Rare first lady gowns on display in Plymouth; sites statewide plan exhibits
Elegant and sophisticated, First Lady Grace Coolidge offered a couture counterpoint to the more flamboyant flapper style of the Roaring Twenties. A new collection of her gowns, jewelry, and elaborate accessories will be on temporary display beginning May 23 when the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth opened for the season.
Because of the fragile nature of the textiles, many of the dresses have been hidden in storage for almost two decades. Some items have never been on public display.
Memorial Day weekend also marked the opening of several other state-owned historic sites, each with special events and exhibits planned for the 2015 season:
- The work of a Greek-Italian-American painter and friend of Senator Morrill will be examined in “Artist of the Capitol: Constantino Brumidi” starting June 7 at the Justin S. Morrill State Historic Site in Strafford. The outstanding 1850s Gothic Revival-style mansion and gardens look much the way Morrill left them.
- “Pumps, Percolators, and Glazier Points: The Hubbards of Windsor” opens June 13 at the Old Constitution House in Windsor. The exhibit examines a family that was key to 19th century American technology. Objects on loan are from the American Precision Museum.
- Chimney Point State Historic Site in Addison will feature an exhibit called “Tick tock: The Barnes Clocks of Chimney Point,” beginning June 20. The site houses a museum in a c.1785 tavern that interprets the Native American, French Colonial, and early American history of the area.
- Hundreds of re-enactors will gather on the Hubbardton Battlefield in Hubbardton, July 11-12, to commemorate a 1777 battle between the Green Mountain Boys and English and German forces.
- A special event Aug. 15-16 at the 306-foot Bennington Battle Monument in Bennington will commemorate the battles that led to victory at Saratoga and ultimately to American independence. The state’s tallest structure was completed in 1891 and offers incredible views from the top.
- At Mount Independence in Orwell, the annual “Soldiers Atop the Mount” weekend will be held Sept. 5-6. The weekend includes a soldier’s encampment and re-enactors who will demonstrate crafts and skills.
- The President Chester Arthur State Historic Site in Fairfield will open on Saturday, July 4; and a birthday party celebration for 21st president will be held on October 3.
“Our beautifully restored and preserved historic sites give people a true sense of Vermont and its place in national history,” said Laura Trieschmann, director of the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. “From prehistoric encampments to Revolutionary War sites and presidential homesteads, they encourage deep reflection and meaningful discovery.”
For more information about hours of operation and a calendar of events, visit www.HistoricSites.Vermont.gov.
