News from the Collection – October

Last month we learned about the Tilt Top Table/Bench in the Foreman’s Cottage, The Tape Loom and the Stitching Pony and the sausage stuffer – check last month’s blog if you missed it!

Some new developments in the Village are well worth a mention.

The Foreman’s Cottage is receiving a face lift courtesy, in part, of the donations of materials and time by our amazing volunteers, Board members, and community groups. The first step was a much needed roof repair followed by new flooring on the first floor to correct some termite damage and dry rot. Next step will include a thorough cleaning, scraping of old paint, new plaster and an interior paint job! By opening day in spring of 2018, the Forman’s home should look as good as it did in 1836! We hope you stop by and see the results. Special thanks to Jay Bryant, Howard Moses, and Jim Gibson for their help in facilitating the upgrades.

The Blacksmith Shop has completed work on restoring the forges that needed some attention to get back in working order. The dedication and ribbon cutting for the new forges was held on September 30th at our Fall Harvest Festival. Special thanks to Mark Morrow, who led the project, and volunteers, Tim Brown, Howard Moses, Ray O’Grady, and Declan Cooper who helped to make it happen! Now Allaire has the most working forges in a blacksmith shop in the Northeast! Be sure to visit the shop when you plan your next trip to the Village and see the hand-crafted hardware and ornamentation that is being produced by our talented group of ironworkers.

The Manager’s House is proudly displaying a new roof and is set to receive a thorough cleaning and inventory soon after the holidays. Now that the house has undergone this much needed repair, the upstairs can begin to display some interesting elements found in the sleeping quarters of the oldest home in the Village. Built in the 1850’s, this clapboard beauty has an elegance and grace that will become more apparent when it’s spruced up and ready for next spring. Meanwhile, we’ll be dressing it up for the holidays and the upcoming lantern tours so check our website to buy your tickets soon!

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