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BRISTOL, RI– Coggeshall Farm Museum hosted its second annual Harvest Gala at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, RI on October 7. Patrons celebrated Coggeshall’s 50 years as a living history museum. The event featured a live and silent auction, entertainment, and a fall-themed menu. All proceeds from the event fund future programming and events for the museum and its community.
Overall, it was a gorgeous night under the tent at Blithewold Mansion planned together by the Development Events Coordinator at Old Sturbridge Village Sandra Polanik, and the Development team at Old Sturbridge Village. Attendees included Coggeshall and Old Sturbridge Village Board members, donors, neighbors, and business owners.
During cocktail hour, guests toured the mansion, perused the silent auction, interacted with Coggeshall interpreters, and enjoyed performances by TEN31 living statues.
The event also featured:
- Plated dinner and dancing under the tent with grand views of Narragansett Bay
- Stephen (Steve) Lake was honored as the 2023 recipient of the Leticia Carter Founders Award - recognizing significant contributions to living history in New England. Stephen Lake has been a dedicated volunteer and Board member for Coggeshall Farm Museum for decades.
- Jim Donahue sparked a spirited and competitive live auction
- Money raised during the event will help launch Coggeshall Farm into a new era of education and inspiration.
Sponsors of the event included Bristol Marine, High-Low Properties, The Bay, Hope Alswang and Henry Joyce, and a special thanks to Starkweather and Shepley Insurance.
“It was a magical evening. The event had a festive vibe as guests celebrated Coggeshall Farm’s 50th anniversary and discussed its vibrant future,” says President and CEO Jim Donahue.
Celebrating 50 Years of Coggeshall Farm Museum
In 1965, the State of Rhode Island purchased the former Samuel P. Colt estate, including the 48-acre farm now known as Coggeshall Farm, for use as a state park. With the historic 18th-century tenant farmhouse facing possible demolition, several members of the Bristol Historical Society approached then-Governor John Chaffee for permission to convert Coggeshall Farm into a museum.
By 1973, the project had expanded beyond the scope of the Historical Society, and Coggeshall Farm Museum was incorporated as its own private, non-profit organization as “a quiet, authentic place for 20th-century Americans to observe the lifestyles of 1750 Rhode Island.” In the last decade, interpretation of the site has refocused primarily on the 1790s, the decade between the American Revolution and the Industrial Revolution, known as the Federalist Era.
In January 2020, Old Sturbridge Village and Coggeshall Farm Museum began an innovative new partnership. Old Sturbridge Village now manages the daily operations of Coggeshall Farm through a management contract.
“The future of our small history museums has been at risk for some time,” says Jim Donahue, President and CEO of Old Sturbridge Village. “Together with Old Sturbridge Village, Coggeshall Farm Museum will keep New England history alive for generations to come.”
Old Sturbridge Village provides structural and administrative management and support to its partner museum using oversight, accounting, human resources, marketing, and interpretation. The goal is to foster the love of the museum by bringing back regular programming in addition to providing excellent educational programs.
Donahue adds, “Living history can be costly. Proceeds from the Gala will ensure a talented staff at the museum, plenty of animals, safe and welcoming buildings, flourishing gardens, and the ability to provide educational programs for schools and families regardless of their ability to pay.”
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