2022 News Articles
HEARTHSIDE HOUSE MUSEUM EXPLORES TOPICS OF DEATH AND MOURNING IN
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN EXHIBIT
Oct. 15, 23, 29, 30
October 2022--- Hearthside House Museum's annual exhibit, Gone But Not Forgotten, returns this month. The topics of death and mourning in the 19th century are featured as the majestic stone mansion on Great Road gets draped in black and the “household" prepares for the wake of their beloved. During the 200 years that Hearthside was a home, there were five owners who died here. It was during the 19th century that the deceased were embalmed by the undertaker right in their own home and the wake and funeral held there as well. This exhibit showcases the passing of former Hearthside homeowner, Simon E. Thornton, who died in his bedroom on May 2, 1873.
Victorian American mourning and funerary traditions and practices are explored in this extensive exhibit and re-creation of Mr. Thornton’s wake, which includes displays throughout the house and attic. Volunteer docents dressed in mourning attire guide visitors from room to room as they explain the rituals a family would undertake upon a loved one’s passing. Superstitions were prevalent during Victorian times, so many steps were taken to prevent misfortune from happening to the grieving family. The mirrors are covered in black, and the clock was stopped at the time of death. The undertaker has come to set up in the master bedroom to prepare the body for its final resting place. A photographer has been hired to capture one last image of the deceased. Special stationery and memorials have been created to notify friends and relatives and to memorialize the deceased. Small funeral biscuits are wrapped and sealed with black wax, ready to give in appreciation to those who come to pay their respects.
Visitors will learn about the various superstitions surrounding death, the elaborate mourning practices, and funerals as they journey through the house. Also on display during this unusual exhibit are antique coffins, a collection of various Victorian mourning dresses, bonnets, veils, and other accessories, mourning jewelry made of jet and woven human hair, funeral receipts from local families, and 19th century embalming tools. The undertaker’s journal in which Mr. Thornton’s death was recorded and the actual embalming table that his body was prepared on is on display in the spot in the bedroom where he died in 1873. Post-mortem photographs and even some which appear to show a few spirits are displayed. Some of the other topics covered are the belief in vampires, fear of being buried alive, and the beginnings of spiritualism during the mid-19th century.
This is a carefully researched exhibit about the mourning and funeral practices during the late 19th century. It is not a Halloween event. Rather this is educational and quite impactful, as it is a fully-guided tour by volunteers in mourning attire, along with an extensive display of artifacts for viewing throughout each room in the house.
This exhibit takes place on four dates: October 15, 23, 29, and 30, with Saturday openings in the evening and Sunday openings in the afternoon. Group size is limited for each tour, which lasts 90 min. Advanced registration and ticket purchase only with staggered admissions through this website. The 90-minute tours begin every half hour starting at 4:00 with the last scheduled at 6:00. Sunday tours begin every half hour between 1:00-3:00 p.m. Admission is $20 per person. This exhibit is not advisable for children.
BEWITCHED & BEDAZZLED: A MAGICAL FALL FESTIVAL COMES TO CHASE FARM
OCTOBER 1, 2022
September 2022---During the fall of 2021, Chase Farm Park became a movie set for Disney’s Hocus Pocus2. Nine temporary buildings were constructed to create “Salem Village,” where three little witches were brought to life. This one-day, family-centered festival was created to celebrate the filming that occurred here, and all things Halloween.
The day will be filled with stage entertainment, costumed characters, hayrides, shopping at a wide variety of some 75 artisan vendor booths, a dozen psychics, costume contests, food, music and more. Through theatrical and dance performances, there are glimpses back in history to the Salem Witch Trials, which took place in 1693, shortly after Great Road was created.
Appealing to all ages, this multi-faceted, fun-filled event holds all the enchantment of the fall season, with activities that include magic and circus shows, storytelling, face painting, historical presentations, raffles, plein air painting competition, dancing, workshops, children’s crafts and games, puppet theatre, photo opportunities, and audience participation. Everyone is invited to come in costume.
Featured performers include internationally-renowned storyteller, Len Cabral; Reverie Theatre Company; The Dance Factory; Circus Dynamics, Simply Enchanted’s “Sanderson Sisters Musical Revue”; Steve Feinberg of the RI Film Office, Illuminate Creative + Theatrical Arts Co., and Spirits of Fashion 18th c. Fashion Presentation.
An optional evening outdoor movie under the stars will be held in the meadows with the showing of the original 1993 Hocus Pocus film, an ideal way to introduce kids or get reacquainted with the story behind this favorite Halloween movie.
This inaugural outdoor festival, done in partnership with the town of Lincoln, will be held rain or shine, with most activities under tents. Advance tickets only sold through this website. Tickets are $13, which includes parking, all entertainment, hayrides and activities. Food and vendor purchases are optional, but encouraged. Satellite parking with shuttle bus service from nearby Community College of Rhode Island. Movie tickets are $7, purchased separately.
Proceeds support the mission of the Friends of Hearthside to protect, preserve, interpret and promote the history of the Great Road Heritage Campus.
TAKE A JOURNEY BACK TO LINCOLN’S BEGINNINGS WITH ANNUAL GREAT ROAD DAY
SEPTEMBER 24, 2022
September 2022---On Saturday, September 24th, Lincoln’s Great Road becomes a destination for history lovers and the curious to step inside many of the town’s oldest buildings with the annual Great Road Day event.
This Open House provides free admission to give residents and others from throughout the state a chance to discover some of our state’s finest historic treasures that are located along the Great Road, one of the country’s oldest highways.
The stories of farm, industry, home, and school all connect through the authentic sites open during Great Road Day, which include: Hearthside House (c.1810), Historic New England’s Arnold House (c.1693), Hannaway Blacksmith Shop (c.1880), Pullen’s Corner Schoolhouse (c.1850), Moffett Mill (c.1812), Chase Farm Park (c.1867), Saylesville Friends Meetinghouse (c.1703), Mt. Moriah Masonic Lodge (c.1804), Northgate, home of the Blackstone Valley Historical Society (c.1807) and the Arnold Bakery (c.1874)
A rare journey back to the 18th century is featured at Historic New England’s Arnold House at 487 Great Road, a unique stone-ender house with a massive chimney end wall, features the story of the town’s earliest settlers, the Arnolds. A visit to the Saylesville Friends Meetinghouse, one of the oldest Quaker meetinghouse in continuous use in New England, has been meticulously preserved and appears much as it did when families gathered here on Sundays some 300 years ago. Headstones of those early settlers are located on the grounds. It is located at 374 Great Road.
The Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park includes several historic buildings, and docents in period attire help to bring history to life. The Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, at the entrance to the Park, will fascinate visitors as they watch the magic of metal be hand forged into useful implements. At the Pullen’s Corner Schoolhouse on the grounds of the Park, visitors will learn why Lincoln’s last one-room school got the name “Hot Potato School and sit at antique desks where children learned their lessons 150 years ago. Pick up the shuttle van at the parking lot at Chase Farm to take a tour of the wooden shop, the Moffett Mill. This rare survivor of the early Industrial era closed around 1900, and is frozen in time, with all its original tools and the belt system used to operate the equipment still in place. It produced machine parts, carriages, and shoelaces during the Civil War. Because of its location along the busy curve of the roadway below Chase Farm, the only access to the Mill will be by the shuttle van. Restrooms are located at the Visitors Center at Chase Farm Park, 671 Great Road.
The 85 acres of the picturesque historic former Chase Farm beyond the historic buildings offers the public a chance to enjoy the beauty and tranquility in this unspoiled landscape. The rolling meadows and open fields are ideal to enjoy the unspoiled rural landscape. For the more adventuresome who like to hike and have the extra time, there is a mile-long trail from Chase Farm Park to the Arnold House.
The striking stone mansion near the base of Breakneck Hill Road with its curved roofline and full-height front columns, Hearthside, welcomes visitors to the fully-furnished and restored house. It is now an award-winning museum. Volunteers outfitted in a range of eras add to the experience of traveling back in time. This architecturally unique house inspired the design for the RI State Building at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Hearthside was home to 11 different owners over a 200-year history, until the town of Lincoln purchased it in 1996. Special guest Steve Emma is featured on Great Road Day, as he sets up outdoors to demonstrate his skill of chair caning, a traditional craft that is most often used to repair antique chairs with caned seats. Hearthside is located at 677 Great Road.
Further up Great Road into Lime Rock is one of the earliest Masonic lodges in the state, the Mt. Moriah Lodge, where the most notable early town residents were members, provides public viewing just one day a year, which is on Great Road Day. The first structure on this site was a one-room schoolhouse, but in 1804 local Masons established a new Lodge here. The Lodge continues to meet here regularly. It is located at 1093 Great Road.
The two-story Northgate, home of the Blackstone Valley Historical Society was originally built as a tollgate and residence for the toll collector for the Louisquisset Turnpike. The Pike, faster and straighter than Great Road, to some extent superseded it. The Pike was built to expedite the shipment of lime to Providence. Over the years, it also served as the Grange, a social gathering place for local farm families. The Historical Society has on exhibit “Paintings of Vincent Bernasconi (1885-1962).” He was a staff artist and cartoonist who worked for the Providence Journal. He also lived on Wilbur Road, near Northgate and the Conklin Lime Quarry. Exhibit courtesy of Joyce Bethel and the Conklin Lime Quarry.
Adjacent to Northgate is the Arnold Bakery. This one-story, one-room bakery was relocated to its current spot. The bakery, a Lincoln business which lasted nearly 100 years, was begun in this tiny workshop by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Jenks Arnold in Lonsdale, but within a few years they were so successful that a large bakery was built in Saylesville. Northgate and the Arnold Bakery are located at 1873 Louisquisset Pike.
Visitors are invited to tour the sites at their own pace and may visit all of them, or just a select few. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. with all sites closing at 4 p.m. Parking is limited at the sites. Arnold House and the Friends Meetinghouse parking is available at Gateway Park. Hearthside parking is across from it, or at Chase Farm Park. There is no parking at the Moffett Mill and is only accessible by the shuttle van picked up at the parking lot at Chase Farm or Hearthside.
Great Road was built in 1683 as the major thoroughfare on the west side of the Blackstone River. It got its name because it was so much more substantial than other routes through the valley. With historic houses, farms and mills, the nationally-designated Great Road Historic District in Lincoln retains much of the Blackstone Valley’s early 19th century rural character. Great Road Day is a collaboration among the several participating historic sites, the majority of which are volunteer-run organizations.
CHASE FARM PARK HOSTS REVOLUTIONARY WAR ENCAMPMENT WEEKEND
SEPTEMBER 10-11, 2022
September 2022----The British are coming to Lincoln! On the weekend of September 10-11, Chase Farm Park will resemble the 18th century when the Redcoats and Rebels set up camp in the meadows of this tranquil landscape to pay tribute to those who fought for independence and the birth of our nation.
Over the course of the weekend, visitors will be given a close-up look at the lives of the soldiers, women, and children through living history presentations, including drills and arms demonstrations, medical scenarios, camp cooking, narrated skirmishes between armies, military encampments, changing of the guards, guest presenters, various vignettes, Colonial-era crafts, and kids activities and experiences. Merchants who followed the troops, known as sutlers, will be on hand with a variety of goods for sale to the public. A food vendor will also be on site. The event is designed to appeal to all ages.
Kathy Hartley of the Friends of Hearthside, the organization who is hosting the event, states, "In 2026, our country will be commemorating its 250th anniversary, and this event provides visitors with an opportunity to understand the struggles that were endured to achieve our independence. Visitors are invited to be a part of a Revolutionary War scene as history comes to life around them, not merely as a spectator but as an active participant in an immersive, authentic, three-dimensional experience provided by reenactors who are passionate about history. Visitors may look, touch, hear, and talk to the soldiers and camp followers, learning about their lives and creating an experience that will be long remembered."
On Saturday camps open to the public at 10:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday activities begin at 9:00 a.m. with the closing at 4:00 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to plan on spending the entire day or at least several hours in order to get the most out of the event and may wish to bring along folding chairs.
A special feature on Saturday includes guest speaker, Don Hagist, living history reenactor and author of numerous books on the American Revolution. His talk, "Sober Industrious Women: Soldiers' Wives and their Occupations," will delve into the role of women in the British and American armies during the war, a long-overlooked subject. His talk is scheduled from 11:15-12 noon.
Also featured on Saturday will be a medical scenario, with an 18th century surgery demonstration and lecture. This activity takes place from 3:00-4:00 pm, following the tactical demonstration that will result in wounded soldiers needing medical attention.
Sunday's special features include church services in the camp at 9:00 a.m., followed by an 18th century wedding ceremony at 9:30, which the public is invited to. Tactical patrols begin at 10:15 with public immersion.
Also, guest speaker, Robert Geake, noted historical author and local historian is scheduled for 11:15-12 noon. His talk, "From Slaves to Soldiers: A History of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment," will focus on the formation of this unique regiment comprised of mostly slaves and Native Americans. "The Black Regiment" as it became known during the Victorian era, was noted for their contribution to the cause of American Independence, and particularly their role in the 1778 Battle of Rhode Island.
Hartley notes that the event is different than past reenactments held at Chase Farm, in that the focus is less on the spectacle of the battles that were presented. Rather, this year's event provides a more participatory and educational experience by keeping all activities within a more compact area, allowing for an up-close and personal interaction with the reenactors. Activities take place in the concert amphitheater with encampments in the upper meadows at the park. The Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse will also be open and hosting children's activities.
The event is presented by the Brigade of the American Revolution. Started in 1962, the Brigade is a nonprofit living history association dedicated to recreating the life and times of the common soldier of the American War for Independence, 1775-1783. Members represent elements of all armies that had been involved: Continental, Militia, British, Loyalist, German, French, Spanish and Native American forces plus civilian men, women and children.
Admission is at the gate and cash only. General admission $10; age 10 and under $5; under age 5 free. No dogs are allowed in the park during the course of the event. Free parking will be in the lower meadow. The event is held rain or shine.
Proceeds from the event benefit the continued restoration of the historic buildings at the Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park which include Hearthside Museum, the Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, the Moffett Mill, and the Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse.
GUIDED HISTORY TOURS OFFERED
AT GREAT ROAD HERITAGE CAMPUS
SUNDAY, AUGUST 28
August 2022---Four 19th century buildings at the Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park in Lincoln will hold guided tours on Sunday afternoon, August 28th. The sites include the Hearthside Museum (1810), Hannaway Blacksmith Shop (1880), Moffett Mill (1812), and the Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse (1850).
Known for its unusual architecture, Hearthside House Museum has lots of stories about its previous owners to tell along with an impressive array of antiques and artifacts to show. Tours are led by docents in period attire. Through the tour, you'll learn about the fascinating history of Hearthside and its legendary beginnings as the result of a winning lottery ticket. "The House That Love Built" has welcomed several different residents over the past 200 years, until 1997 when ownership passed to the Town of Lincoln.
Learn about the history of the charming one-room Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse and discover why it got the name "Hot Potato School." Lincoln's last one-room schoolhouse was moved from its original location on Angell Road to Chase Farm and restored by the Friends of Hearthside. It is now filled with an impressive collection of antique schoolhouse books, toys, and teaching tools.
The only way to visit the Moffett Mill is by shuttle bus, which may be boarded at Hearthside. The Moffett Mill is a rare survivor of the early Industrial Revolution and was a custom shop where anything that needed fixing or built could be done. It is "frozen in time" back to 1900 when the workers left here for the day and never returned, leaving all their tools in place and ready to start their job the next day.
The blacksmith at the Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, located at the entrance to Chase Farm, will demonstrate at the forge while explaining the history of the shop and the blacksmithing trade. There is no reservation needed for this visit.. This is a great chance to preview what it might be like to take a class to learn this traditional craft, offered each weekend.
Sites are open from 1-4 p.m, with the last admission at Hearthside at 3:00, and the other sites at 3:30. Tours should be reserved ahead of time through www.hearthsidehouse.org. Staggered admissions are scheduled every 30 min. to help limit size of groups for each tour at each site. Although there is no order to the visits or requirement to visit all four, visitors need to check in first at Hearthside to pay admission, in cash at check-in, and then set off for tours at the museum or to hop aboard the shuttle to visit one of the other sites and return later for the museum tour.
General admission at Hearthside is $12; $6 ages 10-17. Admission includes entrance fee at all four sites. For those not visiting Hearthside, admission for a visit to the Mill is $5/person, or to the schoolhouse $5/family. Visits to the Blacksmith Shop are free.
AN AMERICAN GIRL DOLL GARDEN PARTY TO BE HELD AT HEARTHSIDE HOUSE
JULY 30, 2022
July 2022---Tickets are now on sale for Hearthside's American Girl Doll Garden Party being held on Saturday, July 30, 2022. This turn-of-the-century style Garden Party brings an afternoon of old-fashioned fun to young girls ages 5 and up and is held on the grounds of the 200 year-old mansion.
Girls along with their favorite doll, and accompanied by an adult, will hear a presentation about the story of Samantha, the American Girl Doll character from 1904 who grew up in a mansion in the city. Guests at the Garden Party will learn and participate in the types of activities that Samantha did during the summer, such as playing old-fashioned lawn games such as rolling hoops and graces, learning about the meaning of different flowers, and creating a craft from preserved flowers. Volunteers in period attire with their parasols and fans, an antique buggy to climb aboard for pictures, and a special display of the original Samantha doll and her summertime accessories are all highlights of this lovely afternoon event. Light refreshments will be served.
Unlike afternoon tea, the garden party is more informal. There will be door prizes and raffles as well. To remember this lovely afternoon, a photo of each family will be provided. A visit to the Gift Shop concludes the day, featuring special offerings for the dolls, and moms too.
Although built in 1810, Hearthside was not named until 1904, when the Talbot family ran a hand weaving business known as “The Hearthside Looms.” Guests will be invited inside to tour the museum after the outdoor presentations are completed.
There are two sessions being offered: 12:00 noon-1:45 p.m. or 2:15-4:00 p.m. The event is held rain or shine, under a tent on the grounds of the museum. Tickets must be purchased in advance through www.hearthsidehouse.org and are $24 per child and $14 per adult.
Get Your Passport to the Past and Discover Children’s Fun in 1871 at the Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse
Sunday, July 17, 2022
July 2022---What did kids do 150 years ago for summertime fun? Find out during this special program at Chase Farm Park on Sunday afternoon, July 17th, when the historians at the Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse provide a range of hands-on outdoor activities. Kids ages 5 and older along with adults are invited to come along and pick up a passport and then travel around the grounds to visit different activity stations to learn about historical pastime activities. This program was first held last summer during Lincoln's 150th Anniversary celebrations. Due to its' popularity, the celebration continues in this time travel back to 1871.
Dressed in historical attire, the schoolmarms and schoolmasters of the one-room schoolhouse will help transport guests into the world of children’s play at the time that the town's one-room schoolhouses were in session. This year the event is being presented as a two-part series on July 17th and on August 14th, with two different themes.
On July 17th, the feature will be games. At that time, games were played with materials found around the farm; a spare piece of rope became a jump rope, a stick became the means to draw hopscotch in the dirt. Hoop races, marbles, quoits were all popular games of the late 1800s. Many have survived to the present day.
The event runs between 12 noon and 3 p.m. at staggered admissions every 30 minutes with the last at 1:30 p.m. To participate in all of the activities, plan on spending 90 minutes. Advance registration only through www.greatroadheritagecampus.com. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Cost is $10 for one participant, or $15 for a family. Program is held rain or shine, with some alternate activities in case of rain.
Next month, Passport to the Past Part 2 is scheduled for August 14th and will feature making handmade toys popular at the time.
The town-owned Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse, also known as the "Hot Potato Schoolhouse," dates to 1850 before the Town of Lincoln was formed by separating from Smithfield in 1871. The one-room schoolhouse is located at Chase Farm Park, having been relocated there from its original spot on Angell Road in order to preserve it along with the other town-owned historic sites at the Great Road Heritage Campus, located at 671 Great Road.
CLASSIC OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHTS RETURN TO HEARTHSIDE HOUSE MUSEUM
SATURDAY, JULY 9, 2022
July 2022---Hearthside House Museum announces the return of their popular Classic Outdoor Movie Series this summer. It kicks off on Saturday, July 9th with Hollywood's all-time favorite musical films, "Singin' in the Rain." The 1952 romance/comedy stars Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds in a lighthearted story about Hollywood in the late 1920s. It will be shown in Hearthside's backyard where guests can watch from their lawn chairs. Each of the movie nights provides for a photo opp, music from the movie, trivia, raffles, and refreshments. The event begins at 8:00 p.m. In case of inclement weather, it will be postponed until the next night.
Advance registration and ticket purchase only through www.hearthsidehouse.org or call 726-0597. Tickets are $10. Popcorn and beverages will be available for purchase. Space is limited so early registration is advised.
The next movie in the outdoor classic movie series is scheduled for Saturday, July 16th with Alfred Hitchcock's, "The Birds," considered one of the most terrifying films from the Master of Suspense. In August, a drive-in movie is scheduled with the showing of the 1971 family classic, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," starring Gene Wilder. The drive-in takes place at Chase Farm on Saturday, August 20th. Tickets for these other movies go on sale two weeks prior to the event date.
Three All the Way: Guys, Weiners & Coffee Milk Served Up at Hearthside
June 18, 2022
June 2022---In honor of Father's Day, the Friends of Hearthside is hosting a special event just for the occasion. It's a day of tours served up with a special treat and being held the day before Father's Day on Sat. June 18th! Hearthside (1810) and the other 3 historic sites at the Great Road Heritage Campus will host tours that include the Moffett Mill (1812), Hannaway Blacksmith Shop (1880), and the Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse (1850).
Tours begin at noon at each site with the last at 3:00 p.m. A shuttle van will transport visitors from Hearthside to the sites at the Great Road Heritage Campus and is the only way to access the Moffett Mill.
As a special treat, the Rhode Island classic hot weiner will be available to enjoy before or after the tour at Hearthside. Rhode Island's official drink coffee milk will also be available for purchase, as well as other beverages.
The Rhode Island hot weiner is unlike other variations of "hot dogs" and has its own history that dates back to 1940, where the New York System weiner evolved in Providence's Greek community. The distinct style includes the composition of the weiner itself as well as its preparation with mustard, meat sauce, onions, and topped off with celery salt, all done on the outstretched arm of the short-order cook, and then served in a steamed bun. Hearty appetites typically order three with all the preparations, which came to be known as "three all the way."
Coffee milk dates back to the Great Depression when thrifty diner owners strained water and sugar through used coffee grounds and then mixed it with milk. Today, Autocrat Coffee Syrup, with its manufacturing headquarters in Lincoln, offers a much easier, and tastier, way to enjoy a glass of this sweetened milk. While it may sound strange, coffee milk actuall goes great with hot weiners!
To secure a time slot for your tour at Hearthside and weiner order, be sure to purchase your tickets prior to June 15th. The admission of $20 includes tours at all four historic sites plus two weiners; $10 for youth under age 12 and members of Friends of Hearthside. Beverages, including coffee milk, water, or other choices, will be available for purchase (cash only), along with weiners for those not having them included on a Hearthside tour ticket.
But the day doesn't need to end here! For those who may want to make a full day may extend their special outing into the evening. Starting at 4 p.m., the town of Lincoln will host its first summer concert this year next door at Chase Farm Park. The free concert includes a blues band and food trucks set in the picturesque hills, providing an idyllic setting to sit back in a lawn chair, watch the sunset, and enjoy live music with a variety of food choices to satisfy any taste.
As you plan your day, know that at Hearthside, tours are led by docents in period attire and take an hour and 15 minutes. It includes 11 rooms on the first and second floors, as well as the third floor, where the antique looms and spinning wheels of the Talbot family who lived at Hearthside during the early 20th century are set up just as they had been while operating a nationally-renowned hand weaving business. For returning visitors, some new features are a recent discovery of the original back entrance door that was hidden within the wall. Learn about the architecture as well as stories of those who lived here along with The Hearthside Gift Shop is open during the tours to ticket holders, as well as the general public.
Also open for tours during this event is the Moffett Mill, offering a rare opportunity to step back into a different century, while just a few steps away, the cars and trucks race by along Great Road. Built in 1812, this amazing building is frozen in time, as it still appears the same as it did when its doors closed around 1900. The early relic of the Industrial Revolution operated with water power from the Moshassuck River and provided custom work and repairs for area businesses and farms, from wagons, buggies and tools to laces for shoes and corsets around the period of the Civil War. Shuttle transport will drop off and pick up visitors on a set schedule. This is the only safe access to the Mill for your 25 min. visit.
At the Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse, located next to the Visitors Center at the Park, discover why this charming one-room school got the name "Hot Potato School." The schoolhouse was moved from its original location on Angell Road to Chase Farm in 2015 and restored by the Friends of Hearthside and is now filled with an impressive collection of antique schoolhouse books, toys, and teaching tools. A unique "magic lantern," an early slide projector, is one of the interesting items, complete with glass slides that were shown to children as a way of having them see and learn about far-away places. Guests are welcome to write on slate boards or with a quill pen and experience how children from nearby farms of all ages got their education here from the mid-19th century until it closed in 1922. Plan on 20- 30 min. for your visit. Tours every half hour, with last one at 3:00 p.m.
At the Hannaway Blacksmith Shop, the blacksmith demonstrates at the forge while explaining the history of this original shop and the blacksmithing trade that occurred here. Admission is free and visitors are welcome to stay as little or as long as they like. This is a great chance to preview what it might be like to take a class to learn this traditional craft, offered each weekend.
All the sites are open from 12-4 p.m, with the last admission at 3:00 p.m. Tours should be booked ahead of time to stagger attendance every 30 min to help limit size of groups.
While there is no order to the visits or requirement to visit all four, visitors need to check in first at Hearthside to pay admission (except for the blacksmith shop), and then set off for tours at the museum or to hop aboard the shuttle to visit one of the other sites and return later for the museum tour. Parking is across from Hearthside.
General admission at Hearthside is $20/adult and includes entrance fees to the other sites as well as two weiners; $10 for members of Friends of Hearthside; $10 youth under age 12 (one weiner). Paid admission includes entrance fees for the other sites. Advance tickets insure time slot for the visit as well as the weiners. While walk ins are allowed, there is no guarantee of the time available for a tour or weiners.
Visits to just the Mill are $5 per person, or a visit to the schoolhouse is $5 per family (or person). Visits to the Blacksmith Shop are free. Reserve through this website. Payment for these tours are in cash upon check-in. Check in takes place at Hearthside where you'll receive a bracelet to show paid admission and allow for your shuttle van ride.
CELEBRATE FLAG DAY AT THE
PULLEN'S CORNER SCHOOLHOUSE
SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2022
June 2022---Once upon a time, Flag Day was celebrated in schoolhouses across the country. Recalling that history, Lincoln's Pullen’s Corner Schoolhouse will re-visit the historic reasons for celebrating our country's flags and hold its own special celebration of Flag Day on Sunday, June 12th between 1-3 pm. Historic American flags, as well as regimental flags and state flags, will be displayed both inside and outside the schoolhouse, which is located at the Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park. Kirk Hindman, historian and docent at the schoolhouse, will provide the background and interesting history of each of the flags. One of the flags being featured includes an original English-Scottish flag that combines the two crosses of England and Scotland into a single design. There was no Irish cross yet, as it wouldn't be added until early in the 19th century. It was the first colonial flag at Jamestown and some of the other early colonies and is a full-design flag made to be flown over sailing ships.
A special scavenger hunt involving the pictures and designs on the flags will be available for kids and adults.
Throughout the late 1800s and into the 1900s, schoolhouses across the country celebrated Flag Day with songs and poetry recitals by the children. In 1889, the Department of Education declared officially that Flag Day should be observed along with the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln.
The Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse was Lincoln's last one-room schoolhouse, closing in 1922. The abandoned building was relocated to Chase Farm Park from its original location on Angell Road, where it has been restored and given a new life to once again welcome children and adults to gather and enjoy lessons from the past. The Friends of Hearthside, the all-volunteer organization that has preserved and manages the four town-owned historic properties at the Great Road Heritage Campus, is hosting the event. A $5 donation helps provide continued programming at the schoolhouse.
MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AWARDS TOP PRIZE
TO FRIENDS OF HEARTHSIDE
June 2022---During Lincoln’s Memorial Day Parade, the Friends of Hearthside had quite a showing. In fact, there were several components of the contingent as it made its way along the route that started at Higginson Avenue at Smithfield Avenue and ended at Chase Farm Park. The group followed the banner with our new brand and logo for the Great Road Heritage Campus. A representation of various programs that are offered at the Campus included costumed docents, our antique oxen cart, a 1960s convertible with special guest Santa, and a line up of Revolutionary War reenactors (complete with muskets that they fired from time to time). A feature though was the float with a nod to Hocus Pocus and its recent filming at Chase Farm. There upon the float was the backdrop of the Salem Village movie set and the Sanderson sisters, sitting over a cauldron spewing green fog.
THE CHAMPLIN FOUNDATION AWARDS $50,000 GRANT FOR NEW PASSENGER VAN'
May 2022---The Distribution Committee of The Champlin Foundation has announced this month that it has awarded a grant in the amount of $50,000.00 to Friends of Hearthside, Inc.
This funding is to specifically to support our request for the purchase of a new passenger van, which is needed to transport visitors to the Moffett Mill and the rest of the Great Road Heritage Campus sites. Hearthside’s current van dates to 2005 and had broken down last winter, leaving us with no means to bring visitors to the Mill.
It is anticipated that the purchase will take several months due to the shortage of new vehicles.
DOWNTON ABBEY AFTERNOON TEA RETURNS TO HEARTHSIDE
MAY 7, 2022
May 2022---An Afternoon Tea, Downton-style, returns to Lincoln's Hearthside House Museum with a favorite program especially for fans of the popular Downtown Abbey series. Afternoon Tea is presented with “family and staff” of Hearthside, dressed in period attire, greeting visitors just as it was portrayed in the show. Regardless of whether you have seen the program or not, the Tea is a thoughtful gift for celebrating Mother’s Day weekend by treating mother, grandmother, or getting together with friends for a memorable afternoon.
A special feature will be a presentation on the fashions worn during the series. The evolution of the period from 1912-1926, which began with the sinking of the Titanic through the end of World War I, to the advent of telephones and electricity, and concluding with the jazz age, is reflected in the fashions over the course of the program and was a significant part of why the show became so popular. Several examples of these fashions and accessories will be highlighted by fashion historian Karen (Ren) Antonowicz, while guests enjoy the delicious pleasures of a traditional afternoon tea. Antonowicz, of Spirits of Fashion and a popular presenter, is making her return appearance at the Hearthside Tea.
Guests are invited to join in the spirit of the event by dressing in Downton-inspired outfits and hats, fascinators, or tiaras, although not required. Prizes will be awarded for the best interpretation. Tea will be served by "the downstairs staff" and include brewed Earl Grey loose leaf tea, elegant miniature sandwiches, scones, and savory sweets. The elegance of spring flowers, fine china, crisp linen and delicate lace, and fancy tiered serving dishes add to the ambience of this tea “fit for the Crawley’s.” Familiar music from the Downton series, trivia, and raffle baskets are also featured. Following the Tea, guests are welcomed to a self-guided tour of the 2nd floor of the museum where some of the dresses from the recent wedding exhibit remain on display, and shopping in the Gift Shop.
“Our Tea comes just in time to get reacquainted with everything Downton, as the new movie is being released on May 20th. Engaging in conversations about favorite scenes, characters, and their outfits are one of the best ways to remember the Dowager, Lord and Lady Grantham, Mary, Edith, Carson, and all the other many favorites from the series,” notes Kathy Hartley, president of the Friends of Hearthside. “It’s not just about tea, but a unique opportunity to step back in time to an era of elegance that offers a wonderful respite from today’s hectic life.”
Two seatings are offered at either 12:30 or 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $47 each and are only available for advance purchase before April 30 through the website www.hearthsidehouse.org. Seating is limited, and so it is advisable to reserve early and avoid disappointment.
This fundraising event is sponsored by the Friends of Hearthside, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve and protect this 200-year-old Great Road mansion as well as the other three town-owned historic properties at the Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park. All proceeds support the events and continued restoration of the historic properties.
Spring Celebration at the Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse
May 1, 2022
April 2022---Springtime is here and the Pullen's Corner one-room schoolhouse is welcoming the season and arrival of “gentler” weather with a celebration on Sunday, May 1st between 1-3 pm. Also known as the "Hot Potato School", the historic schoolhouse is located at the Great Road Heritage Campus at Chase Farm Park, an ideal setting as Chase Farm begins its splendid vernal bloom. The history of spring traditions is explored while enjoying the beautiful outdoors. All ages are invited to come learn through play at this lively springtime event that features music and maypole dancing, cyanotype flower photography demonstrations, colorful May baskets, and make-and-take origami lilies. Each registrant will take home their projects along with historical information about the maypole tradition. Led by docents in period costume, the activities take place both outdoors and indoors.
Cost is $8 per participant. Friends of Hearthside member discount $5 (number of discount admissions based on membership level). Payment in cash upon arrival.
Limited space in each of the three available sessions at 1:00, 1:30, and 2:00.
The program will be held rain or shine.
The Great Egg Roll Race at the Hot Potato Schoolhouse
April 9, 2022
April 2022---On Saturday, April 9th, Lincoln's one-room Pullen's Corner Schoolhouse, also known as "the Hot Potato School," will host a pre-Easter program filled with old-fashioned fun and interesting history with "The Great Egg Roll Race."
Taking inspiration from the traditional egg roll races held at the White House for over 100 years, this historic schoolhouse will host a similar event. During the course of this 90-minute program, children will learn about the traditions of the season and participate in historic craft activities. The schoolhouse docents, dressed in period attire, will demonstrate how to dye eggs the old-fashioned way by using various plants and then will guide children on how to make and decorate a simple-weave basket with natural materials for their eggs. With baskets in hand and colored eggs ready, it will be time for the competition. Children will gather to roll their eggs to the finish line in order to win a fun prize. Each child takes home their basket, eggs, sweet treats, and historical information about this holiday tradition. Advanced registration is required through this website.. Cost is $8 per child, and the recommended age is 4-12. Limited space in each of the three available sessions at 1:00, 1:30, and 2:00. Reserve by April 7th. The program will be held rain or shine.
LOAN OF VAN MAKES VISITS TO
MOFFETT MILL POSSIBLE THIS SEASON
March 2022---Over the winter, Hearthside’s passenger van which made visits to the Moffett Mill possible, broke down and was deemed too expensive to repair. So Lincoln Tire & Auto took it and decided to repair it and keep it for their own use. The upcoming season is upon us and there is no way to open the Mill without shuttle transportation to bring our visitors there. Thanks to Lincoln Tire, the van is being loaned back to Hearthside for our use until such time that we are able to replace it. A grant application to purchase a new one has been submitted to The Champlin Foundation and it may be a few months before we learn of the decision.
The Friends of Hearthside are excited to “not miss a beat” with our opening of the Mill and are grateful to Lincoln Tire for their generosity.
HEARTHSIDE MUSEUM OPENS 2022 SEASON WITH EXHIBIT OF HISTORIC WEDDING FASHIONS & TRADITIONS
March 2022---Springtime brings flowers, weddings and family traditions, and that is the focus of Hearthside Museum’s exhibit as the 2022 season opens with the return of Something Old, Something New: 150 Years of Wedding Fashions & Traditions on Sunday, April 3 between 1-4 P.M. Additional openings are scheduled on Sat., the 9th and Sat. and Sun. the 23rd and 24th at the same time.
Throughout two floors of the historic house museum, some 50 antique dresses will be exhibited that span the period from the 1860s to 2000. The home’s 10 fireplaces serve as a backdrop to each room’s displays, with elaborately decorated mantels of spring flowers, adding to the beauty of the exquisite fashions. Traditional wedding music plays in the background as visitors are welcomed to take the self-guided tour through the museum to see these stunning examples of wedding fashions, and to learn how styles changed with each decade, including the ceremonies, receptions, cake styles, and honeymoons. Some traditions have withstood the test of time, while others have disappeared into history. A myriad of wedding superstitions of good luck and bad luck that stem from the Victorian era may surprise or sound familiar to many, such as the bride having “something old, and something new” as part of her attire on her wedding day. Docents dressed in period attire will be available throughout the museum to inform visitors as they learn about the evolution of weddings that this exhibit presents.
“While Hearthside has hosted this exhibit in the past,” states Kathy Hartley, president of the Friends of Hearthside, “we’re delighted to showcase many new additions to our collection, several of which are from different generations of the same family, which has helped to change up the exhibit this year. We’re so honored that families have entrusted us with these beautiful dresses from their ancestors that were chosen for the most important day of their life.”
Dress fashions range from elaborate Victorian era dresses adorned with lace, to the classic satin dresses of the 1940s, to “Sunday best” dresses, to the princess style dresses of the 50’s and 60's. All are quite different, and many of the dresses displayed also include accompanying bridal photographs, marriage certificates, accessories, and invitations.
General admission is $15 adults and $8 for youth ages 10-17; free for members of Friends of Hearthside. Admission times are staggered between 1-3 p.m.