I recieved the latest Norlands newletter and wanted to share! Thanks for sending it along Kathleen Beauregard.

Washburn Norlands Living History Center - Newsletter, January 20, 2009

Contact: Kathleen Beauregard
kathy@tdstelme.net

ICE HARVEST
The response from the community to our search for antique ice harvesting tools has been wonderful! Norlands' volunteers are ready to cut, haul and stack. Ice blocks will be stored in a temporary ice house on the grounds. Please come to Bartlett Pond on the Norlands Road in Livermore on Saturday, February 14, 10am-2 pm and lend a hand. It's great fun! All are welcome.

The entire event will take place at the pond, which is about half mile down the hill from the Norlands mansion. There will be a campfire and hot drinks, but dress warmly. This is an outdoor event. There will be plenty of opportunities to participate, but we could still use a few more saws and ice picks.

RETURN OF THE TEXTILES
Norlands has one of the largest collections of mid-1800 clothing and textiles in Maine. The Washburn's were frugal people and thus have passed along many articles of clothing - Elihu's opera cloak, Stanley's correspondent uniforms, many of Adele's dresses, as well as bed and table linens. With the help and guidance of Molly O'Guiness Carlson of Head Tide Archaeological Conservation Laboratory the entire collection was carefully assessed for damages after the terrible fire at Norlands in April. In additon to smoke damage, which has been carefully removed, we found the textiles were exposed to carpet beetles and clothes webbing moths during the fire. To see pictures and read the full story, go to our website www.norlands.org.

With conservation efforts by Molly and Historic New England, the complete textile collection received a bug-killing CO2 treatment. Now the task is to clean and re-house the 113 boxes of extraordinary garments and linens. If you would like to be part of the volunteer team, Norlands will train you on how to properly handle these precious textiles as we vacuum the remaining dead insects, fold them in a manner that eliminates creases, and store them with the best use of protective acid free paper. If you are interested, please contact Nancey Drinkwine, Volunteer Coordinator at 207-897-4366 or send an email to volunteers@norlands.org. Nancey will get back to you in early February, when she returns from vacation.

IN MEMORIAM
Ethel "Billie" Wilson Gammon, founder of the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center, died on Sunday morning, January 11, 2009 at her home in North Livermore. She will be greatly missed by everyone in the "Norlands" community.

In 1954, Billie started her work at the Norlands, with the restoration of the library. She went on to develop a world-renowned museum education program based on living history methods. Her dream for Norlands was that through real-life experiences in the past, children and families would come to appreciate the everyday struggles of the people who lived in the late 1800's in rural Maine.

She developed the foundational curricula that is used in Norlands' school programs and "live-ins" today. Since the mid-1970's the programs she developed have sparked the imaginations of hundreds of thousands children from across New England. It is because of Billie's vision, hard work, commitment and ability to motivate others that Norlands exists and continues to this day.

AND...
Please stay tuned for more information about a June 6, 2008 Civil War Living History and Reenactment Event at Norlands. Visitors will experience a full scale battle between Union and Confederate infantry reenactors, get involved at both encampments and the field hospital, help sew a quilt, enjoy period food, farm-life living history, a good-old square dance and waltz, a sip of ginger switzel cooled with ice from the winter ice harvest, and much more! Save the date, 'round up a period costume (optional), and plan a trip to western Maine.

If your business would like to sponsor this event, you can benefit from the many publicity opportunities. Please contact kathy@tdstelme.net.

Take a journey into history and join us at Norlands for an experience in the 1800s your students, family or group will never forget.

TO BECOME A MEMBER OR SUPPORT OUR MISSION, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE http://www.norlands.org