bedford MA, although a much larger city, has many things in common with New London: its whaling history, its 19th century prominence, its beautiful historic homes, its ethic diversity and its active waterfront. Plan to join us on Friday 19 August, for a tour to New Bedford to explore this interesting and lively city and two of its great museums. A special point of interest at the Whaling Museum will be the recently opened exhibit on the Azorean and Cape Verdean connections to New England through the whaling trade.
Included in the tour is motor coach transportation from New London (or Stonington — we’ll pick you up), with commentary provided by our own whaling authorities; admission to the New Bedford Whaling Museum with a special guided tour by Senior Curator Michael Dyer; lunch at a waterfront restaurant; and a tour of the historic Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Gardens.
I’ m certain that you have sung a song by Connecticut-born composer Henry Clay Work, as it was he who wrote the song, “My Grandfather’s Clock,” in 1876. Work is just one of several professional composers who got their “big start” during the years of the Civil War.
On Wednesday evening 20 July, bring your lawn chairs and join us in the garden of the Shaw Mansion as Rick Spencer presents a program on the “Greatest Hits of the Civil War: America’s Earliest Professional Songwriters.” The garden gates will open at 6:30 pm and the show will start at 7:00, (we’re expecting a lovely evening). Members will be asked to make a donation, for others, the concert will cost $5. (We are also calling it the “Eve of Destruction” concert, as 21 July marks the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Bull Run.)
Rick was a long-time member of the staff of Mystic Seaport working as a chanteyman and as a member of the quartet, Mystic Seaport’s Forebitter. More recently he was site administrator at the Hempsted Houses and now serves as the executive director of the Dr. Ashbell Woodward House museum of the Franklin Historical Society. In addition to being a recognized expert on the songs of the sailor, Rick has now done extensive research on popular music of 19th century America, creating programs such as, “Freemen for Fremont,” and this presentation on composers Stephen Foster, Daniel Decatur Emmett, and George F. Root in addition to Henry Clay Work.
The performance will include many of their songs, and Rick will share insights on how this music reflected the American character of the day.
Sunday 26 June join us at the Shaw Mansion for Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day. Your $5 admission to the gardens will provide opportunities for learning and enjoying the garden in the current, or the 19th century. In the morning Susan Munger will host garden tours and there will be a presentation on the surprising connection between the Shaw Mansion gardens and one of the earliest proponents of “modernist” landscape design, Christopher Tunnard, born in Canada, trained in England, and teaching at Yale after the Second World War.
In the afternoon, “Miss Perkins and friends” will entertain with period music, a “Language of Flowers” tour and perhaps a game of croquet.
There will be plants available for sale, and strawberry shortcake for everyone!
Open 11am to 3:30 pm.
NEW LONDON, CT – Today New London County Historical Society announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 1,300 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2011. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.
In welcoming local military personnel, Historical Society president Deborah Donovan stated, “The Shaw Mansion is particularly connected to the local Navy and Coast Guard facilities as it served as the Naval Headquarters for Connecticut during the American Revolution. We can tell the story of state navies and privateers and their role in the Revolution with objects you can find nowhere else.” For examples she noted the Shaw Flag — a rare American Flag from the American Revolution — and treasures captured as prizes by Shaw privateers, including a Goddard tea table and silver service intended for the British governor of Virginia.
“Blue Star Museums may be the program at the NEA of which I am proudest,” said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. “Blue Star Museums recognizes and thanks our military families for all they are doing for our country, and simultaneously begins young people on a path to becoming life-long museum goers.”
In 2010, the first year of the program, 300,000 military family members visited partner museums. This year, more than 1,324 museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 500 new museums this year. In addition to the Shaw Mansion, some of the other local museums participating include the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, the Jonathan Trumbull War Office in Lebanon, and in New London, the Custom House Maritime Museum and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum.
About Blue Star Museums
Blue Star Museums runs from Memorial Day, May 30, 2011 through to Labor Day, September 5, 2011. The free admission program is available to active-duty military and their immediate family members (military ID holder and five immediate family members). Active duty military include Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and active duty National Guard and active duty Reserve members. Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program. For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly. To find out which museums are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning.
Anton Checkhov’s, “The Cherry Orchard” will be the next “parlor theatre” play presented at the Shaw Mansion. A production of Flock Theatre, preview performances are being offered 10, 11, and 12 May, with the official show opening scheduled for 13 May at 7pm. Evening performances continue at 7pm on the 14th, and 15th, and then each evening from the 17th to the 22nd. Matinee shows are available at 2pm on the 14th, 15, and 21st.
Tickets start at $25, with a discounted price of $20 for the preview performances. Call Flock Theatre for tickets at 860.443.3119.
A special dinner theatre performance is scheduled for Thursday 19 May as a fund-raising event for the Historical Society and Flock Theatre. Dinner at Dev’s on Bank, plus the show, plus coffee and dessert at Dev’s during the intermission AND a donation for two of your favorite organizations costs $75 per ticket! For menu choices and reservations please call Flock Theatre at 860.443.3119.
