DUMMERSTON-October will be a busy month at the Dummerston Historical Society. It will continue to be open the first and third Sundays of the month - Oct. 6 from 1 to 3 p.m.; Oct. 20, for its quarterly meeting from 2 to 4 p.m.; Oct. 13 from 9 a.m to 3 p.m., during Dummerston's Apple Pie Festival; and other times by appointment.
At the Oct. 20 meeting, Bill Schmidt will speak about his homestead, Elysian Hills, its long history as the Knapp Farm, its prominence for a number of years as a Morgan horse stable known regionally for its work, and, in greater detail, about Elysian Hills itself, a farm that produced many crops, including Gilfeather turnip seed, Knapp organic rhubarb, asparagus, and Christmas trees, under the imaginative management of the Schmidts.
Prior to the Annual Meeting, on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m., a special walk to Elysian Hill's Stone Trees and Circular Stone Cemetery is open to all. This walk will be special because Jared Flynn, the creator and builder, will be present to talk about his idea for the Stone Trees, why they're located where they are, and how they were constructed. See dummerstonhistoricalsociety.org for more information.
The current exhibit, on display until Dec. 15, is a natural complement to Schmidt's talk about his farm. Several local farms have loaned artifacts from their own collection of tools and implements from days of yore. The society is in the process of acquiring these items, but it is rumored that an old horse harness and a chicken catcher may be in the mix. The society invites everyone to come see what has been discovered in the recesses of barns and haylofts.
Filling its Artist Corner at the Schoolhouse until Dec. 15 is the work of Connie Evans, a Dummerston artist. A retired teacher and lawyer, Evans has dabbled in a range of arts, but her primary focus has been watercolor painting. On Nov. 3, at 1:30 p.m., the society will host a public talk with Evans.
Dummerston Historical Society welcomes all visitors; one does not need to be a member to attend any of its functions. The Schoolhouse in Dummerston Center is handicapped accessible. Please call any member or Muriel Taylor at 802-380-7525 to arrange a special visit.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.