The first column of October. September is behind us. At least the nor’easter that was coming up the coast just brought us some rain.
The leaves are turning but there are still a lot of trees holding onto their green leaves. The photo is of the tree between our garage and the Fire Station. Since it is ablaze with color, beside the fire station is a good place for it.
Gilead Historical Society
The GHS Annual Meeting was held on Saturday, September 26th. Lunch was provided by the GHS. After lunch, the agenda was passed out and the meeting began. The agenda noted that the GHS lost two members this year—Maureen Swain and Life Member Randy Bennett. There were also five new members who signed up over the summer—Cynthia Ouellette, Kerrie Daniels Westerland, Mary Jo Landry, Rusty and Kerrie Myers. (There was one new member who signed up at the meeting—Celia Broomhall.)
Election of Officers was held and the following were elected: President Kevin Daniels, Vice President Tedd Brown, Secretary Claudia Risbara, Treasurer Lin Chapman, and a Trustee for three years—Jimmy Lumbard.
Finances were presented, dates for 2027 were set, projects completed were discussed and upcoming projects, also. The website that Tedd is working on with a designer will be up and running soon. The GHS is also taking quotes for walkways to the buildings that will make handicap accessibility easier.
Door prize and raffle tickets were drawn. Thanks to Eileen Dupont for filling in for me at the last minute at the sale table, since I could not be there.
The guest speaker was Chris Silva, Executive Director of Custom House Maritime Museum, Newburyport, MA, Director of Facilities, Capital Planning and Real Estate, Harvard Arts Museums, and Director of Operations Facilities and Safety, Massachusetts Historical Society. In his speech, he talked about how important documentation of historical events can be. The C.H.M. Museum preserves documents that have been entrusted to them for safekeeping. They have a temperature-controlled environment to store them in so future generations can view them and learn of their historical significance.
Many thanks to all those who worked so hard to make it a successful day.
Aunt May’s Letters
Letter #10
Aug. 1–5. [1905]
My dearest Family,
I closed my last letter with preliminary remarks on Holland I believe. We reached Amsterdam late Tuesday afternoon [Aug. 1] and the next Saturday afternoon [Aug. 5] we arrived in Paris. So you see we had only a glimpse of the Low Countries though we kept on the go every minute of the four days.
The men we saw working here wore wooden shoes, the first we had seen. Saw the women in their pretty white caps and some quite characteristic Dutch costumes.
The next morning [Aug. 3] we devoted to the Ryks Museum. Saw much that showed the early industries of the Dutch people and their ways of living. Rooms fitted up with old furniture, old pewter and old silver. The picture gallery has much that is finest in the Dutch School. The Rembrandts, Ruysdael’s Mill, Gerard Dow’s are some I liked especially. At 2.07 we were on the train for the Hague.
Friday afternoon we went on to Antwerp. We staid at English Hotel (Owens Hotel). I can’t tell you what a pleasure it was to hear my own language from maids and porters. Of course we have heard English in the office at every hotel but we have often had rather amusing experiences making our wants known to porters and chambermaids. What little we saw of Antwerp as a city I liked. It is quite a commercial city with a good many fine buildings and squares. I would really like to see more of it.
We left Antwerp at 11.55 a.m. and about 5 p.m. we reached this gay city of Paris. My next letter will tell you of our stay here which has been very pleasant. At least I have a letter from Gilead, one from Mamma written on July 18. She refers to one Ada wrote the week before which has not reached me yet. I tried not to be anxious but it was an immense relief to hear from you. I hope the letters I have written you have not gone astray. Tomorrow we leave here so my Paris letter will be written and mailed in London. The time is drawing near when we shall start for home. I shall be quite [glad?] to go though I have enjoyed and am enjoying every minute of our trip.
Love to you all and keep well.
Mary G. Peabody
Got any news? Email chapman@hotmail.com