A Message from the Co-Directors | | |
July is a great time to visit Woodlawn. The garden is in full bloom, the campus hums with activity, and the wooded trails provide shade for walking on hot summer days. We also throw a birthday party for our benefactor, Nixon Black, who was born in Ellsworth on July 11, 1842. Read on to discover how to join this year’s celebration.
You may have noticed that the City of Ellsworth is working on a much needed upgrade of the city water lines in front of our property and along the Surry Road. Do not despair, or think that we are closed! Woodlawn is very much open for business and our delightful summer staff is eager to welcome you!
The Woodlawn barn continues to get busier each month bringing newcomers to the property. We never tire of hearing guests say, “I didn’t know this venue was here. I can’t wait to host my own party in this beautiful barn.” Venue coordinator, Ashley Terwilliger, would love to help you with your special event.
Finally, we are extremely grateful to the many Friends of Woodlawn who responded generously to our spring appeal. Your donations are essential to our projects and programs.
We look forward to seeing you at Woodlawn!
Roz and Andy
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Woodlawn's Garden Pottery
By Roz Rea, Trustee
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July is a good time to learn about a piece of Woodlawn’s garden history. After Nixon Black’s mother passed away in 1902, he began a concerted effort to add classical overtones to the estate. First, he introduced a formal Colonial Revival garden directly off of the sun porch. Later, he created outdoor “rooms” defined by lilac and evergreen hedges and rustic structures. Eventually, he added a lily pond.
Two individuals are known to have inspired Nixon’s vision, Beatrix Farrand and Eric Ellis Soderholtz. Farrand, America’s first female landscape architect, designed residential gardens on Mount Desert Island, in the Boston area and across the country. One principle of garden design was to include manmade features as focal points amidst the flowers and foliage throughout the garden. Arguably the best source of classically inspired garden features in the area was E. E. Soderholtz in West Gouldsboro, ME.
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Swedish by birth, Soderholtz came to America as a child in the 1870s. Living in Boston, he developed a photographer’s eye for architecture. In 1891, Soderholtz coauthored a book with James M. Corner called, “Domestic Colonial Architecture of New England.” Quite by chance, the first plate in the book is of the house on Beacon Street right beside a similar one occupied at the time by Nixon Black. It is tempting to wonder if Nixon knew Soderholtz, or knew of his interest in colonial architecture when he worked in Boston.
Sometime around 1902, Soderholtz moved to West Gouldsboro, ME, where he established a studio in pursuit of his new interest in making classically designed concrete garden furniture. The venture was a success. Soon he was marketing his products in Bar Harbor where Beatrix Farrand championed his work by including his urns, pots, and benches into the gardens she designed for wealthy clients. Soderholtz’s trademark EE “scarab” is found on all of his pieces.
| | We do not know when Nixon became aware of Soderholtz’s work, or when he purchased the two flower pots and the impressive 3’ tall urn for Woodlawn, but we are pleased to have them in the collection. All three pieces have the same lovely patina made from powdered brick dust mixed into the concrete used for coating the rough concrete surface. | | |
Today, visitors can see the two flower pots exhibited on the sun porch and the urn in the lobby of the new barn.
Editor’s Note: Today, Lunaform, a company located in Sullivan, ME makes concrete garden pottery products reminiscent of Soderholtz’s pieces. Each one is a piece of art masterfully crafted.
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Open to ages 10+. All children under 18 must have an adult with them for the entire workshop. | |
Nature Journaling
with Clare Walker Leslie
Join Naturalist/Artist/Author/Educator Clare Walker Leslie for a nature journaling workshop on July 22 from 10AM-2PM. Clare is an internationally recognized author and illustrator of 15 books.
The workshop will take place both inside and outside and rain or shine.
Be sure to dress for the weather.
Please bring your own materials including: white unlined paper, 2 sharpened pencils, 1 thin black lined pen. Colored pencils are optional as is a folding stool. Also please bring your own lunch and a drink. There is a water bottle refill station available.
Space is limited to 30 people. Cost $40
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Social Studies Educator Workshop
This interactive workshop for teachers of grades 6-12, empowers educators to become architects of authentic historical inquiry using research-based best practices and resources highlighted in the book The Social Studies FIELD Guide( which you will get a copy of).
Join author Joe Schmidt and work together to tailor custom lesson plans for your classroom.
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The House at Lobster Cove by Jane Goodrich, tells a wonderful story about George Nixon Black Jr. and the journey of his life.
We will discuss the book, go behind the ropes of the Black House Museum, and enjoy some light refreshments while learning more about the life of George Nixon Black Jr.
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John & Mary Black's New Home:1827
July 14th at 5PM
*Please note this lecture starts at 5PM not 6PM*
In 1827 John and Mary Black moved into their newly built and furnished home that they called Woodlawn.
The house itself was an extraordinary architectural statement in downeast Maine, and the furnishings were among the finest to be found in Boston. The Black Family Papers hold details about construction of the house and receipts for items purchased during the Blacks’ September 1827 shopping extravaganza. In their lecture, Rosamond Rea and Brian Pfeiffer will piece together the evidence of Woodlawn’s creation and invite you to imagine what it was like to step into the Black’s new home in 1827.
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Recording History, One House at a Time
August 4th at 6PM
Recording History, One House at a Time is our History Lecture for August presented by Walter Smalling.
Walter Smalling is a photographer who, during a 50 year career, was the photographer for the National Park Service and has had his photography published in 26 books.
Walter will talk about his travels and his most recent book “At First Light”, the story of Maine artists and where they lived and worked.
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Behind the Ropes Tour
After the lecture on July 14th we will be offering a special behind the ropes tour of the Black House with Roz and Brian. This tour is limited to 16 people and will include light appetizers.
The cost of this tour is $35 per person.
Pre-registration is required.
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Woodlawn's History Lecture Series is sponsored by:
Legacy Properties of Sotheby's International Realty.
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Paper Flower Workshop
On Saturday, August 2 from 9:30-11:30AM, paper flower artist, Meghan Hershfield of the Green Paper Flower will be leading a hands-on workshop at Woodlawn to create a beach rose. You will work with hand-dyed tissue paper, craft paper, floral wire, and tape to make a cheerful and realistic beach rose.
This program is for ages 12 and up. Pre-registration is required. Online registration will close at 3PM on July 25th, unless sold out first. Cost: $100. There is a minimum of 6 and a max of 12 for this workshop. If the workshop doesn't meet its minimum number, it will be cancelled and refunds will be issued. All other tickets are non-refundable. All materials are provided, but please bring your own scissors.
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Happy Birthday
George Nixon Black Jr.!
Join us for a family friendly dog-themed birthday party for Nixon Black's on July 11th.
There will be cupcakes to decorate and a dog craft. At 1:30PM and 2:30PM we will read a story about a Saint Bernard.
This event is outside only and may be canceled in bad weather. Please RSVP by July 7th.
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Please consider making a gift to Woodlawn today
Your support makes our mission possible,
where history connects people to place. Thank you!
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Woodlawn
P.O. Box 1478
Ellsworth, Maine 04605
(207) 667-8671
For general questions, click here
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