2013 PROGRAMS/WORKSHOPS

Please check regularly.
All programs are open to the public.
Your support through a Membership is encouraged, but not required.

Jan 1: Happy New Year!

February 21: Judy Harwood will speak about her grandfather, Doc Harwood, Dorset's RFD postmaster. (Third Thursday Lunch Program) 12 p.m. Bley House.

March 21: Bonnie Burke of Wilson House in East Dorset will share the history of this famous hotel and memorial to Bill Wilson, co-founder of AA. Built in 1846, it is now on the National Register of Historic Places. It serves many functions in the community in addition to AA meetings, seminars and retreats. (Third Thursday Lunch Program) 12 p.m. Bley House.

April 18: The History of The Pinnacle, Dorset's public park, and its creator, Miss Cecilia deNottbeck. Presenter, Kevin O'Toole was Miss deNottbeck's neighbor and a frequent visitor to the Pinnacle and its famous stone tower. The tower has now been repaired, but many Dorset residents do not know the story of the woman who had it built, and her unusual life in the Dorset community. (Third Thursday Lunch Program) 12 p.m. Bley House.

May 10: OPENING RECEPTION for new exhibits at Bley House Museum 4-6 p.m.

• Orchid Paintings by Dorset artist Carl Ramsey, rendered for the WPA (Works Progress Administration) in the late 1930s.  

• Newly printed photographs of people and places by Huntington Gilbert from our extensive collection of his negatives.

• Paintings by local artists from the 1870s to the present

• Cheesemaking in Dorset including examples of two cheesemaking devices patented in Dorset & East Dorset.

• “Mapping Dorset,”  an exhibit of different ways cartographers have mapped Dorset from 1761 to the present.

May 15: Wednesday. Benedict Arnold. Prof. Paul Andriscon, of Castleton State College. Arnold was an American Revolutionary War general but defected to the British Army in 1780. His wartime actions included the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 and defensive and delaying tactics during the unsuccessful Battle of Valcore Island on Lake Champlain in 1776. The program is in conjuction with the Manchester Historical Society at the First Congregational Church in Manchester at 7:00 p.m.

June 20: The History of New England Floor Coverings with a "How-to-Create-your-Own" Demonstration. Presented by Kathie Wall Evans, master artisan at stenciling and past DHS board member. (Third Thursday Lunch Program) 12 p.m. Bley House.

July 6: Annual Ice Cream Social (1 to 4 pm) enjoy free Wilcox ice cream on the Bley House lawn and tour the museum. Artisan cheese makers from southern Vermont will display and sell their cheeses under the tent.

July 18: "Bennington County and the Harwood Homestead and Heritage" - premier of a new book by Sue Harwood Green about her Harwood family and their ties to Dorset, Manchester and other area towns.  Judy Harwood, Sue's cousin, spoke in February about her Harwood grandfather.  (Third Thursday Lunch Program) 12 p.m. Bley House.

Sept 19: Archaeological Findings on the Southern Vermont Leg of the Long Trail. Dave Lacey, archaeologist of the Green Mountain National Forest Heritage Program, presentor.  (Third Thursday Lunch Program) 12 p.m. Bley House.

Oct 17: The History of The Dorset Colony. Presented by John Nassivera, PhD, theatre producer, retired professor and founder and director of The Dorset Colony, a retreat for professional writers for 1979-2011. (Third Thursday Lunch Program) 12 p.m. Bley House.

ROTATING EXHIBITS

In the Reception area:    The stencil art of Jessica Bond.

In the Main Gallery:    Fenton Pottery Theatre in Dorset, 1878-2012

In the upstairs Hallway:
Waterlines and Water systems: Sanborn Maps from 1915 show the layout of the waterlines in Dorset and S. Dorset. These maps were created for insurance companies. They also included information on roof materials on the houses mapped. There are also examples of old wooden and stone water pipes on display.

"Dorset and the Civil War: In Our Soldier's Own Words." Letters to and from Dorset and artifacts from the Civil War

In the upstairs Red Room:  Our ART GALLERY.  Rotating works by Dorset artists.

Also rotating art work upstairs in the Library/Conference Room.
Don't forget our award winning MARBLE GALLERY, main floor, south room.

IN THE NEWS

Meet the New Board Members:

Art Gilbert: Art has been involved at DHS since moving back to the ancestral home in the 1990s after a long career as a geologist. He has cultivated an extensive knowledge of Dorset and the DHS collection making him the 'go to man' for answers about our history. Art volunteers at the museum cataloging the collection, leading quarry walks, and advising the 'new guard'. Art was elected to a two year term after serving as the treasurer during 2012.

John Cave: John and Debby Cave turned their passion for VT skiing, culture and community into a permanent residence in 1991, from a seasonal ski house on Stratton to a hill house in E. Dorset. John brings to the DHS Board a long career in the financial sector, a life-long love of history, many years as a member of DHS and a commitment to volunteerism and community. John will be serving on the Collections and Audience Development & Community Relations Committees.

Malcolm Cooper: Malcolm grew up in Dorset often underfoot at the J. K. Adams, a business started by his father in 1944. One of his first 'professional' ventures was the publication of the Dorset Weekly Newspaper with his brother, Tom. Malcolm brings to DHS a perspective on 'recent' Dorset history and a fascination with the generations who came to Dorset before him. We are most grateful to him for the recent donation of extensive drawings, scrapbooks and artifacts detailing the first years of J.K. Adams' history. Malcolm is owner and chairman of the J.K. Adams.

Al Eckhardt: We are welcoming Al back on the Board as treasurer after a year's leave.

Judy Harwood: Judy retired to her ancestral homes in Dorset (Harwood) and in Manchester (Lathrop) after a career in academic librarianship. She is a member of the Manchester Historical Society, serving on the Board, planning the annual July walk, contributing to the Manchester book in the Arcadia Series Images of America, and relating Manchester history to visitors and the residents of Equinox Terrace. Judy brings her knowledge of local history and her professional skills as a 'keeper of information' to DHS.

Barbara Melhado: A former Board member, Barbara has been a long time DHS supporter and museum advisor with a long career as an art and antiques appraiser. Barbara has written and lectured on the subject of antiques and appraisals. Her curatorial and consulation services include the VT Country Store, Southern Vermont Art Center, Weston Vermont Antique Show and the Dorset Historical Society.