CHS Briefs July 1, 2016

Welcome to the first edition of CHS Briefs. Before you start thinking about “tidy whities,” this is a quick way for the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) to give you a “brief” overview of what we’ve been doing and coming up as well as ways you can help. We hope you find it informative.

What’s New

• The Museum is open for the season every Sunday 2-4 pm and by appointment at other times.

• Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn: The Writer Who Changed History, the newest publication from CHS is now in print and ready for purchase. So far the reviews have been good. You can purchase the book and have it signed at the upcoming Annual Plant Sale on July 2 and when the Museum is open on July 3. As much as we want to educate people about Solzhenitsyn, we also are using this as a way to raise funds for the Solzhenitsyn project. Either purchasing from Create Space or directly from CHS provides the best return. The book is also available from Amazon.com. Learn more about the book.

Craig's original plant list

• The Annual Plant Sale is Saturday July 2, 8:30-2:30 in front of the museum. We are so lucky to have Svetlana & Kem (CHS board member) Phillips working with us. If Craig Rankin had a green thumb, Svetlana is the “plant whisperer.” She has successfully grafted Mock Orange from leaves from Gloria Leven’s tree. New for the sale this year are herbs and an expansion of our patio tomato plant offerings. Psst... Instead of milling around on Friday night wondering when we’re going to be setting up so you can get the “best picks,” we’ll be there at 6 pm. 

Jackson Gore dig where volunteers from CHS
met Charlie, he's the one in the straw hat.

• Archaeology: Due to insufficient registration, the flint knapping workshop on June 5, with the archaeologist Charlie Paquin, was cancelled. However, through Charlie, several volunteers from CHS have been recruited to help with a Paelo Indian dig (about 11,000 years ago) in Fair Haven, VT. We are arranging to have Jess Robinson, the state archaeologist, speak at the museum regarding the Jackson Gore (Ludlow, VT) Paleo Indian dig.

• Museum Doors: Last year, we discovered the original doors in the cellar. Milling wood for replacement parts, the doors and wood were stashed for a year of “seasoning.” Working with master wood worker David Stern, it was determined that the doors are not worth saving. However, board members Bruce McEnaney and Kem picked up a pair of old church doors last summer-just in case. Scrapping and retooling the doors begins on July 5th. We will be posting “progress” pictures to the CHS blog. The goal is to have the new doors hanging before the “snow flies.” 

The Museum with the "original" doors. When built, the Museum
would have had solid doors, which is what the new doors will be. 

What’s Coming Up

• Pick UR Own Blueberries: Thanks to Bruce and Betty McEnaney, they will once again be opening up their amazing blueberry patch to the community to “pick and pay” for the “world’s best blueberries.” Proceeds from the sale go to help defray the cost of CHS’s school program, particularly class trips. Last fall we took the 6^th grade to Sturbridge Village and we’d like to do that again as well add trips for lower grades. We will let you know when the berries are ripe for the picking.

Murdock's Mill Proctorsville

• Mill Exhibit coming in August: Cavendish’s Mill history is fascinating and so we’re working on a new way people can learn about it, including a number of hands on activities for visitors to try. 

The logo for the tag sale was developed by Rich Svec

• Town Wide Tag Sale: Always the last Saturday in July, this year July 30, we will have the Solzhenitsyn book on sale (you can have it signed as well) at the Gazebo on the Proctorsville Green. The sale is from 9-3

• Cemetery Cleaning: A group of student volunteers will be in Cavendish in July. Working with the Cavendish Sexton and CHS volunteers, they will be tackling the orange mold problem in the Cavendish village Cemetery.

For any of the items below, please e-mail margocaulfield@icloud.com or call 802-226-7807.

• Timber Framer: We are in desperate need of a timber framer who can work on the belfry of the Stone Church. We have grant funding for this project and are having a very hard time finding someone who can do the work. This is the second construction season slipping by.

 

• Honeycomb: CHS will once again be doing candle dipping at the Annual Honey Festival at the Golden Stage Inn in September. If you have extracted honey from your hives, we’d love to have the comb. Need it by the beginning of September. 

• Marketing Assistance: Do you have experience in marketing? We could use your help with the book distribution.

• Board Members: Want to have a more active role in CHS? Become a board member