Abby Epplett, Historian

During my trip to the Berkshires in July 2023, I visited Saint Francis Gallery , a historic church turned art sales venue. Located in Lee, MA, just down the road from Ashintully Gardens , Tyringham Cobble , and other quick history stops in Tyringham , this site connects religious history, the regional and international art scene, and a charitable cause. Saint Francis Church was built in 1871 in the Italianate style. This building design was intended to be the opposite of the classic whitewashed New England church. The building has a wide, rectangular steeple instead of a narrow, pointed steeple, and the siding is painted pale orange with an orange-brown trim. Another feature setting the church apart are its windows. The congregation commissioned stained glass windows designed by French artist André Mériel-Bussy during the 1920s. The original stained glass windows were unceremoniously smashed, evidenced by modern grounds crew finding shards of colorful glass sca

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, hosts an interactive online exhibit called Closer to Johannes Vermeer , which has been on my digital bucket list for several months. The Dutch phone, internet, and cable provider KPN gave additional funding for the exhibit. The total completion time for me was about three hours.

During my trip to the Dominican Republic in June 2023, I spent several days in the capital, Santo Domingo . I visited many museums, the first of which was Museo de Arte Moderno de la República Dominicana (MAM) [Museum of Modern Art of the Dominican Republic]. Plaza de la Cultura Juan Pablo Duarte , where the museum was located, reminded me of the relationship between the  National Mall in Washington, D.C.  and the  Smithsonian . This incredible mid-sized museum holds artworks both from the country and around the world. Dominican architect José Miniño completed construction of the Brutalist style building in 1976. The museum has been a part of Ministerio de Cultura [Ministry of Culture] since 2000.

On Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 7:00 p.m., I watched the webinar Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, & Abstract Expressionism lead by Jane Oneail of Culturally Curious . I have previously watched three talks by Oneail: Revolutionary Design: Modern Architecture in New England in May 2023, George Tooker: Modern Life & Magical Realism in June 2023, and Seaside Escapes: The Art & Architecture of the New England Coast in August 2023. Just like for the past two talks, the event was sponsored by the Greater Manchester Integrated Library Cooperative or GMILCS , which describes itself as “a nonprofit consortium of public and academic libraries in New Hampshire”.

In June 2023, I made several quick history stops around Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Earlier that day I had visited the Dominican Amber Experience Museum , Casa Museo General Gregorio Luperón , and Fortaleza San Felipe . As a major port with frequent visits from cruise ships, the city blends historic sites with kitschy tourist traps. In the center of the city was aptly named Parque Central Independencia . A little square next to Catedral de San Felipe Apóstol , the park contains statues of Luperón and Juan Pablo Duarte , the founding father of the Dominican. A nearby sign contains a poem about the patriotism of Duarte. In the middle of the park was a two story grandstand not regularly open to the public. As for the cathedral, the current structure was built in 1870. The original wooden building burned down during the Restoration in 1863. The cathedral has undergone a pair of renovations since then. The first took place from 1929, halted during the 1946 Dominican

Last night — on September 11, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. — I watched a book talk on The Lioness of Boston written by Emily Franklin and published by Godine . This webinar was hosted by American Ancestors in partnership with the Boston Public Library and GBH Forum Network. Franklin has published over twenty novels and poetry books, but The Lioness of Boston , based on the life of Isabella Stewart Gardner, is her first historical fiction novel. Other speakers during the talk included Margaret M. Talcott , Director Of Literary Programs & Partnerships at American Ancestors; Kristin Motte , Adult Programs Librarian at the Boston Public Library; and Claire Messud , an author of six novels. Frederique Rigoulot , a journalist at GBH, moderated the chat and Q&A. Franklin described her first exposure to Isabella Stewart Gardner and her legacy. As a high school student in Boston, Franklin visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and wrote a paper about two paintings: Rembrandt’s

A gorgeous museum deserving of international acclaim, Centro León provides the residents of Santiago and Valle del Cibao the opportunity to experience Dominican history, art, culture, and industry on a modern and at times unconventional campus. Official called Centro Cultural Eduardo León Jimenes , the museum began as an art contest run through La Fundación Eduardo León Jimenes by the descendents of the man for whom these institutions are named. The three-part complex contains an outdoor area with sculptures and an aviary; a large museum showcasing the art and culture of the Dominican Republic, including pieces that won the content; and a small museum focused on the history and industries of the León family, specifically beer and cigars.

Besides many great museums and historic houses in Newbury and Newburyport, some of which I will explore during my next trip to the Essex National Heritage Area , I visited several quick history stops along the Newburyport Harborwalk & Clipper City Rail Trail . The Custom House Maritime Museum is located along the route, along with sculptures from New England artists, lighthouses, and signage describing historical events and buildings in the area.

Founded in 1897 as a place to collect the history of the rapidly changing industrial city of Lynn, MA , the museum in the Downtown Cultural District houses the community art galleries of LynnArts on the first floor and the artifact-based exhibits of Lynn Historical Society on the second floor. Set in an area described as “one of Massachusetts’ best kept secrets” by Mass Cultural Council , this perfectly sized museum is a quick visit to give a comprehensive overview of life in the so-called city of sin since its settlement by European colonists in 1629.

In September 2022, I visited Portsmouth, New Hampshire and discovered many Quick History Stops around the city. Part 4 in this four part mini-series features features Haven Park and a statue to Fitz John Porter, Portsmouth Fire Department and the Vigilance memorial, Portsmouth Athenaeum, and City of Portsmouth informational signage.

In September 2022, I visited Portsmouth, NH and discovered many Quick History Stops around the city. Part 3 in this four part mini-series features the Art ’Round Town even held on the first Friday of the month, public art to commemorate figures of the past, and historic buildings. This first stop is a sign across the street from the Liberty Pole & Shield from Part 2. Before the Prescott Sister created Prescott Park, as discussed in Part 1, this area of Portsmouth was the Red Light District, filled with “houses of ill-fame and low-class saloons”. More information about the Red Light District can be found on the digital version of the informational sign .

On Friday, December 2, I went to an artists’ reception and video screening at Spaulding R. Aldrich Heritage Gallery and the G.B. & Lexi Sign Performance Center, which are located at the Alternatives’ Whitin Mill in Whitinsville, MA. The renovated structure is owned by Open Sky Community Services , with events planned by its arts and culture arm, ValleyCast . This venue also held “ World War II comes to the Valley ” back in August. The two featured artists at the event were photographer-documentarists David Lawlor and James Hunt . The film presented by Lawlor was The second installment of his series, Run of the Mill . Lawlor has a fun, youthful documentary style highlighting “his urban exploration of old mill buildings”, as described in a flyer given out a the event. He explores mills that continue to be manufacturing facilities, abandoned buildings, repurpose structures now serving as housing or with plans to create community-focused spaces. My favorite parts of the f

After two days of the Historic New England Summit (You can read my summaries of Day 1 and Day 2 ), I still could not get enough New England history and culture! On Saturday, October 14, I went to the Arts & Crafts Fair at Roseland Cottage , a Historic New England property in Woodstock, Connecticut that I first toured back on July 3. The fair is a tradition in Woodstock, now in its 40 th year.

On the same trip where I visited Canterbury Shaker Village and Castle in the Clouds , I rode a train on Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad and saw art on the Meredith Sculpture Walk in Meredith, New Hampshire . Sitting between Lake Waukewan and Meredith Bay, the town of Meredith is a relaxing getaway, less busy than nearby towns border Lake Winnipesaukee and filled with history.

All across Conanicut Island are sites maintained by Jamestown Historical Society . The sites opened to the public for the first time that year on the day I visited Jamestown. I visited three of the society’s sites: Jamestown Windmill, Conanicut Friends Meetinghouse, and Jamestown Museum & Town Hall. Jamestown Windmill The gray cedar shingled Jamestown Windmill was built in 1787 by the Watson family, the same people who owned Watson Farm down the street. The windmill was used for grinding corn in cornmeal. The windmill was in operation until 1896 when modern industrial methods of grounding corn made the business unsustainable.