The Old Saybrook Historical Society

The Old SaybrookHistorical SocietyD e d i c a t e d to Preserving, Protecting and Promoting the History of Old SaybrookJune 1: Antiques and Appraisal DaySpring 2013Antiques highlight the Old Saybrook HistoricalSociety’s first annual Antique Sale and Appraisal Day atthe historic Gen. William Hart House, 350 Main Street, OldSaybrook, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.More than two dozen quality dealers will be joined byseven appraisers who will be available to provide verbalevaluations of antique and collectible items between 10:00am and 1:00 pm at one item for $7, three items for $20.There is no admission charge for the show, which willbe held rain or shine. Refreshments will be available.General chairperson is Karen Emack-Dolson ofSaybrook Recycled Furniture, etc. For further information,call 860-388-6180.Appraisers and Specialties:Norman Legassie, Stepping Stones Antiques, OldSaybrook.Member of National Association of ProfessionalAppraisers, broad generalist’s knowledge of furniture,tools, postcards, jewelry, glassware, pottery, paintings andprints, and other objects d’art. Experience in handlingestate appraisals, estate sale management and liquidationsas well as buying and selling antiques.Linda Legassie, Stepping Stones Antiques, businessmanager, Old Saybrook.Strong background in Fine and Decorative Arts.Currently teaches college level art history.Isaiah Griffith, fourth generation antiques dealer,Florida.Specializing in military items, vintage toys andcollectibles, fine silver, and decorative items. Primarilysells in the east coast of Florida.Steve Lutar, Guilford Coin Exchange, Guilford.Long-time expert on coins, stamps and precious metalitems.Carol Brevard, Brevard Appraisal and Estate Services,Westbrook.Antique generalist long known for her knowledge ofthe antiques market with extensive experience in estateliquidation and sales management.Curt Wendler, Curt Wendler Rare Books, OldSaybrook.Highly respected book collector and dealer has 30+years of experience in books and ephemera.Nancy Hoffman, Mason-Dixon Antiques.Has extensive experience in country antiques, woodenware, crockery, textiles, quilts and farm items.Hosting for History 2013The Old Saybrook Historical Society, “Hosting forHistory 2013” event will be special indeed!! This yearmarks the 55th anniversary of the Society and there ismuch to celebrate. Your Ways and Means Committee hasreserved the “Mistique” a Lady Katharine Cruise ship fora three and one half hour cruise on the Connecticut River.Below are the details:Date: Saturday, October 5, 2013Departs: Eagle Landing State Park, Haddam(across from Goodspeed)Boards: 4:00pmDeparts: 4:30pm Returns: 8:00pmBuffet Dinner, Music, Cash Bar$75.00 per personBefore this very special event is publicized, we areoffering it to our membership. Our hope is that as manymembers as possible will attend. It will be an evening toshare memories of how far we have come and a glimpseof what might lie ahead. Reservations are limited so plannow to join other members and bring along some friends!It promises to be a wonderful evening.Checks should be made payable to: OSHS, P.O. Box 4,Old Saybrook, Ct 06475. Please note “Hosting for History”in the memo line of your check. For sponsorships ormore general information call (860) 395-1635 or check ourwebsite...www.saybrookhistory.org.Donna D. DiBella, Chairman,Ways and Means Committee1

Dedicated to Preserving, Protecting and Promoting the History of Old SaybrookOfficersMarie McFarlin, PresidentEd Mosca, 1st Vice PresidentLinda Kinsella, 2nd Vice PresidentRobert Pedemonti, TreasurerJudy Chace, Recording SecretaryTrusteesKaren Emack-DolsonIrmy HermansonTedd LevyWilliam McLaughlinStanley PrymasMatthew RubinArlene SakatosThomas StevensonChairpersonsAdministrative Assistant ArchivesDiane HoytArchivistGreg ThompsonFacility ManagementStephen GernhardtFinanceBob PedemontiGardens and GroundsLinda KinsellaHart HouseDonna DiBellaMarie McFarlinLecturesTedd LevyLibraryEllen O’HerlihyMembershipBill McLaughlinNewsletterBill RobertsPublic RelationsTedd LevyRegistrarDiane LyonsSchool LiaisonMike RaffertyStudent VolunteersMarie McFarlinWendy Mill, Youth & FamilyWays & MeansDonna DiBellaWebmasterJim RothgebNeeded ChairsExhibitsGuidesHospitalitywww.saybrookhistory.orgSociety UpdateWe are blessed with members who arededicated in so many ways.In this newsletter we are highlightingthree members who, in their lifetime, wereinspirational in their volunteer work andgenerous spirit.As you’ll read in this edition, Georgeand Barbara Hart and Marge Andersonmade us a part of their legacy. The Hartswith a major donation to the EndowmentFund and Marge Anderson to the HartHouse, specifically. These funds will helpus sustain and protect this organizationand its campus for future generations.This late spring/summer season ispromising to be a busy one.We are so grateful to Karen EmackDolson of Saybrook Recycle, for usingher expertise, talent and hard work tospearhead an “Antiques and AppraisalDay” on June 1 that we hope will be a firstof many. Spread the word: June 1st will bean exceptional day on our grounds.The celebration of the ArchiveBuilding -- dedicated 15 years ago on May31 -- through various exhibits, articlesand a special event on September 22, willremind us not to take this wonderfulbuilding for granted. It was throughextraordinary effort, generosity, visionand determination that we have a placethat is the envy of Historical Societies, farand wide.Our gratitude to Gail and RalphGometz for gifting to us a collection ofover a hundred china cups and saucersand various antique serving dishes.Thanks go to all the members whovoted for us at the Essex Savings Bank.We received a check for $636 -- themost ever. It will be used to pay for ourupdated website.We are extremely grateful to theresponse to the Annual Appeal. We maybreak a record for participation. (Pleasenote there’s still time to contribute!)VOLUNTEERS…we need you! ThisSociety has terrific ideas and plans waitingto materialize. We just need you to makethem happen.We have wonderful people, of allages, who are there to lend a hand. They2are so good that we often forget howmany hours they are giving. If we justhad more members who would help inthe gardens or offer to be Guides, work inthe Archives, or serve on the HospitalityCommittee, we would be thrilled!Please think about it. We will workaround your schedule and find the perfectplace for you!See you at our events… especially theMember-Guest Opening Reception.During the summer, bring your gueststo the Hart House for a tour and a visit toour gardens. Call if you want to do this ona special day.This is your Campus… your place.MarieTown History:Alive in Old Saybrook’sSchoolsMiddle School Principal MikeRafferty, our advocate and liaison to theOld Saybrook school system, is retiring.Deb Pegnataro, Goodwin School mediaspecialist, has offered to take his place.We thank Mike for all his help andhope he will continue to be a part of ourSociety. We wish him the best of times inhis future.

Dedicated to Preserving, Protecting and Promoting the History of Old SaybrookHart House - RevisitedHave you toured the Hart House recently?If you haven’t, you will observe changes…some subtle, some not.This has happened naturally as DonnaDiBella and I began to look at what wasaround us. We never really verbalized it… butthe evolution was there.As a result, different staging and emphasisis evident and will continue.The President of the WilliamsburgFoundation, Colin Campbell, has writtenabout this topic. When I read his words, I wasamazed to think that what he wrote is what ishappening in the House and on many of ourtours.He spoke of the evolving role of theFoundation, which is not only to showartifacts, structures, costumes, etc. but also toprovide a place of historic discourse, a settingthat encourages us to “develop informedcitizens who will comprehend our times in the contextof our history and who understand the relationship ofyesterday to today.”The remarkable story of how we came to be what weare today cannot be forgotten. It is most important also tothink about what this means for our tomorrows.This House is the perfect venue for that. The fact that itwas lived in during so many major events in our Countryis wonderful. The fact that it was built by a man of visionwho saw beyond his upbringing and who took a differentpath in spite of the thinking that surrounded him is a greatdiscussion.We can discuss, for example, issues of momentousimport…• Ann Hart who traveled with husband, hero Isaac Hull,as ambassadors around the world.• Elizabeth Titus Putnam and the founding of SCA.• The issue of slavery and its presence in the House.• The founding of the Saybrook Colony (Pequot Exhibitin the Gallery and the wonderful Winthrop collection).• The great Adams-Jefferson debate that so influencedWilliam Hart.• Women’s education (the Hetty Wood Girls’ School andthe collection of samplers).• We can look at the Miss Anna Louise James table onwhich she wrote prescriptions and see a copy of herniece Ann Petry’s famous book, “The Street,” and tieall that into the slavery and race discussion.This is only a sampling of what happens in theHouse when we think and talk about the beginning of theAmerican experiment and the challenges we still face.Through the preservation and protection of theHart House, you are doing much more than saving anexceptional House. You are providing a place that canbring history alive and make it relevant.This is part of your legacy.MarieThe Winthrop Collection includes a dress coatworn by John Winthrop Jr. when on Colonybusiness in London.3

Dedicated to Preserving, Protecting and Promoting the History of Old SaybrookA Gift That Lives On ...George and Barbara Hart were outstanding members of theSociety. Dedicated, kind, generous, unassuming, gentle andhardworking, they supported our Mission in every possible way.George’s lineage leads back to Deacon Stephen Hart. Barbarawas the newsletter editor for many years. She lived in the erabefore computers and, yet, once a month produced a perfectedition that gives us an excellent picture of the Society as itevolved.One of their wonderful gifts to us was a beautiful Case Clock(c.1820) cherry with wooden works, 3 brass urns. It was donatedin memory of George Hart Sr. who was the 10 th generation ofHarts in America and 2 nd cousin, six times removed, of Gen.William Hart.We are thrilled to have recently received a major gift fromtheir estates. This gift was designated for the Endowment Fundand will help secure the future of the Society, which meant somuch to them.MarieMemories of Marge AndersonSallie Boody, left, with Barbara Hart.Hard to think of Marge without thinking of Whit! Foryears they walked through North Cove and by my homenearly every day.I was young, new to the neighborhood and my lastname ended in a vowel, but the Andersons made mefeel very welcome and would always stop to exchangepleasantries.For years Marge and Whit weeded the millstone acrossthe street from their home. When they could no longer“jump” the fence to get into the area to weed, the Societyengaged other members to “take over.” The Andersonswere “working” members and made their mark in so manyways.When I joined the Old Saybrook Historical Societyin 1998, our relationship grew because we both shared astrong love for the Hart House.Then came the first Holiday House Tour in 2000. I wasdesperate for someone to help handle the money/ticketreturns to ensure that deposits were made and tickets weresent to those attendees who sent their money in early.When asked, Marge jumped in with all she had. Shemay have been small but she certainly was powerful!!!She kept copious notes and continuously madedeposits, while sending out tickets to those who hadprepaid. She kept everything in file boxes with 3x5 cards,all hand written. Marge delighted in the outcome ofhelping to raise nearly $30,000 for a Society she always keptclose to her heart.Marge invited me to Essex Meadows for lunch withBetty Bernhardt one lovely spring day and took us on atour of the facility and her apartment. Whit had passed4away and, as much as she liked her place, it was clearshe missed being back on the Cove and weeding everyWednesday with the gardeners at the Hart House.Newer members of the Society, including myself,should never forget those who have gone before us.Marge, Whit and so many others like them forgedahead, took risks and worked hard to make the OldSaybrook Historical Society what it is today. Without themwe would not have what I consider a real gem.We have much to be grateful for.Donna DiBellaWhit and Marge Anderson by the Hart House. Theyleft a generous legacy to be spent on furnishings for theHouse.

Dedicated to Preserving, Protecting and Promoting the History of Old SaybrookMashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center:Hart House Exhibit & Archaelogy at Saybrook PointIn recognition of the national significance of the PequotWar (1636-1637), the Mashantucket Pequot Museum &Research Center received funding from the NationalPark Service American Battlefield Protection Program todocument, with archaeology and historical research, thesite of and events at Saybrook Fort (1635-1647) on SaybrookPoint.Saybrook Colony and Fort were of vital importance toConnecticut colonists during the Pequot War. During thefall and winter of 1636-1637, tensions and fear plagued thelower Connecticut River Valley and especially Saybrook, asan inevitable war with the Pequot approached.After Massachusetts Bay soldiers raided Pequotterritory in September 1636, the Pequot respondedmilitarily against European settlers, traders and soldiers atSaybrook. Historical documents reveal more than a dozenbattles between the Natives and the Europeans, and morethan twenty Englishmen lost their lives at or near SaybrookFort.With the Old Saybrook Historical Society, theMashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center willinstall a new exhibit at the General William Hart Housein May 2013. This exhibit will detail the Pequot War andthe “Siege and Battle of Saybrook Fort”, as well as explainarchaeological work attempting to identify this historicbattlefield in Old Saybrook.This comingsummer,archaeologicalwork conductedby Universityof ConnecticutArchaeologicalField Schoolstudents,professionalarchaeologists,and led by Dr.Kevin McBride(director ofresearch andassociateprofessor), willattempt to locatethe site of theoriginal SaybrookFort and actions associated with the Pequot War. Contraryto popular belief, preliminary research suggests that theremains of the original Saybrook Fort (1635-1647) stillexist; they were not destroyed or removed during the latenineteen-century Connecticut Valley Railroad construction.The long-term goalsof the “Siege and Battle ofSaybrook Fort” project are toidentify archaeologically thelocation of Saybrook Fortand the military actions andevents associated with thePequot War. Archaeologistswill locate physical evidenceof the fort and its associatedstructures, as well as battlerelatedartifacts, indicatingthe location and nature ofhistorically documentedmilitary actions andmovements by both theEnglish and the Pequot.Additionally, National Park Service funding willdevelop a preservation advocacy partnership betweenlocal residents, Town of Old Saybrook, the Old SaybrookHistorical Society, and Connecticut’s Department ofEconomic and Community Development Office ofCulture and Tourism in order to protect and preserve OldSaybrook’s cultural resources and the terrain associatedwith the “Siege and Battle of Saybrook Fort.”Led by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum withthe University of Connecticut, the “Siege and Battle ofSaybrook Fort” efforts are part of the long-term Battlefieldsof the Pequot War project. The project uses primary sourcedocumentation to reexamine events of the Pequot War, andembraces archaeological results to better define individualactions, places and boundaries. Using remote sensingtechnology and traditional archaeological field methods,work has already yielded surprising information aboutthe unfolding of events and actions on the battlefields.Most importantly, this information has generated newperspectives and engaged audiences about the preservationof historic sites and the memory and legacy of the PequotWar. For more information about this project, please visitwww.pequotwar.org or contact the Research Departmentat the Mashantucket Pequot Museum at (860) 396-6868.Laurie Pasteryak, Consultant,Battlefields of the Pequot Wa5

Dedicated to Preserving, Protecting and Promoting the History of Old SaybrookHart House Gardens Notes: Storm Recovery & RebirthWe faced a major cleanupbefore opening thegardens this year. Hurricane“Sandy” last October andthis year’s historic Februaryblizzard wreaked havoc,leaving the gardens buriedunder huge amounts ofnature’s debris.We lost limbs from thetall Hackberry trees, the spikyCockspur Hawthorn treeand snapped branches fromthe old lilac bushes. Threemature (60+ feet) white pineswere badly damaged andweakened by the storms. (Weare getting estimates for theirremoval).But spring has finally arrived!The Dutchman’s breeches, Daffodils, Primroses,Virginia Bluebells and lots more early spring flowers arehappily in bloom.Those pretty, little yellow lesser Celandine(Ranunculus ficaria) have spread their under-ground legsand invaded the lawn and gardens with a vengeance. Icaution anyone who desires to plant this perennial flowerin his or her garden. It is quickly invasive.Remember the phrase “You can’t rest on your laurels”?Mothers sometimes used it to encourage their childrento try harder and to do better. In Greece, victors andchampions of old wore crowns made of laurel (bay) leaves.The saying refers to relying on long-past successfor recognition. We frequently refer to the Hart HouseGardens as “award winning” because they received welldeservedrecognition in years past.We’ve sort of been resting on our laurels, however.The gardens are intended to compliment the colonialperiodHart House by growing herb, wildflower andperennial flowers, focusing on plants from years 1635 to1850.This year we will strive to see that no beautiful,enticing “newbies” sneak past us, as we again reach forcommendation as an authentic colonial-period garden.We will also strive to have enough volunteers toprepare the gardens for invitation garden tours and othergarden related events. Like many volunteer organizations,we have lots of enthusiasm and engaging ideas, but only afew hands to make them come true.We are grateful to have seven wonderful people whoshow up regularly at 9 Wednesday mornings to do gardenwork. I wish we could double those seven pairs of handsfor a fuller compliment of volunteers, tending the gardens.Our current volunteers are:6Joann Goduti, aUCONN Master GardenerProgram student, isspending a 30-hourinternship at the Hart HouseGarden, this spring. Joannis an Old Saybrook residentand experienced gardener.She’s cheerful and fun tobe with -- but best of all-- she’s a fantastic weeder.We hope she will become apermanent member of thegarden group.Many regular visitorswill be happy to knowour veteran expert on allthings garden, MariannePfeiffer, is back this year. And she has brought along hergranddaughter, Aubris Pfeiffer, an excellent gardener inher own right.Herbalist Joan Wendler thankfully is again creating thewonderful kitchen-door herb garden, while Bob, her busyarchitect husband, finds time to tend the Thayer MemorialGarden.Sherry Eldridge makes gardening fun and energizes uswith her artistic vision and resourcefulness.I’m the seventh -- looking for an eighth. Please join us!Linda Kinsella, KeeperPlease note: Gardening Day has been changed fromWednesdays to Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon.Thank you to Jim Platt for turning on water and settingup the hose system.Wish list for the Hart House Gardens:1. Housekeeper - volunteer to keep the ChildressGarden Shed neat.2. Installation of electricity in the Childress GardenShed.3. Design for a 16-foot-long wooden arbor.4. Volunteer with “on-call” pick-up truck.5. Volunteer for care of small trees.6. Volunteer herb gardener.7. Volunteer for weeding & watering.8. Volunteer to sharpen clippers & pruners.9. Additional gardenersFor information, please contact Linda at 860-399-6263.Correction: The Winter 2013 newsletter referred to adeceased friend of the gardens, Hans Haagensen, by thefirst name Karl. We apologize to his family

Dedicated to Preserving, Protecting and Promoting the History of Old SaybrookPrized Berrian Collection: Started with an EmailIt truly is a small world! Over the years, I have metso many interesting people through the Society and todaywould like to share a special story of one of them.Sometime in 2003, I received an email from BarbaraNewhook, a Florida resident who claimed her greatgrandmother, Louise Holt Berrian, had lived in theGeneral William Hart House from 1894 to 1923.Louise was aMontclair, N.J., residentand used the houseevery summer to escapethe busy metropolitanNew Jersey/New Yorkarea to a more relaxedseaside atmosphere thatSuzanna Otto opens one of the trunks.was Old Saybrook.After a good deal ofresearch, I discoveredthat indeed, Louise Holt Berrian did inhabit 350 MainStreet in what is now “home” to our Society. Many ofyou know that the house was once known as “The WoodSchool,” a boarding school for girls run by Miss HettyWood who owned the house for more than 50 years.Louise Holt Berrian’s husband, George, was the sonor grandson of Hetty’s sister Maria and George eventuallyinherited the home from Hetty. Once that was confirmed,Barbara and I agreed to meet at her home in Palm BeachGardens.It seems “Grandma Lou,” as she was called, wassomeone who kept everything and Barbara and hermother, Barbara Burke, had inherited trunks of familyitems looking for a “new/old” home.Ironically, at that time my husband and I werespending occasional long weekends in Florida and ourgolf club was two minutes from the Newhouse home. Ofcourse, I shared all this with the late Dorothy Swan who wasdelighted and couldn’t wait for me to return with informationon the items the family wanted to gift the Society.Barbara and I spent several hours poring throughtrunks filled with textiles, buttons, beads, Old Saybrookmemorabilia even a piece of Grandma Lou’s weddingcake! Photographs of the house and gardens have been awonderful resource capturing a glimpse of a time gone by.On a cold damp Thursday in March 2004, the truckarrived at the Hart House with several trunks and boxesfilled with Berrian items. Dorothy, Suzanna Otto, WarrenAlmquist and yours truly were there to welcome theBerrian items home. How fortunate and grateful the OldSaybrook Historical Society is to have received thesemarvelous treasures.In 2004, the exhibit committee put together “TheBerrian Years in Old Saybrook” and nearly all of theseitems were on display. Grandma Lou’s granddaughter,Barbara Burke and great granddaughter, Barbara Newhookcame up for the pre-exhibit party. In addition, Jane Walkerand her husband from Pennsylvania – to whom GrandmaLou sold the house to in 1923, came as well. A great timewas had by all!This past summer we devoted a case in the exhibitgallery to many items and photos of The Berrian Years.They are on exhibit indefinitely for all to enjoy. WhenBarbara Burke passed away, the family asked thatdonations be sent to the Old Saybrook Historical Society.Barbara Newhook and I, although we do not see eachother often enough, remain friends.And to think all this started with an email…Donna D. DiBellaGetting It TogetherJune 8: Hart House open 12 to 4 p.m.and “Getting It Together” from 4 to 5:30.“Getting It Together” is a powerful programfeaturing poet Patricia O’Brien, left; guitarist andmindfulness teacher Jerry Silbert; and visual artistJudy Perry. When faced with life-threatening events,the trio used their creative ability to navigate throughthe healing journey. “Getting It Together” bringstogether their unique talents to demonstrate thehealing properties diverse art forms possess.7