Vol. 24, No. 4 Monroe County Historical Association • www.monroehistorical.org Fall 2013
The importance
of community outreach By Amy Leiser Executive Director As the executive director of a non-profit organization, one of my most important tasks is to raise money for our organization. Throughout the year, I, in addition to our staff members and legions of volunteers, work to hold various fundraisers that bring revenue into the Monroe County Historical Association. These funds do everything from paying the electric bills to purchasing archival boxes for our museum’s collections. Sometimes we work hard on events that Linda Rogers reads to young visitors to the 5th Annual Olde Time Fun event are not money-driven. These events can be a held August 31 in the backyard of the Stroud Mansion. nice “change of pace” for myself and everyone the corn toss. Many adults chuckled that the younger involved. That’s not to say that there isn’t the same level of generation was having so much fun throwing an old corn preparation, organization and stress, but events that are cob into a copper bucket. free and open to the public tend to have a somewhat more In conjunction with Olde Time Fun, the Stroud Mansion relaxed feel to them. was open for free tours. Visitors were treated to an At the end of August we held the 5th Annual Olde Time introduction to the Stroud family by Mrs. Stroud herself. Fun event in the backyard of the Stroud Mansion. Tables (OK, Mrs. Stroud was really MCHA Board member Connie were set up with a variety of activities, crafts, and games for McCool in costume!) children. Volunteers were stationed at each table to offer Hosting an open house along with the Olde Time Fun assistance with every activity. It was wonderful to see the children’s event is a great way to get the public into our interaction between the children and adult volunteers. beautiful building and to share some Monroe County Our young visitors were amazed that they could make history with many visitors. toys (such as dolls, pinwheels, and paper airplanes) that I spoke with one guest who confessed that she did not didn’t involve batteries! The parents were pleased to watch like history and was forced to come by her husband, but their children using their creativity to decorate a pinwheel she admitted that she truly enjoyed her tour of the Stroud or guess the function of an old kitchen tool. The most popular activity station for the kids was Story continues, Page 3 MCHA Calendar
Saturday, November 16 Women Artists of the Middle Delaware MCHA Officers Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort, Shawnee-on-Delaware Exhibit, dinner, auction fundraiser featuring the art work of May Banta, Violet Clark-Eddy, President | Russell D. Scott lll Vice President | Martin Wilson Edna Palmer Englehardt and Dorothy Strauser. Secretary | Jennifer Harlacher Sibum 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Gallery open to the public. $5 admission. Treasurer | Patricia Sayler 5-8 p.m. — Gala reception featuring hors d’oeuvres and cash bar in Pearsall Room, fol- lowed by four-course dinner in Kirkwood Room. Tickets $100. Board of Directors 8 p.m. — Live auction — Open to the public John Abel Thursday, December 12 and Friday, December 13 Joan B. Groff Holiday Luncheon at the Stroud Mansion John Layton Two seatings each day: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 1-2:30 p.m. Hot buffet luncheon in festive Connie McCool holiday atmosphere featuring Christmas salad, apple cider marinated pork loin, whipped John K. Meixell sweet potatoes, butternut squash lasagna, green beans and complimentary glass of wine. Clarence J. Murphy Tickets now available. Ken Sandri December 24-January 13 Michael Shepard MCHA Offices Closed Holiday break James C. Werkheister — Jeffery L. Wright Sunday, February 23, 2014 Marie Young MCHA Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon Noon-4 p.m., Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort, Shawnee-on-Delaware Staff Speaker: Roger Spotts, Monroe County Conservation District environmental education Executive Director | Amy Leiser coordinator: “History of Pocono Natural Resources.” Collections Specialist Bret Fowler Bookkeeper | Margie Manner Garden volunteers needed: Newsletter Editor/Webmaster Kim de Bourbon No experience necessary In the Poconos, gardening is a three- season task. In the fall as the days cool, 2013 Meetings leaves fall, and perennials rest, gardeners The MCHA Board of Directors meets the fourth Tuesday are still busy. Leaf raking, cutting back of the month at 7 p.m. perennials and bulb planting keep the at the Stroud Mansion. Stroud Mansion garden volunteers busy, October 22 and they always welcome additional help. November 26 We gather at the Stroud Mansion garden December – No meeting on Tuesday mornings, weather permitting. The mission of the Monroe No gardening experience is required — County Historical Association we learn from each other. If you would like to help but Tuesday does not fit your is to promote, protect and preserve the rich history schedule, don’t worry. Many of our volunteers drop by when their schedules permit. of Monroe County, Pa. We hope you will join us. Please call 570-421-7703 or e-mail [email protected] with your contact information and a MCHA garden volunteer will contact you. We hope to meet you in the garden!
2 The FANLIGHT | Fall 2013 Monroe County Historical Association Community outreach Continued from Page 1 Mansion and wanted to come back to learn more. Even if we only reached this one person and helped her to appreciate local history, the day was a success. Another benefit to the free open house was that five individuals who are new to our organization signed up to volunteer to work in the award-winning Stroud Mansion gardens. These folks are wonderful additions to our team as volunteers are worth their weight in gold. I am delighted to have five additional people to volunteer to help keep the gardens surrounding the Stroud Mansion looking their best. Thank you to every one of our volunteers who helped with the Olde Time Fun outreach program. From setting up tables and chairs to working with our young guests, everyone pitched in to make the day a success. I must give a special “thank you” to Kathy Boyle who served as the volunteer coordinator and overall activity planner for this event. Each year, more and more people visit the Stroud Mansion during Olde Time Fun, and we just might be calling on you for next year’s event. Please consider helping Volunteer Blanca Cordero shows children how to make rope us reach out to the community to share Monroe County’s bracelets at the 5th Annual Olde Time Fun event held August rich past. 31 in the backyard of the Stroud Mansion. Good bye and thank you from Halle By Halle Smith, Administrative Assistant Thank you to our fabulous collections specialist, Bret By the time you read this article, I will have relocated to Fowler. You are one of the most amazing talents I have northern Colorado. Transitioning into the next adventure in had the pleasure of knowing, and the association is beyond my life has been bitter-sweet, as I already miss every single lucky to have you. person involved in this organization. You have all made my And lastly, I would like to thank my mentor, the best past five years a wonderful learning, growing, and positive executive director any institution could hope to have, experience. Amy Leiser. Without your constant training, support, and I write to thank everyone whom I have met during my guidance, I would not have the skills or confidence to start employment at MCHA. Thank you to the Board of Directors this new chapter of my life. Thank you from the bottom of and to our committed membership for your constant my heart. support. Starting anew can be very daunting, but I feel that Thank you to the most dedicated volunteers I have ever the experiences I have had here at the Monroe County met. Without you, I would not have been able to accomplish Historical Association have prepared me for this exciting half of what I have done during my time here. I will truly journey. Thank you again, and please wish me luck! I miss each and every one of you. promise I’ll come back to visit! www.monroehistorical.org Fall 2013 | The FANLIGHT 3 Top hats: From beaver to silk By Bret Fowler to explore the continent Collections Specialist further, and advanced While the exact origin trade among the of the top hat is not indigenous population, Welcome, directly known, most the early settlers, and New Members fashion historians agree Western Europe. it may be traced at Early Dutch settlers As of July 1, 2013 least as far back as the recorded shipping Terri Lynn Cramer last quarter of the 18th 15,000 beaver pelts to Maria Danges century. Europe in 1650, and Beryl Hoff Variations were worn the North American Mary Lear by both the English beaver (castor Patricia Munz “dandies” and the canadensis) soon Andrea Pascarello French “Incroyables,” replaced its Eurasian Patricia Scully (incredibles), young self- cousin as the main Diane Smith made men from the middle classes source of fur for the production of Garth Woods who used extreme fashion to establish high quality felt hats. Barbara Wright higher social positions during the The number of pelts traded to post-revolutionary period. Europe increased dramatically over Although an early man’s top hat the next 90 years, with one Canadian is often called a “beaver hat,” this is trading company alone shipping more Benefits really a general term referring to any than 55,000 pelts in 1740. of Membership hat made from molded beaver fur felt The production of high-quality n Pride in preserving the history and worn by either sex between 1550 beaver fur felt hoods was a laborious of Monroe County and 1850. process long guarded by Russian n Free admission The first variations of the top manufacturers. During the early days to all MCHA sites hat were made from beaver fur felt of North American trade, beaver pelts n 10% discount in our Gift Shop “hoods,” conical pieces of thick were often sent to Russia in exchange n The Fanlight, our newsletter, unblocked felt used by hatters to for the finished fur felt hoods. issued quarterly make hat bodies. An advancement came in the 1720s n Volunteer Opportunities Top hats were never made directly with the introduction of a chemical n Genealogy Assistance from beaver skin or pelts, but from process that became known as n Discounts on MCHA events felt made from the fur, with the best “carroting” because of the orange tint imparted to the treated pelts. n Advanced notice of all MCHA quality felt hoods being exported from programs, events, workshops Tsarist Russia. The long stiff “guard hairs” were n Discount research assistance A dwindling population of Eurasian plucked from the pelts, leaving only beaver (castor fiber) by the mid 1600s the soft under fur remaining. The led the early North American settlers pelts were treated with a chemical solution containing mercuric nitrate
4 The FANLIGHT | Fall 2013 Monroe County Historical Association that would strip away the proteins covering the surface of the fur fibers and raise the barbed scales needed to interlock the fibers during felting. The fur fibers then were removed from the hide and distributed onto a large cone-shaped form about 3 feet tall. Once removed from the cone, a thinly matted hood about three times larger than its finished dimension was made. The hood was then hand pummeled and boiled repeatedly to thicken the felt and reduce it to the desired size. These beaver fur felt hoods were then sold to hatters, who would make them into the fashionable shapes of the day through a process known as blocking.
Pieces of wood were carefully Three silk hatter’s plush top hats, c.1840 – 1860, in the MCHA collection. carved and fitted into interlocking hat forms called blocks, around which phrase “as mad as a hatter.” plush.” the hatter would mold the felt hood. Finished beaver fur felt hats were The first silk plush top hats were After blocking, a thin coat of powdered such a lucrative part of the English constructed over shellacked crowns shellac was pressed inside the crown economy that “The Hat Act of 1732” made from lesser quality felt, with and under the brim using hot irons banned the export of hats made in the brims made by laminating multiple that melted the shellac into the felt, American colonies. This ban ensured layers of a fine muslin cloth with liquid providing the strength and stiffness that beaver pelts trapped in North shellac. needed to support the height and America would be reserved for trade The method of constructing a weight of a tall top hat. with England, who recorded the export traditional silk top hat was introduced The exterior was brushed to raise of 500,000 finished beaver fur felt around 1835, and is still practiced by a a soft fur nap, a velvet pad was used hats in 1760. small group of English makers today. to smooth the nap, and a fine layer of By the last quarter of the 18th The original thick shellacked felt powdered shellac was pressed into the century, the North American beaver crown eventually was replaced with nap to give the exterior of the top hat was showing a marked decrease in a lighter weight crown that allowed its characteristic smooth sheen. population as indicated by low trade hats to reach increasingly taller Repeated exposure to the chemicals numbers recorded by the many trading heights during the 1840s and 1850s. used in the felt-making process companies. The North American The popularity of this extremely tall resulted in mercury poisoning for beaver was on the verge of extinction fashion was so widespread during hoodmakers and hatters, who suffered by the 1820s. the 1850s that an assembly of men from shakes, irritability, loss of As an alternative, the French wearing top hats was said to resemble memory, excessive saliva, personality developed a silk plush pile fabric, the tall chimney stacks of the newly changes and brain damage or “mad similar to today’s panne velvets, that industrialized cities and names like hatter disease,” giving rise to the would become known as “hatter’s Story continues, Page 6
www.monroehistorical.org Fall 2013 | The FANLIGHT 5 MCHA Sponsors Many thanks to our Sponsors. Please let them know you appreciate their support of the Monroe County Historical Association.
Small Business | $150 Bailey’s Steakhouse Dunbar Enterprises, Inc. Frailey Insurance Agency Huffman’s Electric Inn at Pocono Manor Smuggler’s Cove Thomas Funeral Home Corporate | $250 AMD Leasing ESSA Bank and Trust DePuy / Brodhead Family reunion KNBT | National Penn Bank The Monroe County Historical Association was very pleased to host the DePuy/ Newman, Williams, Mishkin, Corveleyn, Brodhead family reunion at the Stroud Mansion on August 17. Seated, from left: Wolfe and Fareri Sandra DePuy, Meg Brodhead, Georgeann Wambold, Eileen Furman, Kevin C. De Pocono Living Magazine Puy, Pam DePuy Kolbe, Marilyn Ball Depue Gerlach, Janis Kelly, Barbara Brodhead. Pocono Produce Company Standing: Walter “Lee” DePuy Jr., Floyd De Puy Jr., Wayne Furman, Nikolai Kolbe, Joe Municipal | $250 (grandson of Marilyn), Brenda DePuy, Jackie DePuy Banahan, Clarence Brodhead, Borough of East Stroudsburg and James Brodhead. Borough of Stroudsburg Also attending were Ken Schoonmaker, John and Carol Ford, Barbara G. DePuy, John Hamilton Township and Joyce Harding. Middle Smithfield Township Pocono Township Smithfield Township Stroud Township Top hats: From beaver to silk Continued from Page 5 Educational | $250 “stovepipe,” “chimney pot” and “kite high dandy” were used to describe top East Stroudsburg University of Pa. hats that were seven inches or taller. Northampton Community College Pocono Mountain School District Between 1840 and 1920, the silk top hat came to be known as a symbol of Stroudsburg Area School District wealth and respectability worn mainly by the aristocracy and the upper class, Contributor | $500 or more provoking its scorn by caricaturists, and political satirists. PPL Electric Utilities - $1,000 The everyday use of the top hat fell out of favor around World War II and Rotary Club of the Stroudsburgs - $500 its use since has been reserved strictly for formal wear. In-kind contributors There are relatively few firms still in existence that are capable of producing Hartzell’s Auction Gallery Pocono Living Magazine traditional silk hatter’s plush top hats. The last remaining loom capable of Printing Craftsmen, Inc producing the specialty fabric was destroyed in 1968 as the result of a bitter family feud between the two French brothers who had been fighting over The Monroe County Historical Association receives generous control of production for the traditional fabric support from the Cherry Lane Today the remaining silk hatter’s plush top hat makers focus mainly on Foundation and the Monroe County refurbishing vintage hats for a very select clientele. The discovery of a vintage Commissioners. bolt of the traditional silk hatter’s fabric in the attic of a long-standing client Thank you! has made possible the production of about 20 new top hats to fill back orders from a long waiting list, at a cost of £4,500 or about $6,930 per hat.
6 The FANLIGHT | Fall 2013 Monroe County Historical Association
Musings from the Mansion Reporter in Residence, Monroe Mouse
as told to Kathy Boyle Illustrated by Joan Groff Another road trip - how exciting! My mouse ears really perked up 1800’s. From the Monroewhen I heard the destination connects - Philadelphia. How could with I help but conversationsslate I heard ‘Raise the Roof’ recall Daniel Stroud’s journeys there to purchase goods for his home from my traveling It is funny how an idea, an Update on and store. I, of course, definitely intended to go along - invited or not. companions, we were object, or a person can make slate roof project Having always found a nice place to nap in Daniel’s saddle bag, I here to purchase unexpected connections for us. In the last edition of The Fanlight, was quite familiar with the route. This group of travelers would need fabric for new window members were introduced to our MCHA Executive Director Amy me to keep them on the right path and certainly to make them aware treatments for the plans to replace the slate roof on Leiser’s article on the urgency to of the few inns to stay overnight. However, that might be a problem Stroud parlor. Daniel both the Stroud Mansion and the replace the Stroud Mansion roof in since inn accommodations are for men only. Oh well, maybe the frequently ordered 1893 addition. the womenlast issue can ofstay The at Fanlighta home of made friends. Daniel always graciously fabric from Philadel- All of our of grant applications have an immediateinvited visitors connection to Stroudsburg for into me. his home. phia and was very now been filed and we are waiting The connection was not the roof specific in what he I had no idea how travel had changed. The trip was nothing like I to hear word on the funding. itself, but the material to be used wanted. On June 17, expected. The Native American trails that Daniel would have followed for the new roof. 1804 he wrote re- Over the past few months, MCHA had been replaced by wide stretches of road. In the first segment of members and friends have donated Slate has been mined in Wales questing that a suit be made for him of jean. “I request the favor of Daniel’s trips, he would have had to dismount and lead his horse to the Preservation Fund to help since 1200 and in our immediate thee to purchase a good piece of *jean of an olive color or as near along narrow paths. Also, nowhere in sight was the dust or mud that defray the cost and help cover any area since the 1850s. Early slate may be, and make for me a suit of cloathes [sic.].” he would encounter. Of course it took some getting used to the num- unexpected issues that might arise. workers immigrated here to work ber of vehicles on the road with us. We were in Easton in 30 minutes Well, after much consideration,A very fabric special was purchased thank you and is wein order were on hundreds of feet underground and thus had no reason to stop and spend the night as Daniel often our way home to Stroudsburg.to the Daniel following would members never have who dreamed gen- in dangerousdid. Philadelphia conditions. in less than The two hours! Unbelievable! that such a trip could be madeerously in one gave day. to the “Raise the Roof” slate roof project. slate quarries of Bangor were so I was ecstatic when some familiar sights came into view - the State numerous that the area is still John Alleger House (Independence Hall), brick townhouses and cobblestone known as the Slate Belt. * Jean is a type of fabric that Kendrickdates to the and 1600s Donna and Bisset is named after streets. Our destination was also in an area that was familiar to me. Most people know that slate is the sailors of Genoa, Italy, whoBarbara wore clothes and Davidmade fromBraithwaite it. However, the seaport area has definitely changed since the early used for both roofing and flooring replaced in most school with Crayton Buck because of its durability. The natural modern technology. There is still Eugenia Eden beauty of slate has opened a whole one place where you can recreate Dorothy and Suzanne Fabel newCan area of decorative you pieces Identify for the these these memories andphotos that is here at Shirley Fry home and office. the Stroud Mansion in the toy room, Jay E. and Barbara Huffman Volunteers at MCHA have been working on the photo collection and came across these two images of a house. Unfortunately, there is nothing where a corner is devoted to early Gwynne Lago However,identifying thelike home, me, mostthe people, MCHA or the location. We believe both images are of the same house, but taken at different angles. The home is one-room schools. There you will find Marie Lohman memberslocated nextassociate to a rail slate line, andwith there is a station/depot in the one photo, but we are unable to figure out which one. Michele McQuillen something else. For meCan slate you helpbrings us identifya hand-held where this wood Monroe framed County slate structure that stood (or stands today) ? Esther C. Scott back memories of early schools went home each day with the student. Lawrence Squeri and chalkboards. Slate chalkboards The school room corner, in Anda Staab became widespread in schools by the addition to a variety of games and Alberta Weber mid-1800s. Who doesn’t remember toys, will appeal to both young and Donations are always appreciated clapping chalkboard erasers laden older visitors. It provides a great and can be made out to the “MCHA with chalk dust or the piercing shrill opportunity to reminisce with Preservation Fund” of chalk on the board? families and friends and to introduce THANK YOU! Slate chalkboards have been children to the past. www.monroehistorical.org Fall 2013 | The FANLIGHT 7
6 March - April 2012 MMonroeONROE C CountyOUNTY HISTORICAListorical A ASSOCIATIONssociation MCHA Wish List COLORFUL BUTTONS WANTED 570-421-7703 [email protected] Ceilingfor children’sMedallion - $49.00craft activity - for the chandelierDecember in the8 Phone - 570- 421-7703 Fax 570-421-9199 Victorian Parlor www.monroehistorical.orgFax - 570- 421-9199 Buttons with flat backs, ½ - ¾-inch diameter in all colors. E-mail address - [email protected] New upright vacuum cleaner - $169.00 For Education Committee project at Web siteSt r- www.monroehistorical.orgoud Mansion Display case with mirror back and locking doors for Stroudsmoor Country Inn Christmas Tree Lighting 900 Main Street, Stroudsburg Children’s Toy exhibit room - $1,000.00 Stroud Mansion Please drop off buttons at Stroud Mansion 10900 am Main - 4 pmStreet, Tuesday-Friday Stroudsburg We hope you can help. 1010 :00am a.m. - 4 pm- 4:00 1st p.m., and Tuesday 3rd Saturdays - Friday 10:00 Toursa.m. - daily4:00 p.m., at 11 1st am and and 3rd 2 Saturdays pm VisitVisit the MCHAthe MCHA Web site Web site Tours daily at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Driebe Freig ht Station http://monroehistorical.orgwww.monroehistorical.org Driebe Freight Station 537 Ann Street Stroudsburg ClickBecome on the facebook a fan oflogo the on Monroethe right. CountyBecome a Historical fan of the Mon- 537 Ann Street, Stroudsburg Now serving as the headquarters roeAssociation County Historical through Association our Facebook through your account facebook today account Now serving as the headquarters and be sure to suggest it to all of your friends. ofof the the Jacob Jacob StroudStroud CorporationCorporation today and be sure to suggest it to all of your friends. Phone570-424 - 570- 4240325-0325 Has yourHas address your address changed? changed? TheThe B ellBell SSchoolchool If youyou have have a newa new mailing mailing address address due to duethe Monroe to the County Monroe ad- Cherry6183 Valley Cher Road,ry ValleyStormsville Road, - Hamilton Stormville Township dressingCounty project, addressing please let usproject, know. pleaseWe don’t let want us know.you to miss 1:00 - 4:00Hamilton p.m., Sunday Townships, July and August Closed Wednesday, July 4, 2012 anyWe ofdon’t the excitingwant you events, to missfundraisers, any of programs the exciting and workshops events, 1-4 pmOther every times Sunday by special in Julyappointment. and August offeredfundraisers, by MCHA. programs Please contact and Halleworkshops Smith by we emailing offer. your Other times by special appointment newEmail address [email protected] to [email protected] or or by callingcalling (570) 570-421-7703. 421-7703.
The Fanlight is a quarterly publication of the Monroe County Historical Association and is distributed in January, April, July and October of each year.
REQUESTED SERVICE RETURN
Stroudsburg, PA 18360 PA Stroudsburg,
Main Street Street Main 00 9
336 NO. PERMIT
PA STROUDSBURG,
PAID
POSTAGE U.S.
PROFIT - NON