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Boston Globe
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
New Hampshire is lit!
Fall view near Jaffrey, N.H., with Mount Monadnock in the background. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Jaffrey This scenic town with majestic views of Mount Monadnock was a special retreat for author Willa Cather. Cather, one of the renowned American female writers of the 20th century, spent the fall months in Jaffrey, from 1917 to 1940, where she found the quiet and solitude she needed to write. She stayed in the Shattuck Inn (sadly no longer here) and wrote from a tent pitched on the grounds of a friend's nearby summer home, with views of the mountain range. She completed 'My Antonia' here and wrote portions of many other books. Cather's other works include 'O Pioneers,' 'Song of the Lark' and 'Death Comes for the Archbishop.' Cather held a special place in her heart for Jaffrey and asked to be buried here. Head to the Advertisement Willa Cather with Mount Monadnock in the background, taken by her companion Edith Lewis. Willa Cather Archive, U. Nebraska-Lincoln History buffs, take note. The graveyard, originally laid out in 1749, is also the burial site of Amos Fortune. Fortune was a former slave, who purchased his freedom, and later settled in Jaffrey. He became a successful tanner, bookbinder, and philanthropist. The Old Burying Ground is open 8 a.m. to dusk; pick up a map and brochure at the entrance, noting significant sites. While in Jaffery: Hike the trails at Red floors like the ones in the Frost farm house were common in New Hampshire, because red paint was cheap, which is also why there were so many red barns. Frost's poem, "Home Burial," which he never read in public, is a dialogue between a rural couple who have lost a child, and takes place when the husband sees his wife descending the stairs. The oldest Frost son, Elliott, died before he was 4 years old, shortly before they moved to this farm. Michele McDonald Derry and Franconia There's Dan Brown and John Irving and Jodi Picoult, but we'd argue that New Hampshire's most famous author is Robert Frost. Head to Derry to visit the Advertisement Head to Franconia to visit While in Franconia: Visit The Victorian Children's Garden at Strawbery Banke Museum. Strawbery Banke Museum Portsmouth Thomas Bailey Aldrich, a poet, short story writer, and later the editor of the Atlantic Monthly, was born in Portsmouth in 1836. His grandfather, a Portsmouth merchant, purchased a house in the city during the first quarter of the 19th century. Aldrich visited his grandfather's home often, and Portsmouth, or 'Rivermouth,' is featured in many of his stories, including the location where he set his novel 'The Story of a Bad Boy.' When Aldrich passed away, his widow purchased the home to create a memorial for her husband, restoring rooms using imagery from 'The Story of a Bad Boy.' The home is now located at Advertisement Bibliophiles may also want to visit While in Portsmouth: Two other sites The famous American poet, painter, and author E.E. Cummings was a notoriously private man so it's no mystery why he enjoyed the solitary summers he spent in Madison on Joy Farm. The time-worn, abandoned house and barn sit down a quiet back road, with views of Silver Lake and Mount Chocorua. It's on the National Register of Historic Places, but it's currently not open to the public. But we do like that one of the most famous authors in America spent time, from 1898 to his death in 1962, in one of the smallest towns in New Hampshire. While in Madison: Go picnicking and swimming at nearby Poet Sarah Josepha Buell Hale, born in Newport, N.H., is probably best known for her nursery rhyme 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.' She was editor of the Boston Ladies Magazine, American Ladies Magazine, and Godey's Lady's Book. She was also a strong advocate for the creation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. She pushed President Lincoln and leading politicians to designate a national celebration of Thanksgiving and is largely credited for making it happen. (Consider toasting to Hale at your next Thanksgiving!) The Sarah Josepha Hale Memorial Park in Newport features an historic monument honoring Hale. While in Newport: Check out performances at the historic Advertisement Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at
USA Today
23-02-2025
- General
- USA Today
Best Open-Air Museum (2025) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Photo courtesy of Hagley Museum and Library No. 10: Hagley Museum and Library - Wilmington, Delaware Situated on the site of the original du Pont family gunpowder works, the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, Delaware, showcases the early industrial history of America, focusing on the development of the du Pont company and its impact on industry and innovation. Preserving and interpreting the remnants of the early industrial complex, the museum includes the original powder yards, mills, workers' communities, and historic buildings. Photo courtesy of Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation No. 9: Jamestown Settlement - Williamsburg, Virginia Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, Virginia, commemorates the founding of the first permanent English settlement in North America, as well as the convergence of European, Indigenous, and West Central African cultures in the 17th century. This museum features replicas of three ships that brought settlers to Virginia in 1607, a full-scale reconstructed fort and Native American town, and immersive, living history exhibits about the daily lives of those who inhabited 17th-century Virginia. Photo courtesy of Brian Newson, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation No. 8: Colonial Williamsburg - Williamsburg, Virginia Billed as the largest U.S. history museum in the world, Colonial Williamsburg meticulously preserves and recreates the 18th-century colonial capital of Virginia, offering an immersive experience of life during that era. The architecture, landscapes, and building interiors reflect historical accuracy, and interpreters and historical actors portray tradespeople, artisans, politicians, and enslaved individuals, bringing history to life through interactive demonstrations, performances, and storytelling. Photo courtesy of David J. Murray/ No. 7: Strawbery Banke Museum - Portsmouth, New Hampshire Showcasing the evolution of a New England community from the late 17th to the mid-20th century, Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, preserves a neighborhood that spans nearly four centuries of American history. Featuring dozens of meticulously restored historic buildings, visitors can explore homes, shops, gardens, and taverns, and engage with costumed interpreters to gain a glimpse into the lives of past residents. Photo courtesy of Conner Prairie No. 6: Conner Prairie - Fishers, Indiana Conner Prairie in Fishers, Indiana, is a unique, open-air museum that features an 1816 Lenape Indian camp, a recreated 1836 prairie town, and one of Indiana's oldest brick homes, the William Conner house. Skilled interpreters bring these settings to life by engaging with visitors about the lifestyles, traditions, and challenges faced by this area's occupants over time. Photo courtesy of The National Museum of Transportation Archives No. 5: National Museum of Transportation - St. Louis, Missouri Boasting an extensive collection of transportation-related artifacts, including historic automobiles, locomotives, aircraft, trolleys, and buses, the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri, showcases the evolution of transportation in the United States. Visitors can explore the artifacts and engage in interactive exhibits that highlight milestones, innovations, and technological advancements in the realm of transportation across different eras. Photo courtesy of helivideo / iStock Via Getty Images Plus No. 4: Bodie State Historic Park - Bridgeport, California Not just an open-air museum, Bodie State Historic Park is also one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the country. Visitors are transported to what was once a booming mining town during the California Gold Rush. The town has been intentionally left in a state of 'arrested decay' with some buildings' interiors still stocked with goods. Photo courtesy of Cherokee Historical Association / The Creative Raven No. 3: Oconaluftee Indian Village - Cherokee, North Carolina With a focus on accuracy and respect, the Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee, North Carolina, offers an authentic representation of Cherokee life in the 18th century. Showcasing traditional Cherokee dwellings and tools, visitors can experience a living history tour guided by Cherokee cultural interpreters who demonstrate traditional crafts while sharing stories and insights into Cherokee history and traditions. Photo courtesy of Mystic Seaport Museum No. 2: Mystic Seaport Museum - Mystic, Connecticut Featuring a unique collection of historic ships, including tall ships, schooners, and a whaling ship, the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut, preserves and celebrates America's maritime heritage. Visitors can explore the vessels as well as the museum's recreated 19th-century coastal village while interacting with historical interpreters and enjoying demonstrations of shipbuilding, rope making, sailmaking, and blacksmithing.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Reverend, a slave, and the Black Heritage Trail of NH
About a year ago, Athenaeum Proprietor Kinley Gregg donated a remarkable manuscript document from 1774. Kinley is a scholar who keeps an eye on auctions for items that might be important for the Athenaeum's collections. The seller described the document as simply: a letter from a lawyer to a legatee regarding the estate of his father – seemingly dull stuff. A deeper evaluation of the subjects and the people named in the letter was anything but dull. Firstly, the writer, Samuel Penhallow (1722-1813), was Justice of the Peace who is lauded for signing the manumission papers of many slaves freed by their owners. His house was originally at the corner of Pleasant and Court streets and now is preserved on Washington Street, where it is undergoing extensive restoration and climate change mitigation by Strawbery Banke Museum. In its original location, the Penhallow house was next door to the house of the deceased, Rev. Arthur Browne (1699-1773), on what is now Court Street. More: Great Depression-era Black family's life revived at Strawbery Banke Rev. Browne was a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and was called to be the first Anglican minister of Queen's Chapel, Portsmouth, now St. John's Church. In addition to being the spiritual leader of the town's substantial Anglican community, Rev. Browne was a social reformer. In 1750, he donated the large library sent with him by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to found New Hampshire's first circulating library, the Portsmouth Social Library. Unlike Benjamin Franklin's original circulating library of 1731, Browne's library had a greater purpose than merely the education and edification of its members; the membership fees went directly to support a public work house, which was built just west of Browne's house in 1755. A work house was a place for the indigent and indebted to learn a trade and earn money to get back on their feet. The long-term clerk of the Social Library was Browne's neighbor, Samuel Penhallow. The letter is addressed to Capt. Arthur Browne Jr. (1743-1827), the third son of Rev. Arthur and Mary Cox. He was a career military man, who first enlisted at age 16. At the time of his father's death he was stationed at Gibraltar with his Majesty's 58th Regiment. Capt. Browne was predeceased by his two older brothers, Thomas and Marmaduke, which made him the primary heir. The letter does mention estate shares given to Arthur Jr.'s sisters, Jane and Elizabeth. Jane had married lawyer and politician Samuel Livermore (1732-1803). As a member of the 2nd U.S. Congress in 1793, Livermore was one of only seven representatives to vote against the Fugitive Slave Act. Elizabeth had married the illustrious but controversial Maj. Robert Rogers (1731-1795), recognized as the founder of the modern Army Rangers service. Penhallow writes about the disposition of the reverend's estate, including selling his house in Court Street to Oliver Whipple to pay the executors and shares to Jane and Elizabeth. Of the captain's share, he writes: 'the next night some evil minded person or persons Broke into my House who took Stole and carried away the whole of that money.' One might question the veracity of the story, told to Capt. Browne, a soldier who would almost certainly never return to Portsmouth. He then recounts family news, including the disturbing fate of Rev. Browne's slave, Jesse. He states: 'Jesse grew so troublesome that neither Mr. Livermore nor Mrs. Rogers could keep him that the Executors were obliged to dispose of him and sold him last Fall to One Capt. Thompson in a ship bound to the West Indies.' Thomas Thompson's ships, Martha and Maria made regular trips to the Caribbean carrying lumber and whale oil. The customs records do not list Jesse because he would have been treated as the personal property of Capt. Thompson. The sale of Jesse to Capt. Thompson was effectively a death sentence. If Jesse managed to survive the treacherous sea voyage, the life expectancy for a slave on a sugar plantation was five to seven years. Just two years later, Capt. Thompson took command of the USS Raleigh as one of the founders of the Continental Navy during the Revolution. The amazing thing about Gregg's 200-year-old manuscript is that it documents a progressive minister, two worldly-wise justices, a colonial military pioneer, and a founder of the American Navy, each failing to apply their Christian grace, moral judgment, personal courage and devotion to liberty to a man they all knew well, Jesse. This does not negate the laudable achievements of these historical figures, but sheds a powerful light on our human condition: a strongly held societal belief can lead even extraordinary people to accept abject evil as normal and unchangeable. The final twist to the story is that, thanks to an act of grace and courage by a modern lawyer, Jack McGee, the home site of Rev. Browne, his children, and Jesse, is now the home of the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire (222 Court St.). You can follow the important work of the good people at BHTNH by visiting The Portsmouth Athenaeum, 9 Market Square, is a nonprofit membership library founded in 1817. It has 40,000-plus volumes, and an archive of local history materials. The photographic collection contains over 36,000 images available for viewing at The Shaw Research Library and Randall Gallery are open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 1-4 p.m. For more information, go to the website or call 603-431-2538. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Reverend, a slave, and the Black Heritage Trail of NH
