Archive for the ‘New Hampshire’ Category

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The North Country of New Hampshire IS a Breath of Fresh Air

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Today, after days of rain, the sun was shining and we decided to travel to Colebrook, New Hampshire to take in at least part of the Moose Festival. Each year, there is a nice display of quilts in the local church and it is always fun to chat a bit with the ladies who put so much effort into setting up this annual event. Draped over pews were quilts from antique to modern. Right away, I noticed one antique quilts with 1940s fabrics in a Monkey Wrench pattern (a.k.a. Churn Dash and many other names). It has a “humility block” that was made incorrectly.

With sunlight streaming in the stained glass windows, the ambiance was cheerful and peaceful. At the front of the church were two quilts thought by the group to be worthy of special attention.

applique quilt

This appliqué quilt utilizes white on white fabric as a background. The brave quilter hand quilted her quilt, in spite of the inherent obstacle of trying to quilt through the gummy fabric. The motifs include special techniques such as ruched flowers.

Sunflower quilt

A local woman reportedly designed this quilt that features Sunflowers. I noticed the amount of quilting and the interesting ways in which she quilted this piece. Each Sunflower has 16 diamond shapes around the perimeter, much easier to draft than the 17 point diamond “Sunflower” that I once re-created from an antique quilt in my possession. The soft colors of this quilt and the wonderful brown fabrics to represent the “seeds” of the Sunflowers help to make this quilt very special. “Vine” motifs were used to quilt the outer border.

afghan quilt

This very creative “afghan quilt,” made by Terry Hurlbert, is 40 years old. The sign says that it was made as a gift for Phil and Dolly Lambert when they moved to South Hill. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Very interesting!

Patricia Cummings

Went there. Had to buy the Tee shirt. We wandered into the “Livin Life” shop at 119 Main Street in Colebrook and found this must-have Moose tee shirt.

When we got home, I asked Jim to take this picture, just for fun! I was tired and bedraggled and my clothes are wrinkled from all that sitting in the car. Colebrook is located at the uppermost reaches of the state of New Hampshire, not far from Canada. I had to buy a shirt with a moose on it. After all, a friend of mine always refers to me as “the quilter’s moose!” My friends will do anything to “get my goat!” The resident photographer for Quilter’s Muse Publications took the photo. He is a good kid. The rose beside me is a “miniature” rose that was a gift from a loved one. It is not so miniature any more!

The Local Scenery

I loved seeing the shadows on the mountains, ever changing. We noticed that the tramway was bringing people to the top of Canon Mountain, in the White Mountains. On the way up north, we passed lots of big green fields, some with large bales of hay, ready to be brought in, or covered. We saw Swiss steers, unusual to see in a state that usually only has Holsteins or Jersey cows. There were flocks of wild Canadian geese in the fields, and three really cute Donkeys in a fenced-in area.

As usual, the further you head north, the nicer the people are. Everyone we met today was most cordial. I loved getting a 30% discount price at the “Memos” bookstore at 906 Main St., Colebrook where I bought a book titled, Yvonne of the Amoskeag Textile Mills by Alice Daley Noyes. The Belgian Bakery in town has wonderful breads, Belgian chocolates and other delights. There was to be a parade, a chicken barbeque, and other events later. All in all, today was a much needed short break from constant work. When one works from home, one WORKS all the time! Cheers!

Patricia Cummings

Posted in New Hampshire, Quilt Show | No Comments »

Former NH Commissioner of Agriculture Presents Bovine Talk

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

We drove all the way to Tamworth, NH tonight to listen to a presentation by Steve Taylor on one of his favorite topics: cows. This man knows more about cows than most anyone you could meet. He should know. He is a dairy farmer with about 60 milk cows in his herd.

This was the second attempt to hear this talk. The other time, last year, we had traveled to Bradford, NH and come away with nothing more than some photos of a covered bridge, and the memory of a ready-set audience who was disappointed when illness prevented the speaker from arriving.

Tonight, the library hall was packed with interested people who were eager to hear the talk. I am especially fond of cows. My brother, the late Steve Grace, earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture at UNH, and worked as a herdsman for several NH dairies, after giving up on the idea of teaching agriculture. Steve was first introduced to vocational agriculture at Alvirne High School in Hudson where he was able to have hands-on experiences with raising heifers and performing farm chores.

Taylor’s talk tonight covered a broad time period, from the arrival of the first cows, to present-day breeding methods and care of livestock to prevent disease, and to provide adequate nutrition. He referred to a time when the family cow was so important, she lived inside the home (“hovel” he called it) with family members. Taylor knows a lot about processing milk, product safety, and the major distributors in New England. He pointed out how industrialized the process of gathering and packaging milk has become, and also the dangers of the new trend to consume raw milk that is not pasteurized to kill bacteria.

The talk was very informative and we are so happy to have heard it. We enjoyed Steve Taylor’s lecture about sheep last year in Francestown, an extraordinary affair that I wrote about here, at that time.

These events, sponsored by the NH Humanities Council are priceless, although they cost the public nothing to attend. They are always an enriching experience! For more information, please visit: www.nhhc.org

Patricia Cummings

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Wild Weather in NH

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Last night, we couldn’t get to sleep. It sounded like an Amtrak train going past our front door. It was just the wind. The power went out, probably for a number of hours. It was so weird to look outside and see only dark, no street lights. In the morning, Jim had a sudden urge to eat breakfast at McDonald’s. Not to be the one to stand between a man and his hotcakes and sausage, I agreed to go along. The place was absolutely crowded in the parking lot and many people were milling about inside. We came home and ate Cream of Wheat, instead.

I figured that all the folks up north of here were probably still without power and decided to grab something quick to eat on the way to work in the city of Concord. Anyhow, we went on our way. Along the street, we noticed lots of branches and pine needles down, and one of our neighbor’s picket fences was taken out by a large Spruce tree falling on it. Then, we began to notice more and more limbs down around town. As late as this morning, many places downtown had not yet had their power restored. The kicker was that Dunkin’ Donuts all over the city had to close because they ran out of donuts!

Today, there have been a few streaks of wet snow, and a few drizzles of rain. Intermittently, the sun peeked through, making me think of Spring, as it gets brighter every day.

In a few days, Jim will be officially an old “geezer.” I am so glad he robbed the cradle. At three years younger, I am certain that I do not yet qualify for “geezerette,” even though my bones tell a different story on most mornings.

We never know what to expect for weather in New Hampshire. In an odd, comforting way, it is good to realize that weather patterns are becoming unpredictable everywhere. The weather people sure do a great job of trying to stay on top of what’s happening. We hear that the Monadnock Region of the state (in the western part) received heavy snow, when we got rained on for two days. It keeps us all on our toes. “Here in New England, if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute!”

Best,

Patricia Cummings, who is VERY excited about an upcoming, never before seen, web article about a quilt that we will be featuring next week, with any luck!

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No Signs of Recession in New Hampshire

Friday, February 19th, 2010

We went on a lunch date today to Bertucci’s, an Italian restaurant in Nashua, that has an excellent array of food. A large bowl of salad is brought to the table. It has Black olives (my favorite), small plum tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, and cucumbers, a wonderful dressing, and lots of parmesan cheese intermixed. That, and hard rolls, hot from the oven, are a nice start to the meal.

For an entreé, I selected brick-oven baked, “Lasagna Rustica.” It was delicious, if not a little too well done around the outer edges. That was ok. I only had room for about 1/2 of it, anyhow. Jim had a pasta and chicken dish that I could pronounce, in seeing it, but do not recall now. We both chose Raspberry Ice Tea as a beverage. Everything was exceptional. this was an unusual splurge for us. Every now and then, we do something special for absolutely no reason at all, except, in this case, we were on an errand in the city.

The restaurant was full of people, as were other places we visited. That has been the rule of thumb. People are in lines to fill up at gasoline stations, and customers are shopping and spending. In my own business, I’ve seen a sudden upsurge of orders from stores who want to carry my products (books on CD) and are ordering them by the dozens. Everyone keeps talking about the recession that supposedly, we are undergoing, but I have yet to see the results of that, at least not in New Hampshire.

The hardest hit part of the nation seems to be Detroit. Perhaps it is the diversity of the products made in New Hampshire that is making the difference. First of all, we are a tourist state, in any season! Right now, the skiers are here, but soon, there will be the beach goers, the mountain hikers, the people who make shopping a second career, and those who love to visit museums.

The state of New Hampshire has no sales tax (shhhhh), we are tolerant of gays (apparently, since the first gay Bishop in the Episcopal faith is from NH), and we sell unique products such as Maple Syrup. We have priceless indoor and outdoor museums, the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord, NH, The Currier Art Museum in Manchester, and the SEE Museum (for Children and kids-at-heart) in Manchester. We have places to go bike touring, fishing, and we even have places where you can “hug a tree,” if you’re so inclined, as well as lots of opportunities for bird watching and outdoor photography.

If I didn’t already live here, I’d come for a visit! However, since I do live here, I hardly ever want to leave. Occasionally, I’ll force myself into foreign territory (Massachusetts), or enjoy myself by heading north to Vermont and Maine! Yes, I prefer life in the slow lane. Yes, I like turtles.

Now, that I’ve advertised my state in an unabashed manner, and stated my preferences, in the same way, I will leave you to ponder when your trip to New Hampshire will be. No, we are not in a recession in NH, and we’d like to keep it that way! New Hampshire history appears in some way or another in all of my e-books. What are you waiting for – a written invitation? Well, now you have it. :-)

My picks for best New Hampshire quilt shops are “Quilted Threads” in Henniker (“the only Henniker on earth” – west of Concord, NH), and “Keepsake Quilting” in Centre Harbor (north of Concord, NH).

Best,

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Treasure Trove of Family Textiles Continues to Delight

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Within the last two years, we have been documenting, cleaning, photographing, writing about, and publishing items from the Lewis family collection that represents at least four generations of needleworker/quilters who also worked in other media such as rug hooking, filet crochet, and the latest techniques of their day. Represented are the three most recent quilt revivals: the 1880s, the 1930s, and the 1970s.

I recently re-discovered a number of cartons/baskets/containers that contain textiles that I had not yet documented. I am not finished cleaning all of them yet but I found some interesting discoveries. At the moment, I have no way to share photos as we had to order a newer, compatible version of Photoshop, but at least I can tell you about some of the special “finds.”

1) A rayon, fringed square, probably a souvenir of World War II, with a U.S. Marines insignia on one corner. The father of the man who presented this collection to me was a Marine, as was he, himself.

2) A quilted potholder square, (4 patch), bound with a separate, muslin-color binding. I wondered if this was meant to be a potholder, as the batting is thin or non-existent, or if the item was the start of a potholder quilt.

3) A calico pocket, similar to those that drape over an armchair to hold sewing utensils. There is a “pocket” on each end. Inside the pocket is a card that says in old-fashioned Victorian print: “Merry, merry Christmas and a happy New Year too.” – (written as printed). The reverse side of the card has a hand-written message: “Eleanor – To add to your hopeless chest. – Mother” Somebody had a good sense of humor! A “hope chest” is the name given to collected textiles and household goods that would help a young lady set up housekeeping after marriage. We don’t hear the term very often, these days.

4) There is a 3-D Dahlia pillow made of a “fancy fiber” in a light orange color.

5) Pillowcases, woven in the round, are present in sets of two, each set embroidered with one of the family names, monogrammed, or embroidered. Round pillowcases are no longer sold. The bottom edges often sport crocheted edges, often in variegated thread colors.

6) There are bureau scarves, bridge sets, and piles of handkerchiefs. One that has yellow, scalloped edges was never used and had a small tag that said, “35 cents, Woolworth’s.”

I am left to wonder about some of the other items. I don’t know their potential use. One is a long, rectangular unit, folded in half, that has silk ribbon work on the top edge when it is folded in half, and ribbon ties. It is well-used, but for what purpose?

We have published aprons, potholders, (other) handkerchiefs, and quilts from this collection. It might have all gone to the dump had a family member not been so kind enough as to pass it all on to us, where it has found a broad audience of interested people.

Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve! We will leave the roads to the drunks and instead, we’ll be happily at home with our books, our projects, and our own company.

Happy New Year!

Patricia and James Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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Posted in Antiques, Embroidery, Fabrics, New Hampshire | 2 Comments »

Sandra LeBeau Discusses Manchester Mills at Campton, NH Historical Society

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

Sandra LeBeau, Ph.D. presented the topic, “The Mills of Manchester, NH and Manchester, England,” at a meeting on September 21, 2009, hosted by the Campton Historical Society, Campton, NH, in conjunction with the New Hampshire Humanities Council. The speaker, self-described as a “labor historian,” revealed similarities about old mills in both cities called “Manchester.” She came to know much about those particular mills, as a result of living near them.

Mill Girl Statue, Millyard Museum

Mill Girl Statue in Manchester, NH at the site of the former Amoskeag Mills. With the “mill girls,” this operation would not have prospered. photo by James Cummings

Her talk compares the pre-Industrial era to the Age of Industrialization that was based on the model set forth by England. She briefly alluded to the name “Slater.” To further clarify her reference, Samuel Slater is called “The Father of the Industrial Revolution.” He left England for America, with the plans for making textile machinery, held only in his memory bank. If written plans were found on his person, he could have been tried for industrial espionage, imprisoned or worse.

Slater set up a mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island to spin cotton. As spinning a fiber is just one of the preliminary steps to making cloth, his mill led to the creation of weaving mills in Massachusetts. The Slater Mill Museum and Gift Shop are wonderful to visit.

There is so much information related to Mill History, I am absolutely certain that it is impossible to include all of the details in one talk, or one article, or even one book. The speaker did a great job of staying on topic. In passing, she mentioned other mills such as those of Lowell, MA and Harrisville, NH.

Harrisville Canal photo by James Cummings

Canal at the Harrisville Mill complex, Harrisville, NH, where woolen textiles were manufactures. photo by James Cummings

Even though I have read a lot about the mills of New England, and have visited many of them, have seen their videos and exhibits, and have learned about their workers, the joy for me last night was in hearing another historian speak about a familiar subject. The audience, including me, added a lot of comments, observations, and questions, and everyone seemed very enthusiastic about this presentation.

Of burning interest are the factors that led to the demise of the New England mills, actually a combination of factors. Many thanks to Sandra LeBeau. I am sure that this talk only whetted folks’ interest to learn more or brought the subject to mind for others.

For additional online reading, there are files on our website about the mills in Lowell and Pawtucket, and the Amoskeag, Cocheco, and Harrisville Mills of New Hampshire. Just go to the Index page, scroll down to the Site Navigation Information, and key in one of those words, after placing your cursor in the search box.

Patricia Cummings

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John Perrault Presents Musical Ballad Program at Belmont (NH) Historical Society

Friday, September 18th, 2009

John Perrault

photo of John Perrault by James Cummings, Quilter’s Muse Publications

What a treat it was to hear the many old ballads that John Perrault sang tonight, accompanied by his guitar, which he plays proficiently. His love of history and the history of ballads was apparent, as he wove historical threads into the program, “The Ballad Lives!” His words connected us to certain countries of origin for the songs he sang, and to stories behind them. He revealed how and where these songs were collected and preserved and the names of certain individual folklorists who assisted in that quest.

Perrault gave a mention of the permutations that ballads undergo as they are passed from person to person, and generation to generation. Often, ballads are based on an historical event, but later become a blend of both myth and history. He states, “Many ballads focus on love, death, and tragedy – things universal in the human heart.”

We were treated to renditions of the familiar “Barbara Allen,” or “Barbry Allen,” as some singers pronounce the name. The presenter went on to describe and sing songs about murder, “Little Sadie,” (known by three other names); “Pretty Polly,” and “Cruel Mother” … adding anecdotes, commentaries, and of course, additional songs.

The song that most impressed me is called “The Ballad of Louis Wagner,” that recalls the murder of two women on the Isles of Shoals, off the coast of New Hampshire and Maine, on March 5-6, 1873. Louis Wagner was convicted for the crimes and was the last man to be hanged in Maine in 1875. John Perrault wrote an amazing and long poem and set it to music, delivering the ballad with a passion for the history it invokes and with parts of it presented in the first person, by “Louis” himself. The song states that the murderer wore a silver chain and had a silver Judas heart. I love the imagery. Apparently, the motive for the murders was to find and steal silver.

Overall, this was an amazing performance, and yet another cultural program brought to the public, at no charge, by a New Hampshire Humanities Council grant. John Perrault has taught high school, and has worked in law. He was the poet laureate of Portsmouth, NH from 2003-2005. We were very pleased with this program and we encourage others to visit John’s website, and to attend or book any of his future presentations. He has other programs available. His latest book, Jefferson’s Dream, is currently for sale.

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications – The one ballad that I recorded for Quilter’s Muse Publications and Virtual Museum is a song called “Mary Hamilton,” a long English narrative about a woman who killed her babe, and whose fate was the gallows.

A second long Irish ballad that I sing is “Mrs. McGrath.”

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Posted in History, Music, New Hampshire | 2 Comments »

Constitution Day Observed with Talk Presented by Richard Hesse – Professor Emeritus

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Richard A. Hesse, Emeritus Professor of Law at Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord, New Hampshire, presented a talk titled, “Free Speech in a Free Society,” at Folsom Tavern on the grounds of the American Independence Museum in Exeter, New Hampshire, on September 17, 2009. The information was organized and presented in a flawless manner, reflecting the many years that this individual has taught classes in Law.

In greeting the public, in the small, intimate quarters of an upstairs meeting room that was filled to capacity, the speaker mentioned that the topic of free speech is very appropriate because 1) It is “Constitution Day,” and 2) There are two drafts of the Constitution in the museum, complete with “cross-outs, annotations, and doodling” in the margins. We always realized that the American Independence Museum is a very special landmark in our state, and this is something else to its credit!

The talk was extremely compelling. Practical examples were set forth that described how law might be applied across a large array of potential situations. The one example that looms large, in coming away from the talk, is that free speech is necessary in society in order to create a “marketplace of ideas.” When all ideas are not heard, someone’s personal expression is limited, which can be frustrating to an individual, and the situation can create social disharmony. The person who is not allowed to have his say (at a town meeting, or elsewhere) may choose more destructive means of expression (like making a Molotov cocktail in his basement).

I think we’ve all seen in the news the results of what can happen to those whose ideas are not considered. They may be the ones who suddenly “go postal.” (This is my statement, not that of Dr. Hesse).

I loved this presentation! The meaning of the First Amendment (“Government can make no law …”) was explained, as well as the concepts that surround free speech in our society. The lecture was just one of many in a series endowed by grants from the New Hampshire Humanities Council, a group that plans to host Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses, and other books, as the keynote speaker this coming month, (October 13, at a dinner, by pre-registration).

The professor spoke for 50 minutes and then took questions. My intent is not to give away his whole talk, but just to tell you enough so that you will want to attend yourself, if and when he presents the topic again. As always, we are so grateful for these marvelous lectures that are so informative. I feel that I have a much better understanding of this topic now, thanks to Dr. Hesse. We have attended perhaps 11 of these lectures this season and each one has added so much to our appreciation of many facets of Humanities, from Music to Poetry to Symbology of Gravestones, and so much more! Thank you!

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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The Beauty of One Soul Can Make A Difference

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

This morning, I wanted to show you two quilt blocks that were constructed, on paper, by a beautiful person. First, I will show you this person who was outwardly beautiful.

Ellen Webster as a young person

Ellen Webster, as a young person

Ellen Webster was someone who loved history and that included the history of her town and of her family. The following quilt block that she pasted up with fabrics on a paper background is certainly artistically-rendered, and very beautiful.

spray of roses block

Original design by Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster

I wondered why the leaf on the left edge was lopped off, and I found the answer to that in her diary!

Hardy family genealogy block by Ellen Hardy Webster

Hardy family genealogy block constructed by Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster

During my research, I discovered a quilt block from New Hampshire that is very similar to Ellen’s, as if made by the same person. That is discussed in my 355 page e-book with 340 photos that plays on any computer, using Adobe Reader. (Hint: Don’t try to open the file with any other kind of reader). Adobe Reader is FREE to download.

In just these two quilt blocks I have shown you, it is easy to see the care and precision that Ellen brought to her creative work. She was very artistic, as is readily apparent, but moreover, she wanted to preserve the work of other New England women (and beyond) whose antique quilts she had seen at various meetings and quilt shows that she judged. Ellen was highly respected, in her time, as a teacher of Bible studies, a writer, lecturer, pianist/organist, bird lover, and other roles she took, in life.

Her story is a classic one of a farm born girl of the mid-nineteenth century, who married a dentist and traveled the world. The 162 quilt charts were given to a museum. The spirit of her work lives on in the colorful and detailed CD produced by James and Patricia Cummings and exclusively available for $24.95 plus $3.95 shipping, ($28.90). The detailed information included in this work will amaze you!

This would make a wonderful holiday gift or Christmas present! The CD even shows a photo of the Hardy family all gathered together for Christmas in 1892.

Viewing the details of the life of Ellen Emeline Hardy Webster and considering the many good works of her hands and mind is a thrill. I only wish I’d met her.

Patricia Cummings – pat@quiltersmuse.com
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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“What Makes People Laugh?”

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

Charles E. Clark, Ph.D. asked himself, “What Makes People Laugh?” and then launched into a review of periodicals to find jokes and humorous stories published in early New England during the 1790s and beyond.

His talk, “What New Hampshire Thought Funny Two Hundred Years Ago,” is a program sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities Council. We heard this lecture at the Libby Museum in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire on August 11, 2009. All talks in this series repeat in various New Hampshire locations.

Libby Museum, Wolfeboro

Libby Museum, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

The lecturer explored recurrent themes that were the basis for laughter. Early New Hampshire settlers made fun of the clergy, lawyers, doctors, sex, or ethnicity, particularly, the Irish. Jokes often centered on a contrast of the sophisticated, educated person with the country bumpkin.

Additionally, people enjoy laughing at themselves, or their situations, for the sake of comic relief. An audience member mentioned the television series, “Mash,” as a modern day example; and another person recalled the movie, “Glory,” to illustrate that same point.

Professor Clark read quite a few examples of early, published humor, especially notable quotes from “NH Farmer’s Journal and the Farmer’s Weekly Museum,” (a name that changed a few times), based in Walpole, New Hampshire, and primarily written by Harvard-trained lawyers who wrote many “lawyer jokes,” thereby making fun of themselves. “The Walpole Wits,” as they were called, succeeded in producing a publication with an extraordinary circulation for their time.

Citing another source, the presenter shared the story of a man who wanted to steal a pound of butter from a Vermont country store. He put it under his hat and tried to slip out the door. The storekeeper realized what was happening and invited the man to sit down next to a hot fireplace and cordially provided him with a hot toddies, which made him very “hot.” Butter soon began to drip down the man’s clothes and when he was thoroughly saturated, the storekeeper thanked him for providing so much amusement, and said that the price of a pound of butter had been worth it all.

When the audience was asked to share something that they found humorous, I mentioned the Irish song about a sweet old dearie, retiring for the night. The verse goes: “She was pullin’ ‘em up, and pullin’ ‘em down, and forgot to pull down the shade.”

Click on this link to see an overview of the program and to learn more about Dr. Clark.

We have attended ten nightly educational events of this kind this summer and have to say that we have thoroughly enjoyed them. From Dr. Martin Fox’s “History of Photography,” to Edie Clark’s discussion of regional cooking, to three memorable musical programs, and many other worthwhile programs, I believe I’ve probably mentioned all of these events on this blog. So, scroll backwards to other pages to see those comments. Many thanks to Dr. Clark for this most recent, delightful program!

lake in Wolfeboro

View of Lake Winnipesaukee, at sunset, across from the Libby Museum

One presenter, Steve Blunt, who reenacts the character of “John Hutchinson” of The Hutchinson Family Singers, is a consummate showman who dresses in period costume. He tells me that he will be performing at Eastern States Exposition on September 25, 2009, in the morning, with the gal who sometimes accompanies him. We enjoyed seeing him at the Hancock Public Library. I can’t say enough about the NH Humanities Council’s dedication to providing excellent speakers and presenters!

By the way, the Libby Museum offers many interesting artifacts including an early schoolgirl Sampler, a piece of Tapa cloth from Hawaii, and a coin from Pres. Harrison’s campaign, just a few of their many treasures. In 1912, Dr. Henry Forest Libby started the museum as one to focus on natural history. Since then, many additional items have been added. We hope to visit there again soon!

Ever a learner!

Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications

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