CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY November 17 - December 31, 2010 1 SeaSon’S GreetinGS! Maine Historical Society welcomes you to “Celebrate the Season with MHS!,” an exciting array of holiday activities and programs scheduled from REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISOR REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISOR November 17 through December 31. It’s a way for all our friends—sponsors, local businesses, non-profit partners, and more—to join us in making this A WEALTH MANAGEMENT COMPANY season a special one for you and your family. Please visit us on campus at 489 Congress Street in Portland or online at www.mainehistory.org to learn about our full schedule of events. • Investment Management We look forward to seeing you! Have a wonderful holiday. Sincerely, • Richard D’Abate, Comprehensive Financial Planning Executive Director • Professional Trustee Services • Personal Affairs Management 24 CITY CENTER 24 CITY CENTER PORTLAND, MAINE 04101-4069 PORTLAND, MAINE 04101-4069 207-774-0022 207-774-0022 WWW.RMDAVIS.COM WWW.RMDAVIS.COM These 19th century brass candlesticks were used by members of the Longfellow family in the Wadsworth-Longfellow House. 2 3 Maine HiStorical Society TABle oF CONTENTS truSteeS 2010 Greetings from the Executive Director 3 E. Christopher Livesay, President Board of Trustees 4 Katherine Stoddard Pope, 1st VP Roger Gilmore, 2nd V.P. Calendar of Activities 6 Carolyn B. Murray, Secretary Horace W. Horton, Treasurer The Art of December: Original Holiday Cards by Maine Artists from the Mildred Burrage Collection 7 Eleanor G. Ames Longfellow Family in 1850 8 Richard E. Barnes Robert P. BaRoss Christmas with the Longfellows 9-15 Eric Baxter Longfellow Family Christmas 17 Priscilla B. Doucette Harland H. Eastman Music in the House 18-19 Robert Greene Patrick T. Jackson Museum Shop Holiday Bazaar 20 Philip H. Jordan Peter Merrill Members Holiday Party 21 Peter G. McPheeters MHS Membership 22-23 Preston R. Miller Jr. Margaret Crane Morfit Vintage Maine Images 24 Eldon L. Morrison Neil R. Rolde Zoom In: New Approaches to Maine History 25 Imelda A. Schaefer Admission & Directions to MHS 26 Lendall L. Smith Alan B. Stearns Frederic L. Thompson Jotham A. Trafton Paul A. Wescott Charles D. Whittier II Jean T. Wilkinson Nicholas H. Witte Richard D’Abate, Executive Director Maine Historical Society preserves the heritage and history of Maine: the stories of Maine people, the traditions of Maine communities, and the record of Maine’s place in a changing world. 4 5 calendar oF activitieS tHe art oF deceMBer MUSEUM ExhibitS Original Holiday Cards by Maine Artists The Art of December: Original Holiday Cards by from the Mildred Burrage Collection Maine Artists from the Mildred Burrage Collection November 17 - December 31 T he Mildred Burrage Collection, donated Monday-Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm to the society in 1993, illustrates the per- sonal life and professional career of Mildred Sunday beginning November 28, 12 Noon - 5 pm Giddings Burrage (1890-1983) through correspondence, ephemera, photographs, Zoom In: New Approaches to Maine History and writings. A powerful art-world figure, June 25, 2010 – May 29, 2011 Mildred shared friendships with many Maine and American artists and craftsmen, museum ChriStMaS with thE LongfellowS & house toUrS curators, and directors. The collection includes an assortment of handmade holiday cards November 27 - December 31 from nationally known artists such as Dahlov Monday-Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm Ipcar, William Thon, and Marguerite Zorach, which were sent during Sunday, 12 Noon - 5 pm the 1960s and 70s, when Mildred’s influence was at its peak. The cards Last tour leaves at 4 pm shown here demonstrate the wide range of artists who called Maine December 24 and December 31, 10 am - 2 pm home, whether seasonally or as lifelong residents, as well as Mildred’s love for the holidays, and of Maine. Last tour leaves at 1 pm Mildred Giddings Burrage (1890-1983) was a Maine artist well known Museum Shop hoLiday bazaar for her work in the formation of the Maine crafts movement, dedicated November 26 - December 31 to “carrying out ideas of simplicity, suitability and perfect beauty”, as Monday-Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm well as for her work in historic preservation. Mildred lived in Ken- Sunday, 12 Noon - 5 pm nebunkport and Wiscasset, traveling, studying, and lecturing around the world. Her career included an extensive role in the Works Progress MUSIc in thE house Administration in the 1930s and 40s, the development of unique style of painting on mica, as well as exhibitions throughout the US, including November 27, 1 - 3 pm New York, San Francisco and Chicago. Her shows in Maine, especially at December 4, 11 & 18, 1 - 3 pm Colby College in Waterville, were particularly important to her. Mildred’s interests in historic preservation led to the establishment of the Lincoln MhS MembErS hoLiday party County Cultural and Historical Association and the preservation of the December 2, 5 - 7 pm Old Wiscasset Jailhouse in Wiscasset. She continued to work as an artist until her death in 1983, at the age of 92. firSt friday artwaLk Under the direction of Sally Rand, Earle Shettleworth Jr., and the Port- December 3, 5 - 8 pm land Museum of Art’s collections staff , Mildred G. Burrage’s LONGfellow faMiLy ChriStMaS personal papers were transferred to the Maine Historical Society Library from the PMA in 1993 in order to make the collection December 11, 10 am - 1 pm more accessible to researchers. Through the generosity of Ms. Rand, the collection was processed in 2009 and is now available for research at the Brown Library. Maine Historical Society will be closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Clockwise from upper left: Stell & William Shevis, Christmas Card, 1963; William Thon, Christmas Card, 1974: Dahlov Ipcar, Holiday Card, undated; Waldo Peirce, New Year’s Postcard, 1962; Sasson Soffer, Holiday Card, undated. Coll. 2494, The Mildred Burrage Collection,Collections of the Maine Historical Society. 6 7 cHriStMaS witH tHe lonGFellowS tHe M aine Historical Society welcomes you to our annual holiday lonGFellow programming at the Wadsworth-Longfellow House. We are especially grateful to our corporate sponsor for Christmas with the Longfellows, FaMily R.M. Davis, Inc., of Portland. Their generosity makes this program possible for hundreds of visitors to enjoy. in 1850 This year’s interpretation of the house and its inhabitants will focus on the year 1850. Objects added to the rooms of the house aim to illustrate emerging holiday traditions of the period and also to amplify Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), the poet, living at the character and personality of each individual living in the house at Craigie House in Cambridge in 1850 with his wife and children. the time. Frances (Fanny) Appleton Longfellow (1817-1861), Henry’s wife. We have based our interpretation this year on letters written between family members in the 1850s. Most of the extra objects that we have placed in the house for December are from the collections Zilpah Wadsworth Longfellow (1778-1851), mother of Henry, of MHS or are on loan; all date to the mid-19th century or earlier. Thanks to Hannah Russell, a Anne, Stephen, and Alexander. long-time volunteer and member of MHS, who transforms the house each season with appropriate floral décor and accessories. Lucia Wadsworth (1783-1864), Zilpah’s sister and Anne and Henry’s aunt. The state of Maine deemed Christmas an official holiday in 1858. In the years leading up to this customs such as gift-giving, visiting Stephen Longfellow V (1805-September 1850): older brother of relatives and friends, charity balls and celebrations, exchanging Henry, Anne, and Alexander; father of Young Hen and Nelly. holiday cards and greetings, Santa Claus, and Christmas trees were intermittently practiced by families and communities. Anne Longfellow Pierce and Lucia Wadsworth would have Anne Longfellow Pierce (1810-1901), sister of Henry, Stephen, and Alexander Longfellow, daughter of Zilpah, niece of Lucia Wadsworth. modestly decorated the house. They did not have a Christ- mas tree in 1850. Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow (1818-1901), younger brother of Henry, Stephen, and Anne. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was at the time living in Cambridge, Massachusetts with his wife Frances Appleton Longfellow (1819-1861), and three of their five children, Henry (Young Hen) Wadsworth Longfellow II (1839-1874): Son of Stephen Longfellow V; Henry, Alexander, and Anne’s Charles (“Charley,” 1844-1893), Ernest (“Erny,” 1845-1921), and Alice nephew; brother to Nelly. Mary (1850-1928). Though not physically present, he was in constant contact with the household via correspondence with his sister, brother, and aunt. The families exchanged Christmas gifts. Ellen (Nelly) Theodora Longfellow (1838-1927): Daughter of Stephen Longfellow V; Henry, Alexander, and Anne’s niece; In 1850, the Longfellow House was home to six family members and two domestic servants. Fam- sister to Young Hen. ily members kept up with their usual habits and interests throughout the holiday season: Anne Longfellow Pierce (1810-1901) participated in civic involvement and charity work. She enjoyed sewing and taking care of “Young Hen.” 8 9 Zilpah Wadsworth Longfellow (1778-1851) was often confined to her room due to illness. She thE Sitting rooM had a strong interest in fashion and social gatherings, and was closely engaged with her children and extended family. The family would have gathered here for Christmas dinner. The meal might have included popular 19th Lucia Wadsworth (1783-1864) was interested in political affairs and city life. She is often described century dishes like oysters, soup, root vegetables, and as “walking out” around Portland. Lucia also took care of Young Hen and household matters. roast turkey with dressed celery, followed by a variety of fruits, candies, and pies. Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow, “Alex” (1818-1901), was surveying the US Coast.