Sawin Museum
The Sawin Museum’s collection tells the journey of the Dover area from when it was inhabited by Indigenous Peoples 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, through Early Contact, Revolution, Federal periods. It also includes engaging story of old time domestic life and crafts, as well as school life. Also on view are displays of antique toys, including Amelia Peabody’s doll house, period apparel, some intriguing books and watches, as well as three cases exhibiting items from wars in which the citizens of Dover have participated.
December 2 – Pits, Posts and Palisades – Archaeology of 17th-Century Plymouth Colony Settlement – With Dr. David Landon
EXCAVATING PILGRIM PLYMOUTH Hard to believe, but 402 years ago the Mayflower sailed into Cape Cod Bay, changing forever the destiny of this region. Although much has been written about the event based on contemporary accounts and later histories, little tangible information on the original settlement is known. The Dover Historical Society is presenting a talk by Dr. David Landon, the Associate Director of the Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research, University of Massachusetts Boston. His presentation will showcase the results to date, highlighting the artifacts unearthed, the earliest building construction methods and the first evidence for the palisade.Come and learn
When a Wrench Was a Wrench, Was a Wrench
You never know what you are going to find in an old workshop on what was once a rather fine Dover estate. On the invitation of the last member of the family to have lived there, my son Philip and I were looking through the clutter in the garage when he approached with an object looking more like a Medieval war club than a tool! The heavy 21 inch long monster was the largest adjustable wrench I had ever seen. Upon closer inspection we noted that it was stamped “BLAKE” in three places, clearly identifying it with that family that
“The Hat Maketh the Person”
“The hat maketh the person”; although Shakespeare did not say that, he could well have. Indeed, in addition to recreating an old schoolhouse atmosphere, there has also been work on new exhibits showcasing the evolution of certain items over three centuries. These include watches, maps, compasses, some weapons and especially, hats. We have a brown fantail hat of a type favored by the local farmers who rushed to Lexington in 1775, a fine Civil War forage cap identical to that worn by Dover veteran Edwin Gay, a World War I campaign hat and a suitably crumpled World War II pilot’s
The Tavern Corner Mural
Many a visitor to the Sawin Museum has admired the engaging mural painted by Diane Gilson in early 2016. Since this allegorical view of Dover and its setting is replete with details meaningful to the artist who grew up across the street from the Museum as well as the curators, Pam Kunkemueller and I, we feel that it might be beneficial to provide some information on these details so that future art historians or Dover history enthusiasts will not have to wrack their brains in order to grasp and explain the “inner meanings” of the scene represented. First of all,
The Powerful Propaganda and Chilling Foresight of a Poster in the Sawin Museum Collection
Remembering recent contributions of mine in Dover Tidings some readers may well say, “Enough WWI, let’s move on”. Indeed, I am moving on with one last article commenting on a remarkable piece of artwork. The Sawin Museum is fortunate to own a series of WWI posters exhorting Americans in the most graphic manner to hate the enemy and purchase war bonds. Some of these were the work of Joseph (signed “Ioseph”) Pennell (1857-1926), in his time one of the most talented and famous etchers who documented the conflict with a series of lithographs created in Britain, France and the USA.
