CHS Briefs October 1, 2021

If you have questions, would like to volunteer with CHS, or have items for the CHS Cares Closet please e-mail margocaulfield@icloud.com or call 802-226-7807.

 

After the Fitton Mill Fire

UPCOMING EVENTS: Due to the increasing cases of Covid, masks are required in the Museum, regardless of vaccination status.  

October 3 (Sunday): Fitton-the Mill, the Firebug, and Everything   in  Between. Starting at 2 pm at the Museum, there will be a talk on the Fitton (Spring) Mill, the town that grew up around it-Fittonsville- and the man Robert “Firebug” Fitton who was responsible for its demise and lots of other property in the town of Cavendish. The talk will be following by a walk out to the site where the Mill, boarding house, and other structures once stood. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for walking on uneven terrain.

October 10 (Sunday): Event cancelled due to Covid as this was to be an indoor presentation. Last day Museum will be open for the season though you can schedule a private tour up until snow flies.

December 12 (Sunday): Christmas Ghost Walk Proctorsville. 7 pm. Meet in front of the Proctorsville War Memorial. This will be outside so dress accordingly.

 

 

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING

3rd graders at Coolidge

Carmine Guica Young Historians: September was off to a great start with the 5^th and 6^th grade participating in RiverSweep and the 3^rd grade visiting Coolidge Homestead. October has a lot of activities in store including various grades helping with fall chores in the community; the 5^th grades annual ghost walk; 6^th grade will be touring Fitton’s Mill and 5^th and 6^th will be participating in a dig of “farm middens” (farm dump).  They’ll be learning archeology, along with the history of the people that once lived in Cavendish.

 

CHS’s December holiday program will be focusing on the winter solstice tradition of caring for the birds. If you have cookie cutters you don’t want, please consider donating them to the Young Historians as one of our projects will be bird seed cookies. The cutters need to be open on both sides.

 

Phineas Gage: We had 70 people attend the annual Walk and Talk program. One of the attendees, Barbara Drukovka returned a week later with a 3 D skull of Gage, which we will be using for future programs. Many thanks to Barbara and the 3-D Technology Staff at Woodstock High.

 

Alice Bertrand’s Dolls: While assisting with the 3^rd graders tour of Coolidge Homestead, Pang Ting was able to photograph the collection of dolls donated by the Wheeler Family. Alice Wheeler Bertrand was originally from the Plymouth Notch area, but married and moved to Proctorsville. She was an award winning doll maker. We will be doing a post in the next few weeks about the dolls.

.

New at the CHS Blog:

• Carmine Guica Young Historians October issue

• Phineas Gage Handout from 173^rd Anniversary Walk & Talk

 

CHS Cares Closet: Many are enjoying the Cares Closet. As we prepare for the fall and winter a head we’re in need of puzzles, art supplies and games. Please contact us at the numbers above if you have items to donate.

 

 

Donations for CHS can be sent to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. Checks should be payable to the Cavendish Historical Society.