Deerfield, Mass. (August 9, 2017)----
As the temperatures fall and the leaves change to their red, yellow, and gold hues, there's nothing like the aroma of mulled cider and the smoke from the open hearth that fills the air. Whether it's seeing an artisan demonstrate an historic trade, strolling down the street touring houses, or learning how early New Englanders communicated, this autumn is chock full of great programs and activities for everyone at Historic Deerfield.
The following is a list of upcoming programs and events at Historic Deerfield in September, October and November 2017. Unless otherwise noted, all programs are included with general admission.
Special Events
Early American Furniture: Recent Research in Training, Technique, and Lifestyle
September 15-17,
Historic Deerfield Decorative Arts Forum
Join us for the upcoming Historic Deerfield Decorative Arts forum on early American furniture.
Ongoing research drives any field of inquiry fueled by new information, theories, and methods. In the world of art and antiques, the information is both intellectual and visual, always appealing to multiple senses and taking us back in time to when the artifacts were new and defined by modern techniques and lifestyles.Taken together, objects populate places just like people do and become a time machine for imagining what shaped the past and therefore ourselves. Please join the Curatorial staff at Historic Deerfield for a look at current research in the study of early American furniture from the cabinet shop to parlor and chamber. The weekend in Deerfield, among our museum houses and extensive collections, will kindle a passion for learning about the unspoken meanings imbedded in early American craftsmanship. For more information and to register, contact Julie Orvis
(413) 775-7179 or visit
2017 ADA/Historic Deerfield Antiques Show
Saturday and Sunday, October 7-8
11 a.m. - 6 p.m. (10/8), 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. (10/9)
Mullins Center, UMass Amherst (NEW LOCATION). $15, free for Historic Deerfield members.
On Columbus Day Weekend, the Antiques Dealers' Association of America, Inc., will once again bring together some of the nation's finest dealers for their annual art and antiques show featuring the best of 18th- and 19th-century American art, antiques and design. The ADA/Historic Deerfield Show provides customers with a fun and informative experience in antiquing and early design. The show is considered by both serious and casual collectors to be one of the year's most important. On view and for sale will be remarkable objects from the 17th through the 19th centuries that will improve the quality of any collection and the look of any home. For more information, visit
adadealers.com.
Exploring Archaeology in Deerfield
Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15, Free
October 14, 11 a.m.: Enjoy a guided tour of the Old Burying Ground on Albany Road with Claire Carlson, Education Program Coordinator at Historic Deerfield
October 15, 2 p.m.: A lecture by Nick Bellantoni, Emeritus Connecticut State Archaeologist, University of Connecticut. Both programs are free and open to the public. Part of Massachusetts Archaeology Month.
Day of Giving
Friday, November 24, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Opt-out of Black Friday chaos, and instead let Historic Deerfield be your destination for handmade, heartfelt giving in preparation for the holiday season. On the Day of Giving, every museum visitor will have the opportunity to handcraft a special gift using simple or natural materials. The Day of Giving also kicks off our holiday support of the Community Action Family Center.
Hands-On Learning
Slowing Down to Stay in Touch: Communication Before the Computer
Weekends, September 9 - November 12
12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., History Workshop Building
Did you ever wonder how people communicated without the aid of "smart" devices and "social media?" Join us this fall and discover the many ways people in the past communicated with each other. Discover the joy of face-to-face communication. Lean over the garden fence and talk to your neighbor. Knock on the door and borrow a cup of sugar. Read some letters written in Deerfield long ago. Write a letter! Try writing with a quill pen, a fountain pen and a ball point pen. Use our manual and electric typewriters; take your typing with you and mail it to a friend. Slow down and enjoy communicating in the old fashioned way.
Demonstrations
Open Hearth Cooking: It's Pumpkin Time
September 16, 23, 30
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Visitor Center at Hall Tavern Kitchen
If it's September, it must be pumpkin time. Before the pumpkin spice lattes and muffins of today, people were eating dishes made from Connecticut Field and Long Island Cheese pumpkins. It was a dependable crop and stored well over the colder months providing a reliable source of food. Meet the workhorse of the Colonial kitchen - the pumpkin. Our hearth cooks will be making a variety of dishes using heirloom pumpkins and old recipes using this staple of the fall menu.
Open Hearth Cooking: Tavern Fare
October 6-9, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Visitor Center at Hall Tavern Kitchen
Colonial New England taverns were common in both small towns and cities. They were a welcome sight for travelers who could stop for a drink and a hot meal. Local people went to taverns to catch up on town news, see friends, have a drink or a quick meal. Taverns were known for their quick and hearty meals rather than fine dining. Come see the 1786 kitchen at the Hall Tavern and see what's on the Bill of Fare for the day.
Open Hearth Cooking: Time for Pie
November 4, 11, 18
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Visitor Center at Hall Tavern Kitchen
Who doesn't love pie? As the fall settles in and the days get shorter, our cooks will be busy in the kitchen making pies. Pies were a common dish served as part of the meal. They were savory or sweet-sometimes both with surprising flavor combinations. Come and learn about pie!
Historic Trades Demonstrations
Visitors will meet talented craftspeople and observe their work up close each weekend this fall with our Historic Trade demonstrations. Learn how a printing press was important to communication in colonial times. See a joiner use a series of tools to square, shape, and join separate pieces of wood into a single, strong window sash. Working with the head of fiery coals, watch the blacksmith deftly transform hard, shapeless metal into a graceful, functional object. Check the calendar for a schedule of specific demonstrations which occur on Saturdays and Sundays, September 30- December 9. Included with general admission.
Program Calendar
Historic Trades Demonstrations
Saturdays and Sundays (unless otherwise noted), September 30-November 25, 10:30 a.m. -
4 p.m.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Silversmithing with Steve Smithers
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Tailoring with Henry Cooke
Saturday, October 7, 2017
The Fine Craft of Building 17th & 18th Century Furniture with Craig Farrow
Sunday, October 8, 2017
The Fine Craft of Building 17th & 18th Century Furniture with Craig Farrow
Gunsmithing with Leonard Day
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Tinsmithing with Bill McMillen
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Coopering with Neil Muckenhoupt
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Blacksmithing with Rick Martin
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Architectural Woodworking with Ted Ingraham
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Dressmaking with Linda Oakley
Shoemaking with Peter Oakley
Letterpress Printing with Carl Darrow
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Stoneware Pottery with Mark Shapiro
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Gravestone Carving with Karin Sprague
Sunday, October 29, 2017
White Pine Bark and Ash Bark Basket Making with Jennifer Lee
Redware Pottery with Rick Hamelin
Saturday, November 4, 2017
The Doctor is In! Early 19th century Medical Practices with
Dr. Jack Richman
Friday, November 24, 2017
Redware Pottery with Stephen Earp
Paper Marbling with Regina St. John,
Chena River Marblers
Saturday, November 25, 2017
17th Century Life
About Historic Deerfield, Inc.
Historic Deerfield, Inc., is dedicated to the heritage and preservation of Deerfield, Massachusetts, and the Connecticut River Valley. Its museums and programs provide today's audiences with experiences that create an understanding and appreciation of New England's historic villages and countryside.
Admission is $18 for adults (18+), $5 for children (6-17), free for children under 6, members and Deerfield/South Deerfield residents. For more information, please call (413) 775-7214 or visit
historic-deerfield.org.
|
