| | The Preservation Movement Then and Now  This exhibition highlights important moments in the preservation movement in New England, including the battle to save the John Hancock House in 1863, which, though ultimately unsuccessful, served as a catalyst for preservation awareness. A section on one of the first preservationists, William Sumner Appleton, founder of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (now Historic New England), describes how Appleton realized that many early buildings throughout New England were disappearing and was concerned that little would remain. The exhibition also explores how the movement changed from saving historic sites to downtown revitalization, environmental conservation, land and shoreline preservation, and saving not a single building, but whole neighborhoods. A brochure listing resources for preservation services is available.
The exhibition is on display through May 3 at New Hampshire's Portsmouth Athenaeum, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Free. See Program Highlights for lecture information. | | Tell us what you think Historic New England, in conjunction with a dozen other outdoor history museums, is working with Reach Advisors, a visitor research firm, to conduct a national survey about what people want from museums like ours. As a participating museum in this study, we hope you might be willing to share 7 to 9 minutes of your thoughts in this important survey. Historic New England will greatly benefit from this study by having access to results from our visitors, helping us make our house museums better for you. In exchange for your time, Reach Advisors will be selecting some of the participants to win gifts ranging from museum memberships to gift certificates to Amazon.com or iTunes. Your individual information will be kept confidential and will not be shared or used for any solicitations. To take the survey, click here. If you have any problems with the survey, please feel free to e-mail Susie Wilkening of Reach Advisors. Thank you! |  Responding to Historic New England's twentieth-century collecting initiative, longtime member Abigail B. Homer recently donated a selection of colorful greeting cards she and members of her family received in the late 1940s and '50s. Homer's birthday, Christmas, Easter, and holiday cards, as well as a sampling of party invitations, expand the Library and Archives' extensive collection of ephemera, and are available to researchers of printing history, graphic design, and sociological and cultural studies. These two wonderful Valentine's Day cards, sent to Homer by her sister Susan (top card) and Aunt Betty, are two examples from this delightful collection.
Click here for more information about Historic New England's Library and Archives. | | Plant of the month Camellia is this month's special purchase available at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses.  Camellias are native to the mountainous regions of China, Japan, and Korea. They enjoy cool, moist weather and need bright, but not direct, light. When grown as a potted plant, the climate for camellias should not go above 70º F during the day or below 40º F at night. The plants should be in an east or west exposure.
Camellias flower from January through April and come in many sizes and shapes. The Lyman Estate Greenhouses have a whole greenhouse devoted to these cool growers and this month is one of the best times to view our lovely collection. They make a great Valentine's Day gift and range in price from $5.00 to $40.00. 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. Historic New England members receive a 10% discount, and Garden & Landscape members receive a 15% discount at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses. For Garden and Landscape membership information click here. | | Free admission to exhibit hall for members and fellows Historic New England members receive complimentary admission to the exhibit hall at the Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference at the Hynes Convention Center, March 13 through 15. Click here to obtain your coupon and present it with your membership card.  The conference offers lectures, seminars, and workshops on old house care as well as an exhibition hall filled with hundreds of products and services tailored to traditional building needs and home restoration, and daily presentations in the exhibit hall. Stop by booth #323 and visit the Historic New England staff.
On Friday, March 14, at 4:00 p.m., Historic New England Team Leader for Property Care Ben Haavik presents Preserving Historic Softwood and Hardwood Floors, sharing information and practical advice on preserving and protecting your floors. On Saturday, March 15, at 9:45 a.m., Historic New England Preservation Specialist Sally Zimmerman presents Who Put the History in the Historic Paint Colors?, providing information on the development of historic color palettes and practical advice on the use of historic color in your home. To register for the full conference visit www.traditionalbuildingshow.com. We hope to see you there. Stop by booth #323. | | Program Highlights Salem Tercentenary on Film Tuesday, February 19, 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.; Hamilton Hall, Salem, Mass.; 978-744-0440; $10 Historic New England members, $15 non-members. Registration recommended. These rarely seen silent home movies capture the celebrations in honor of Salem's three hundredth anniversary in July of 1926, as well as the anniversary of the founding of Massachusetts in 1630. The films showcase the craze for historic reenactments in the early twentieth century. Understanding Your Historic Wood Frame House Saturday, March 1, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., St. Joseph Hall, Salem, Mass.; 781-891-4882, ext. 226; $15 Historic Homeowner member, $25 Historic New England member, $45 non-members  This seminar reviews maintenance and preservation issues related to wood frame houses, 1780-1860, and focuses on "reading" the features of late-eighteenth and early nineteenth-century wooden houses, and on considerations for repairing, rehabilitating, or renovating timber-framed houses. The keynote speaker is Dr. Kimberly Alexander, curator at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. A partnership of Historic New England and Historic Salem, Inc.
The Preservation Movement Then and Now Through May 3 at the Portsmouth Athenaeum, Portsmouth, N.H.; 603-431-2538. Enjoy these free lectures, held in conjunction with the exhibition. Lectures begin at 7:00 p.m. February 21 (snow date February 28) - William Sumner Appleton and the Preservation of Jackson House, Richard Candee, professor emeritus, American and New England Studies, Boston University.
March 6 - Preserving Four Centuries of New England Homes: Historic New England and its Stewardship Program, Joseph Cornish, senior stewardship manager, Historic New England.
| | | Sincerely, Historic New England 617-227-3956 | | |
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