| | Charm without the wizards on Chestnut Street Many October visitors to Salem, Massachusetts, look for the witches and warlocks. To get off the witches trail and experience another Salem story, visit the Phillips House on Chestnut Street, "one of the most beautiful streets in America." The house contains a wonderful collection of Chinese export porcelain, Polynesian artifacts collected by the family, Native American baskets, American Impressionist art, and three antique cars in the carriage house including two Pierce Arrows and one 1929 Ford Model A.  Of course, this being Salem, the house does have a curious story that our guides will be delighted to share. Phillips House is open Tuesday through Sunday through October; open weekends, November 1 through February 24.
Spend some time right now enjoying an online tour of Historic New England's other Salem museum, the Gedney House. The tour is courtesy of eye-to-eye magazine and focuses on seventeenth-century to twentieth-century original painted surfaces and the nineteenth-century wallpaper preserved in the house. | | October 12 is Beauport Day As part of the 100th anniversary celebration, October 12 is declared Beauport Day by Gloucester Mayor John Bell, with birthday cake, a proclamation, music, and more. Tours of Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House are free throughout the day.  According to an entry in the diary of Cecilia Beaux, an artist and Eastern Point neighbor, October 12, 1907, is the day the cornerstone was laid for Henry Sleeper's summer and weekend retreat in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
"Also called by Sl. [Sleeper] and went over to his place to talk over house & cornerstone..... At four to Sl for brick. A.P.A. [A. Piatt Andrews] he & I wonderful moments. The red [slabs?] wrapped in silk & seal. 'Little Beauport'." The cornerstone was probably a brick that Sleeper had wrapped in silk with a seal that read "Little Beauport". | | Plant of the month Forest Lily, Veltheimia bracteata is this month's special purchase available at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses.  This unique South African bulb from the Hyacinth family makes a great house plant. It flowers in the autumn or early winter, with a long spike of pink tubular flowers. It is easy to grow and most of the year has beautiful glossy leaves. The greenhouses offer pots with mature bulbs for just $24.
The greenhouses are open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. on Thursdays). For more information call 781-891-4882, ext. 244. Members, remember your discount benefit. Historic New England members receive a 10% discount, and Garden & Landscape members receive a 15% discount at the Lyman Esate Greenhouses. For Garden and Landscape membership information click here. | | Education renovation In order to make a more organized and efficient resource for teachers and community members, Historic New England has renovated the education pages on its web site. The pages are easier to navigate, with information available by region, so that users can find programs in their area. Content is updated, including new and expanded programming. 
Click here to explore the site and discover new school offerings, like Boston pre-school programs and workshops highlighting crafts such as weaving and making historic toys. More information is also available on summer camps, programs for scout troops, field trips, and events. Share this section of our web site with family and friends who are interested in Historic New England's school programming. | | South Berwick Business of the Month Historic New England was featured this September at the South Berwick branch of Ocean Bank. Historic New England Site Manager Peggy Wishart and museum guide Brenda Stratemeyer created a display in the corner of the bank lobby. 
Tellers report a lot of interest from patrons. While Hamilton House and Jewett House are already familiar favorites in the community, the display also showcased Historic New England's other properties in Maine and elsewhere, as well as programs, collections in the library and archives, and historic landscapes. | | Volunteers needed Volunteer on Saturday, October 13, at the Pumpkin Festival at Cogswell's Grant in Essex, Massachusetts, to assist at the admissions desk, the kid's crafts table, and the membership information table. Visit the property, have fun at the program, and meet staff and friends. There are other volunteer opportunities at Historic New England programs throughout the year. Please contact Jesse Donnelly for more information. | | | Program Highlights Victorian Photography Workshop Saturday, October 13, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.; Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Newbury, Mass.; 978-462-2634. Admission: $18 Historic New England members, $45 general public. Registration required. Artist Paul Wainwright leads a workshop on making stereo-view photo cards using 35 mm or digital cameras. The morning session includes an illustrated lecture on Victorian spirit photography and post-mortem memorial photography. The afternoon session focuses on the construction and viewing of stereo-view cards. Participants should bring a camera with tripod mount and are encouraged to bring a tripod and stereo-viewer. Extra tripods and viewers are for sale. Morning refreshments provided. Please bring a bag lunch or order one for an additional cost. Exploring Colonial Crafts Sunday, October 14, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.; Arnold House, Lincoln, R.I., 401-295-1030; free.  Visit the 1693 Arnold House during the Great Road Heritage Festival. See demonstrations of seventeenth-century crafts by a candle maker, a cooper, and a horn worker. There are opportunities to dip a candle, card wool, make a pomander, learn to spin with a drop spindle, and build a bucket, plus period games and much more.
Fall Creations: Dried Gourd Centerpieces Saturday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.; Governor John Langdon House, Portsmouth, N.H.; 603-436-3205; Admission: $15 Historic New England members, $30 general public. Registration required. Welcome the autumn season by creating a centerpiece. Floral designer Deborah Richards demonstrates creative techniques with dried flowers for hollow gourds or baskets. Participants may fill either with their favorite things. A tour of the Governor John Langdon House follows the workshop. All materials included in the admission fee. For information on other Historic New England programs click here. | | Sincerely, Historic New England 617-227-3956 | | |
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| October is a time to enjoy New England at its most colorful. Visitors can enjoy the lovely autumn weather while shopping for fresh produce at the Growers market at Casey Farm. Families will enjoy the games and crafts for all at the Pumpkin Festival at Cogswell's Grant and the Family Fun at Pierce House. For a hands-on experience, register for a workshop at the Langdon House and create a dried gourd centerpiece for your harvest table. Visit these properties and programs to celebrate the fall season with Historic New England. For a full schedule of events, click here. | |
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