House of Chaminé - House of Chaminé (2023)

bring the story to life

Hearthside's creative and fun programs make learning history interesting and fun. Each year unfolds a different calendar of events, some of which are annual favorites, while others are only offered every other year. The result is an ever-changing selection of topics and innovative ideas that appeal to a wide range of interests and audiences.

Have fun browsing the event galleries of our past programs and check out ourcalendar 2021for this year's tour and concert program.

“Such unique events...from the World's Fair to Victorian funerals and afternoon teas. A beautiful building with lots of interesting history.”

Evening tea

It's a return to the soft glow of a bygone era in Hearthside, with spring flowers, delicate hats, delicate lace, delicate cups of tea and delicate snacks when the Friends of Hearthside hold their annual Afternoon Tea on the second Saturday in May. This popular event, especially to celebrate Mother's Day, always sells out, so it's best to buy tickets in advance. Each year a different theme is featured, such as "the story of hats, the language of the fan, the language of flowers, the story of the parasol and, most recently, a 'Downton Abbey Tea' based on the popular TV series. Prizes will be awarded and raffle baskets are always a feature.

Eventos de American Girl Doll

In the spring of 2007, Hearthside introduced the American Girl DollTM Tea Party for girls to join their mothers and grandmothers as a special event to share with their dolls. Using her Sunday trimmings and her favorite doll, the tea proved so popular that it is now held over two days with four seats to accommodate the number of guests that come each year. High Tea is an elegant afternoon of tea, lemonade, mini sandwiches and delicious pastries, plus a crash course in proper Victorian etiquette. The tea event led to a Christmas event and eventually to a garden party in August.

All American Girl Doll events continue to be extremely popular and have provided hundreds of girls and their families with some very special memories of their experiences. These three annual events revolve around American Girl DollTM historical character Samantha Parkington, a nine-year-old orphan who was raised in 1904 by her wealthy and highly educated grandmother. This story coincides with the year Hearthside got its name and really captures the essence. how she was growing up in Victorian America. The story comes to life and becomes more interesting for the girls as they experience firsthand how Samantha lived in a royal mansion in the early 20th century.

Lively parties at Hearthside House

Anyone who visits an old house inevitably wonders, "Is the house haunted?" Some indicated that they experienced strange sensations in one room or another, or that they heard noises while they were home alone. From time to time, Hearthside hosts programs to research spiritual events with mediums and spirit readers. Either way, the guest host offers a reading of Hearthside, giving us even more information to ponder its history. Past presenters have included Carol Lynne, Paul Enos, Shelley King, Lynn Kent and Jodi Lynn. In 2016, an evening with renowned spirit medium Roland Comtois was held in the intimate setting of the Hearthside Ballroom for an exclusive event for 30 guests to receive personal messages from the other side, followed by an autograph session, dessert and informal discussions with the presenter.

Step aside, but don't forget:
Victorian mourning customs

Every October, Hearthside and all of its volunteers dress in all black, conveying the message to everyone who passes by that this is a house of mourning. The occasion is the wake and funeral of the former owner of Hearthside, Simon E. Thornton, who died on May 2, 1873. The casket was displayed in the hall where visitors paid their respects. After the ceremony, the coffin was taken out of the house and placed in a hearse to be taken to the tomb for burial.

Hearthside recreates the Victorian mourning customs practiced during the death of Simon Thornton, with displays in every room of the house including mourning clothes, mourning clothes, jewelry, artwork, stationery, post mortem photos and much more. To kick off the inaugural exhibition in 2012, a memorial service was presented, complete with an 1868 hearse.

There's no place like Hearthside at Christmas. The home is so beautifully decorated that it's no wonder it has been selected for Yankee Magazine, Worcester Living Magazine and two books on "Christmas in Historic Homes". Every year, volunteers spend weeks decorating to transform the mansion into a turn-of-the-century Christmas celebration. Visitors to Hearthside are swept up in the magic of Christmas past when they enter and are greeted by our volunteers in period costume.

Each room is decorated with Victorian lace and gold trimmings, festive garlands and countless poinsettias, and many special personal touches brought in by volunteers from their own holiday collections. The festive atmosphere is enhanced with live music and carols, homemade cookies and hot cider, and a gift shop stocked with Christmas presents. The amber glow of candlelight and the white lights of the cheerfully decorated trees add to the warmth of this beautiful home, making it a popular destination for post-Christmas candlelight walks during the holiday week leading up to the New Year.

recreations

Adjacent to Hearthside is Chase Farm Park, where 85 acres of scenic meadows and rolling hills provide an ideal backdrop for a variety of historical re-enactments that bring history to life. Events included Civil War and Revolutionary War reenactments, where thunder and smoke from cannons and muskets fill the air as uniformed soldiers clash.

Historians chronicle the battles, and the lessons go beyond the battlefield into the camps for up close and personal interaction to learn more about what life was like for soldiers and civilians alike during times of conflict.

Exhibits, lectures and special Hearthside activities accompany the reenactments to provide an immersive experience for our visitors. Held every two years, these large events are popular with re-enactors and spectators alike, typically attracting 300 re-enactors and over 3,000 spectators.

There was also an early reenactment, Mountain Man Rendezvous, which features pre-1840s history in encampments and settlers practicing their archery and knife skills. Native Americans also gather at powwows at Chase Farm Park to host drum circles, tell nature stories and share with audiences the exotic flavors of authentic foods and the craftsmanship of their wares.

Chase Farm Park hosted a different kind of recreation...a fox hunt. Downton Abbey Fox Hunt and Luncheon features scenes from the popular series Downton Abbey. Stately horses with formally dressed riders and specially trained dogs leap across the meadows in search of their prey, except that only the scent of a fox is used, not a real fox. A fancy lunch, music from the series, bagpipes and professors in Edwardian costume add to the celebrations in the hills.

color and light:
Early 20th century herd portraits

In the summer of 2012, Hearthside hosted a photography exhibition, Color & Light: Early 20th Century Portraits of Hearthside, which later received a national "Leadership in History Award" from the American State Historical Association and Local and was included in the exhibition by a article in the journal National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibition brochure accompanying the event also received a Publications Award from the New England Association of Museums. The beauty of Hearthside was captured 100 years ago in a new photographic process known as "hand color photography".

Fifty photographs by nationally renowned photographer David Davidson and Rufus Waterman, a lesser known photographer who imitated Davidson's work, have recently been discovered in their original state by descendants of the Talbot family who lived in Hearthside at the time. With a grant from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, Friends of Hearthside was able to frame and mount the artwork and host a large exhibition of these exceptional pieces, displayed in the exact locations where they were found between 1907 and 1912 and were recorded.

For the first time, there was an impression of what the rooms in this house were like. In addition to the photographs, the exhibit also included displays of Davidson's original box-style camera and artifacts from his Providence studio and even the scarf used in many of the photographs. The Color & Light exhibition was a unique blend of art and history. While artifacts were borrowed and returned by the Davidson family, the 50 photographs donated to Hearthside by the Talbot family remain in our collection.

Events around 1920

In honor of the 40th anniversary of The Great Gatsby being filmed in Newport, RI in 1973, Hearthside hosted a special event in the summer of 2013, The Great Gatsby Revisited. Reasons for the Rolls Royce Owners Club summer meeting. The Hearthside event featured an afternoon of cool cars, 1920s fashion and live jazz.

The movie The Great Gatsby featured the last resident of Hearthside, E. Andrew Mowbray (1927-1996) and his 1922 Rolls Royce. Mowbray was a keen collector and enthusiast of vintage cars, particularly Rolls-Royces and Bentleys. His 1922 S111BG Springfield Silver Ghost Permanent Salamanca, once owned by beer mogul August Busch, was in the movie and he drove it throughout the film, playing the chauffeur for Daisy (Mia Farrow). Mowbray was a long standing member of the Rolls-Royce Owners Club and also published the late Arthur Souter's 'Rolls Royce in America'.

victorian dinners

With the donation of a 10-burner stove, Hearthside was able to host elegant dinners. In 2013, a series of elegant Victorian dinners was launched as a special fundraiser for the organization. In the music room and dining room, guests enjoy a variety of dishes fresh from the annual harvest from local farms and the waters of Narragansett Bay, prepared by professional chefs in our colonial kitchen. The quirky 5-course menus feature authentic dishes often found on the Victorian table. Carefully selected wines accompany the various dishes.

Hosted by staff in Victorian costume, this exclusive dinner is served over elegantly set tables, flowers, candlelight and the special historic atmosphere of this 200-year-old home. All money raised through these seasonal dinners goes to the Capital Improvement Fund, which funds Hearthside's most urgent restoration needs.

Something Old, Something New: 150 Years of Wedding Traditions

Showcasing more than 40 dresses from the 1860s to the 1990s, this exhibit sheds light on the evolution of bridal fashion trends decade by decade, as well as wedding traditions for over a century. Information on cake styles, receptions, and honeymoons for each decade is also included. A wealth of artifacts related to superstition and wedding celebrations are also on display. Family traditions are honored with some of the dresses worn by two generations of the family, while others show mother and daughter dresses together.

Linen and lace display

Celebrate mothers with timeless treasures of exquisite fabrics from the Hearthside collections. This exhibition presented the best examples of work, offering an enriching look at the artistic legacy left to today's generations by mothers of yesteryear. These beloved heirlooms were handcrafted in the 19th and 20th centuries. On display are bed linens and fabrics with intricate and detailed embroidery and embroidery, rugs, intricate crocheted bedspreads and tablecloths, delicate collars and lace embellishments to embellish gowns and accessories, and quilts handcrafted by Talbot weavers in Hearthside a hundred years ago. years old.

Attic Toys - An exhibition of vintage toys and games

A nostalgic throwback to childhood with this extensive display of vintage and vintage toys, games, dolls and other artifacts from the 1800s to the 1980s on display in each room of the house museum as a century of history is explored. Over 500 pieces from the museum and on loan from private collections.

Exhibition of old phonographs

The first recorded sounds and the machines that reproduced them are on display, courtesy of the Massachusetts Bay Antique Phonograph Society. With models ranging from Edison cylinders to 1950s record players, owners of these remarkable relics are delighted to share their collections with the public in a day-long exhibition.

Exhibition on women's history

In celebration of Women's History Month, stories are told of the local, regional and national achievements of women throughout history in science, politics, women's rights, sports, business, the film and television industries and heritage preservation.

Civil War Exhibition

The stories and artifacts of living Rhode Island Civil War Battery B historians are on display at Hearthside in a day camp, museum exhibits and tours that focus on what life was like for soldiers, women and children off the battlefield in 1860s. Contains clothing from the 1860s, Civil War uniforms, weapons, photographs, vintage musical instruments from the Providence Brigade Band, period children's toys, Civil War cannons, and genealogical records of those who served in Battery B.

Exhibition on the War of 1812

In cooperation with the U.S.S. Museum of the Constitution, the exhibition features the ship's bellHMS Warriorby whom was he capturedUnited States Constitutionin the first major naval battle of the War of 1812. This bell was purchased by Stephen H. Smith of Hearthside around 1814 and hung in Smith's Butterfly Factory opposite Hearthside for over 100 years. The War of 1812 changed the landscape of the Great Road, as the embargo on English goods spurred industrial development along the Moshassuck River, including Moffett's Mill.

old cars

Celebrating the late Hearthside owner's passion for classic cars, Hearthside invites classic car owners to display their prized possessions on the front lawn during select concert and tour days, recreating scenes from the 1950s and 1990s known as Andrew Mowbray had a constantly changing display. their own vintage cars in the Hearthside garage.

HERITAGE activities

Focusing on the forgotten crafts and chores of the past, Hearthside sponsored events featuring demonstrations of weaving, quilting, basketry, spinning, embroidery, stained glass, herbs, silhouettes, tombstone engraving, stenciling, rug hooking, rope making, air baking free fire, washing clothes in a tub and forge. A country tent serving warm apples and mulled wine on a cool autumn day is ideal for a popular family outing. A vintage Spinning Frolic in 2012 featured a contingent of spinning wheels and sheep's wool on Hearthside's front lawn, while Celtic tunes played by local musicians provided rhythm and relaxation for the spinners on a summer's day.

OLD FAIRS

Visitors to Hearthside love history and antiques, so in 2009 the Friends of Hearthside held an antiques fair. What better place for antiques than in the picturesque grounds of a historic site located next to one of the oldest and most scenic highways in the state. High quality antiques and collectibles dealers were represented at the fair. Volunteers in historic attire welcomed visitors to the fair and informed them about the history and guided tours. Blacksmithing demonstrations with the sound of metal on the anvil reinforced the antique impression of the exhibited pieces. Due to the growing interest in antiques, another event, Antique Appraisal Day, was added. Seeking answers to the question, "How much is this worth?" people across the state have brought their prized keepsakes from Grandma's attic to find out if what they had was really valuable or just sentimental.