The Most Easy & Graceful Employment: Knitting in the 19th Century [60 Minutes]
Rebecca Bayreuther Donohue 113b Oswegatchie Hills Road, Niantic, CT 06357 (860) 691-3332 rb.donohue@mysticseaport.org
Other presentations: "“I tie my Hat – I crease my Shawl - ”: the Lyrical Clothing of Emily Dickinson; Victorian Flower-Arranging; “They calls it a Home, I calls it a Prison”: Maritime Boardinghouses in the Nineteenth Century; “They don’t live; they board”: The Tenants of Greenmanville
I tie my Hat - I crease my Shawl - : The Lyrical Clothing of Emily Dickenson [40 Minutes]
Rebecca Bayreuther Donohue 113b Oswegatchie Hills Road, Niantic, CT 06357 rb.donohue@mysticseaport.org
Other presentations: "“I tie my Hat – I crease my Shawl - ”: the Lyrical Clothing of Emily Dickinson; Victorian Flower-Arranging; “They calls it a Home, I calls it a Prison”: Maritime Boardinghouses in the Nineteenth Century; “They don’t live; they board”: The Tenants of Greenmanville
Kandie K. Carle P.O. Box 176, East Haddam,CT 06423 (860) 873-9599 Kandie@KandieCarle.com www.KandieCarle.com .com While dressing in actual vintage
and authentically reproduced undergarments, clothing and accessories,
(yes, even a corset!) Kandie Carle adds humor, history and intriquing
anecdotes about fashion, home life and etiquette of men, women and
children. The VICTORIAN LADY programs brings to light some of the
differences as well as similarities between us and our victorian
ancestors. A visual delight respendent with wit and grace, it is a
refreshing view of a magnificent era in history. Other presentations: 
The Victorian Lady: Dressing from Corset to Gloves [60 Minutes]
There are three eras available: 1860s - Civil War, 1890s - Gilded Age, and 1900s - Edwardian Era.
Connecticut's Songwriter: The Popular Civil Was Era Songs of Henry Clay Work [60 Minutes]
Richard E. Spencer 30 N. Wawecus Hill Road, Norwich, Ct 06360 (860)859-1927 rick@catfeather.com www.catfeather.com
Other presentations: "Freemen for Fremont" "Songs of Villains, Outlaws & Rogues" " The American Sea Music Traditions"
Freemen for Fremont: Songs from the presidential Campaign of 1856 [60 Minutes]
Richard E. Spencer 30 N. Wawecus Hill Road, Norwich, Ct 06360 (860)859-1927 rick@catfeather.com www.catfeather.com
Other presentations: "Connecticut's Songwriter" "Songs of Villains, Outlaws & Rogues" " The American Sea Music Traditions"
American Maritime Music Traditions: Sea Songs & Chanteys [60 Minutes]
Richard E. Spencer 30 N. Wawecus Hill Road, Norwich, Ct 06360 (860)859-1927 rick@catfeather.com www.catfeather.com
Other presentations: "Freemen for Fremont" "Songs of Villains, Outlaws & Rogues" " Connecticut's Songwriter"
Dentistry in Early New England [Length Adaptable]
This talk is a painless and sometimes surprising look at the history of tooth care before 1850.
Thomas D. Kelleher 610 Cronin Road, West Brookfield, MA 01585 (413) 436-5029 tkelleher@osv.org
Other presentations: "Phrenology" "Early Baseball" " Blackstone Canal" "US Mail" sundry craft demonstrations
Sending a Letter: A History of the US Postoffice before the Civil War [60 Minutes]
In the early 19th century, America was far from either the largest or richest country in the world, but its postal service was already the biggest on the planet. This examination of the early American mail system, its significance and how it worked, includes a concrete look at how a letter went from sender to addressee in the early 1800s.
Thomas D. Kelleher 610 Cronin Road, West Brookfield, MA 01585 (413) 436-5029 tkelleher@osv.org
Other presentations: "Phrenology" "Early Baseball" " Blackstone Canal" "Dentistry" sundry craft demonstrations
Doubleday Didn't Do It! A History of Baseball Before 1860 [60 Minutes]
Thomas D. Kelleher 610 Cronin Road, West Brookfield, MA 01585 (413) 436-5029 tkelleher@osv.org
Other presentations: "Phrenology" "Early Baseball" " Blackstone Canal" "Dentistry" sundry craft demonstrations
Where the Cracker Got It's Name: Sylvester Grahm, Health Reformer of the 1830's [Length Adaptable]
A look at the man and the movement he spawned, and how his legacy remains with us today (with samples of what may be the original "Graham cracker").
Thomas D. Kelleher 610 Cronin Road, West Brookfield, MA 01585 (413) 436-5029 tkelleher@osv.org
Other presentations: "Phrenology" "Early Baseball" " Blackstone Canal" "Dentistry" sundry craft demonstrations
Do You Know What Hell Is?: Religious Revivals in Early 19th Century New England [Length Adaptable]
A look at religious fervor that swept America in the early 1800s, with an optional 20-minute historically costumed performance recreating a documented 1835 New England revival service.
Thomas D. Kelleher 610 Cronin Road, West Brookfield, MA 01585 (413) 436-5029 tkelleher@osv.org
Other presentations: "Phrenology" "Early Baseball" " Blackstone Canal" "Dentistry" sundry craft demonstrations
Somewhere North of Washington: Connecticut at Gettysburg [90+/45 Minutes]
Richard & Rebecca Donohue 113b Oswegatchie Hills Road, Niantic, CT 06357 (860) 691-3332 necc2000@aol.com
Six units of Connecticut men fought at Gettyburg during the three day battle in 1863. Using images from the National Park at Gettysburg, this program describes the involvement and meneuvers of these 1300 Nutmeggers.
There are two versions of this program available: The Longer version explains the events of July 1 -3 in Gettysburg and the role which Connecticut men played in them. The shorter version, appropriate for school groups, focuses on the highlights of Connecticut's three day involvement in the Battle.
Making a Scene for Suffrage in Connecticut: Emily Pierson and the Tactics of the CWSA, 1910-1917[60 Minutes]
Kelly Marino Cromwell, CT & UMass Amherst kmarino@history.umass.edu
We Are What the Pilgrims Were [40 Minutes]
A history of the Pilrims' first year in America and how the cultural values they planted there are still the principles underlying America.
Glenn Cheney PO Box 284, Hanover, CT 06350 860 822-1270
Glenn Alan Cheney is the author of "Thanksgiving: The Pilgrims' First Year in America."
America's First Sculpture: Looking at Early Connecticut Gravestones[60Minutes]
William Hosley 30 Old Abbe Rd, Enfield, CT 06082 (860) 944-8349 wnhosley@snet.net www.billhosley.com
Connecticut is a geological marvel. Marble, brownstone, schist, and granite became the basis for one of our earliest native arts – the fashioning, decoration and inscription of grave markers, tombstones and monuments. This program explores the diverse stylistic traditions in dozens of small shops that produced gravestones from the mid-17th century to the advent of the industrial age. The program will also look at the stories gravestones tell through their inscriptions and symbolic ornamentation.
Other presentations: For a list, please write to wnhosley@snet.net
Oxen the Colonies [Adaptable]
Oxen were the key to the sustenance of the colonists and to the economic viability of the colonies. Rock and Roll, a team of Shorthorn oxen can illustrate the worth of oxen "in person".
This presentation can be adapted to include any period of history. We need a tree or building to tie to. Period dress available upon request.
Nancy D Kalal 80 Grassy Hill Rd., EastLyme, CT 06333 (860) 437-7828 tomnancy8934@sbcglobal.net
Other presentations:
Housing History: A Search for Place, Past & Comminuty[60Minutes]
William Hosley 30 Old Abbe Rd, Enfield, CT 06082 (860) 944-8349 wnhosley@snet.net www.billhosley.com
Community museums inspire, are evocative teaching tools, epitomize historic preservation, and a refuge for local knowledge. This program examines their role in fostering sense of place, civic pride and community by showcasing extraordinary examples in New England, New York and beyond. The variety of content, storylines and presentation styles is remarkable and reminds us that biodiversity, so important to the survival of life, is no less important to the health and well-being of communities.
Other presentations: For a list, please write to wnhosley@snet.net
Panic in Connecticut; Accused Witches Have their Say [40 Minutes]Equipment Req: A period bench or 2 Period Chairs if possible.
Virginia Wolf 22 Carriage Drive, Farmington,CT 06032 (860) 550-0936 vwolfvoa@gmail.com www.herstorytheater.com
Actress Virginia Wolf presents a one-woman performance that brings to life the experiences of five Connecticut women accused of witchcraft during the 17th century. Gripping, tragic and, finally triumphant, Ms. Wolf's performance lends humanity to a mysterious and perplexing time in Connecticut's history. Presentation is based on available primary resources. Show runs 40 minutes, but plan for 60 minutes to include discussion.
My show is designed to be portable; I have all costumes and props, but ask only for a couple of chairs or benches...period is nice, but not necessary. A raised stage is also nice, but not necessary.
The Impact of Samuel Slater's Textile Revolution on Northeastern Connecticut. [60 Minutes]Equipment Req: LCD Projector & Screen
Joseph Lamartino P.O. Box 478 Thompson, CT 06277 (860) 923-3776 jiamartino@baypath.edu
The story of the textile revolution in NE CT, beginning with Samuel Slater's entry into the market, and describing the impact of the embargo during the War of 1812.
The Music of Louie Armstrong [Adaptable Length]Equipment Req:
David W. Neill and Dixieland Stomp 224 Longhill Street, Springfield, MA 01108 (413) 732-4137 tbn8@aol.com http://www.premierentertains.com/Dixieland%20Page.html
This 6 man dixieland band performs the direct transcriptions of Louie Armstrong's music recorded by the Hot 5 and Hot 7 in 1927.
Other presentations: Civil War Ballroom, History of Brass Instruments
Preserving our Stone Treasures[Adaptable Length]Equipment Req: Screen
Michael A. Angelicola 365 Harwington Avenue Plymouth, Connecticut 06782 (203) 565-6011 angelicolamasonry@yahoo.com www.preservingourstonetreasures.com
Preserving our Stone Treasures is a powerpoint presentation about the history of New England stone Walls and the need for preservation.
Antique Appraisals & Lectures [Adaptable Length]
Paul Royka P.O. Box 179 Lunenburg, MA 01462 paulroyka@roykas.com www.roykas.com
Paul Royka is a nationally known fine art, antiques & collectibles expertwith over 30 years experience. He is the author of several books andappeared on several TV programs including FoxNews and Antiques Roadshow.He has set many world record prices at auction. Paul has been an activemember of the New England Museum association. Program offerings include: Appraisal Day (normally 10-2pm / 4 hours and allows time for extended period)Appraisal / Lecture Night; Behind the Scenes of the Art & Antiques Trade: Great Finds, Fraud,Scandals and Valuing your items; New England Art Pottery: The Beginning of the Modern Movement in America; Appraising Your Fine Art.
The Civil War Ball Room [Adaptable Length]Equipment Req:
The Victorian Quadrille Orchestra & Small Planet Dancers. David W. Neill, Contact 224 Longhill Street, Springfield, MA 01108 (413) 732-4137 tbn8@aol.com http://www.premierentertains.com/Vic%20Main%20Page.html
The Victorian Quadrille Orchestra and the Small Planet Dancers present a History program: The Civil War Ball Room.
The program can be tailored to your needs from a half hour to 2 hours, the group presents a performance of 19th century music, dance and the history of the Civil War Ballroom. At the end of the program the dance troupe can teach one of the dances to the audience.
Other presentations: Louise Armstrong, History of Brass Instruments
So Practiced as to be Natural: Louisa May Alcott's Literary Condemnation of the 19th Century Costumed Charade [40 Minutes]Equipment Req: Screen Rebecca Bayreuther Donohue 113b Oswegatchie Hills Road Niantic, CT 0357 (860) 691-3332 rb.donohue@mysticseaport.org
Other presentations: "“I tie my Hat – I crease my Shawl - ”: the Lyrical Clothing of Emily Dickinson; Victorian Flower-Arranging; “They calls it a Home, I calls it a Prison”: Maritime Boardinghouses in the Nineteenth Century; “They don’t live; they board”: The Tenants of Greenmanville
The Blackstone Canal: Artery to the Heart of the Commonwealth [60 Minutes]
Thomas D. Kelleher 610 Cronin Road, West Brookfield, MA 01585 (413) 436-5029 tkelleher@osv.org
A transportation revolution transformed the landscape, the economy and everyday lives for early 19th century New Englanders. Following on the success of New York’s Erie Canal, a canal was optimistically built from Providence, Rhode Island to Worcester, Massachusetts. Although it failed after twenty years, it permanently changed the area. This talk tells that story.
Other presentations: "Phrenology" "Early Baseball" " Blackstone Canal" "Dentistry" sundry craft demonstrations
Chinese Export Porcelain: An Introduction [60 Minutes]Equipment Req: LCD Projector & Screen
Michael S. Day 13 Laurel Lane, Barkhamsted, CT 06063 (860) 379-1053 jday02@snet.net www.clippership-publications.com
Pieces of Chinese Export Porcelain are displayed in the finest museums and in the restored homes of the leaders of early America. These delicate cups and dishes represent a small but important part of the trade that existed between China and the United States during the eighteen and nineteenth centuries. Yet pieces of Chinese Export Porcelain can still be found at modest prices in antique shops today. Here is the story of how the China trade originated and how fine porcelain became a part of our cultural heritage. The process of making porcelain is explained and the long journey from central China to the dining rooms of New England is traced. Discussed also are the basic designs and how they evolved over the years.
This is a non-technical introduction that covers all the basics of porcelain production, decoration, shipping and use. It would be of interest to anyone who appreciates history or antiques.
Other presentations: "The One Room School House: What was it Like?" "19th Century Children's Games" " Herb Gardens"
The One Room Schoolhouse: What was it Really Like? [60 Minutes]
Michael S. Day 13 Laurel Lane, Barkhamsted, CT 06063 (860) 379-1053 jday02@snet.net www.clippership-publications.com
A program for adults using first-hand accounts of teaching in mid-19th century America. Appropriate for teacher groups, museum staff or groups associated with a restored one room schoolhouse.
Other presentations: "19th Century Wood Working" "19th Century Children's Games" " Herb Gardens"
Beauty & The Beast: 300 Years of Connecticut Architecture [60 Minutes]
William Hosley 30 Old Abbe Rd, Enfield, CT 06082 (860) 379-1053 wnhosley@snet.net www.billhosley.com
Great buildings represent the triumph of aspiration over inertia. What we build speaks of our values, hopes, lifeways and character. An awareness of architecture transforms the experience of living in a place, making our little state of Connecticut a veritable museum of American life. Only Massachusetts covers the entire spectrum of American experience as completely and in many particulars Connecticut excels.
Chimneyside Tales [Legnth Adaptable]
Thomas H Hanford P. O. Box 90, Goshen, CT 06756, CT 06063 (860) 491-9223 tomhookerhanford@hotmail.com www.tomhanford.com
"Chimneyside Tales" encompasses several interactive family programs of historical music and stories, 17th-19th century. Titles include "The New World", "In The Good Old Colony Days","Songs of the Sea" and "Fiddle Dee Dee, Children's Folk Songs of Old New England". There are programs in development on sea faring and piracy, 16th to 18th c. and the American Civil War. Historic costumes and instrumentation. Listed with CT Commission on Culture and Tourism for matching grants.
Interactive family stage shows,usually 45 minutes, and historical strolling troubadour programs with fiddle and/or guitar are available. Accurate or at least closely approximate period instrumentation and repertoire and accurate period costume are featured."Hanford and Finlay" programs are performed with soprano, Nancy Finlay. Promo packages are gladly sent out or visit website for sound clips and other information.
Other presentations: Blues, Country & origional songs performed solo & with various musical performers.
Teas in Time[60 Minutes]
Rita Parisi Waterfall Productions 43 Merrimac Street, Amesbury, MA 01913 (978) 430-1357 ritaparisi@waterfallproductions.com www.waterfallproductions.com
During the Belle Epoque (1900-1914), the afternoon tea was the social forum for ladies. They would often engage in lively discussions about the latest fashions and social concerns. Rita Parisi has taken the tradition of the ladies afternoon tea and created interactive, first person presentations called "Teas in Time". They feature Mrs. Gordon, a fictional middle class housewife who enlightens her guests (audience) during an afternoon tea with stories of her life at the turn of the 20th century.
Other presentations: Zelda, Musings from the first American Flapper, Gothic Victorian Tales by Candelight
Several different themed "Tea programs" are also available for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Mother/Daughter Teas, Summertime, Halloween and Christmas. New England Foundation for the Arts grant funding available.
Connecticut Furniture & the Origins of American Art [60 Minutes]
William Hosley 30 Old Abbe Rd, Enfield, CT 06082 (860) 379-1053 wnhosley@snet.net www.billhosley.com
This program explores Connecticut furniture from the earliest work of joiners like Aaron Cooke of Windsor and Henry Treat of Wethersfield, the rise of the baroque forms of Timothy Loomis and William Manley, the flowering of Connecticut expression in the hands of Eliphalet Chapin, Samuel Loomis and Elijah Booth, to the innovators of the industrial age like Lemuel Hitchcock and Ebenezer Tracy the story of Connecticut furniture is a chain of innovation and local expression.
Other presentations: For a list, please write to wnhosley@snet.net
Sound Rising: The Long Island Sound at the Forefront of America's Struggle for Independence [60 Minutes]Equipment Req: Screen
Richard A. Radune 101 Hotchkiss Grove Road, Branford,CT 06405 (203)483-6528 raradune@comcast.net
This is Power Point presentation,based upon Richard A. Radune's book, SOUND RISING, which discusses the extraordinary maritime significance of Long Island Sound between 1750 and 1820. Its multitude of small ports, coves and navigable rivers provided a distinct advantage by thwarting British efforts to enforce trade restrictions and collect taxes. Long Island Sound played a crucial role in America’s Revolutionary War victory when its naval vessels, privateers and whaleboat raiders swarmed out of these same ports to interdict British supplies and force major changes in the enemy’s strategic war plans. This groundbreaking, true story relates the Sound’s involvement in the capture of Fort Louisbourg, rampant smuggling, the Revolutionary War, the Undeclared War with France and the War of 1812. It is especially relevant now with the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 occurring over the next several years.
Other presentations: Pequot Plantation: The Story of an Early Colonial Settlement
Pequot Plantation: The Story of an Early Colonial Settlement [60 Minutes]Equipment Req: Screen
Richard A. Radune 101 Hotchkiss Grove Road, Branford,CT 06405 (203)483-6528 raradune@comcast.net
Power Point Presentation. Pequot Plantation tells the exciting story of southeastern Connecticut in early colonial days. The territory was initially claimed by both Connecticut and Massachusetts Bay Colonies as a “right of conquest” after the Pequot War in 1637. The adventures of many early settlers are followed as they journeyed from England to Massachusetts and then to Pequot Plantation where they shaped the destiny of the new settlement.
Other presentations: Sound Rising: The Long Island Sound at the Forefront of America's Struggle for Independence.
The Great escape of Edward Whalley & William Goffe - Smuggled through Connecticut[60 Minutes]
Christopher A. Pagliuco 26 Winthrop Hill Road, Ivoryton,CT 06442 (860) 581-8145 pagliucos@comcast.net http://chrispagliuco.wordpress.com/author/chrispagliuco/
The Great Escape traces the lives of two puritans, Edward Whalley and William Goffe, through their brilliant military careers on the battlefields of the English Civil Wars. After signing the death warrant for King Charles I and executing him, Whalley and Goffe served under Oliver Cromwell ruling England with Puritan zeal. Upon Cromwell's death, and the resulting restoration of Charles II, Whalley and Goffe found themselves to be wanted fugitives, subject to the death penalty. They fled to Connecticut where colonial leaders smuggled the men from hiding place to hiding place in an effort to stay a step ahead of royal searches.A compelling story in its own right, The Great Escape is also a fascinating means of understanding the founding of Connecticut. The lives of Edward Whalley and William Goffe closely intertwine with the Great Migration to New England, the merging of New Haven and Connecticut colonies, the conquest of New York, and the fighting during King Phillip's War.Audiences will be amused, intrigued, and enlightened by this story that is a must for history lovers across Connecticut.
I am currently scheduling book signings and related events and would welcome the opportunity to meet your members. If you are interested in creating a program please contact me.
