Carved in Stone... Cast in Bronze

I recently visited the cemetery in Chazy where Alice and William Miner are interred. Also buried at Riverview are William Miner's grandparents, Lydia and Clement Miner, and his Aunt Huldah and Uncle John Miner, who raised him after his parents died (Will's mother and father are buried in Wisconsin and Ohio respectively.) Entombed in the mausoleum with Alice and William is their infant child, William Miner, Jr., and Alice's three sisters Matilda, Bertha and Louise Trainer.

A note, written by William Miner in 1925, served to secure

the area for the Miner/Trainer mausoleum.

Riverview Cemetery was incorporated in 1920 but has been continually in use since 1811, possibly earlier. The land, and a few of the homes around the old cemetery, were purchased by William H. Miner in 1916, and he deeded the cemetery and one house to Riverview Cemetery, Inc. in 1920. In 1926 Alice and William built the stone chapel and in 1927 the mausoleum. The plans were drawn up by Frederick Townsend, the architect who designed The Alice T. Miner Museum, Chazy Central Rural School, Physicians' Hospital and many of the buildings on Heart's Delight Farm.

The earliest plans, drawn up by Townsend in 1918,
depict a rather stately structure.

Frederick Townsend's final drawing shows a more rustic building...
The Alice holds the sketches for the mausoleum, the
stone chapel and the museum in its archives.

For the first time I had the opportunity to see the inside of the mausoleum, a solidly built stone structure... I found the workmanship on the interior absolutely breath-taking, which was a surprise after studying the somewhat plain exterior of the building. The mausoleum is entered through a bronze gate with the initials "T M" which is repeated along with a bronze wreath inlaid in the marble floor.

As with all of the Miner structures,
the mausoleum was clearly built to last.

The plaque placed above the door to the mausoleum is inscribed with the
names of the members of the Trainer and Miner families interred within.

The interior of the mausoleum is beautifully decorated with mosaic tiles carefully handset in artistic designs, and seven colors of polished marble are arranged for the floor. The walls feature inlaid glass tile borders which are repeated throughout the space. The back wall is decorated with marble that was cut and then laid out as though unfolding a piece of paper, creating interesting rorschach images. The most interesting, yet subtle, image is just above a pink marble urn in the rear of the chamber. The urn may have been filled with fresh cut flowers from Heart's Delight Farm.

In the rear of the chamber, above a stained glass window, an
intertwined 'T' and 'M' are framed with a mosaic border.

The tiles used in the borders appear to be hand cut and are quite small - none larger than one inch. The room has a lovely domed ceiling with a glass and bronze light fixture. Clearly the best artisans available at the time were hired to create the lovely detail and lasting workmanship displayed is this final resting place for Alice T. Miner (1863-1950), William H. Miner (1862-1930), William Jr. (March 16, 1902 - March 30, 1902), Matilda Trainer (1851-1916), Bertha Trainer (1857-1928), and Louise Trainer (1861-1932).

The Khrabroff Collection

There is a wonderful variety of characters and historical figures to learn about at The Alice, with research frequently focusing on one General or another. On the second floor of the museum, in a little space that houses cases of dolls, is a photo of a Russian General - General Nicholas Khrabroff, who originally came to the United States from Russia as President of the Artillery Commission. From 1915-1917 the Russian Artillery Commission was based in New York, its mission to negotiate purchase of munitions and other artillery supplies for the Imperial Russian government.

The arms shortage in Russia was so acute during WWI, that by 1916 Russian soldiers were being sent to the front lines without arms, hoping they would equip themselves with weapons recovered from fallen soldiers from either side. Efforts at weapons production in Russia were greatly stepped-up and attempts to procure weapons overseas were intensified. Then came great turmoil in Russia, spurred on partly by the poor treatment of soldiers and massive loss of life in WWI.

Mrs. Khrabroff looks on as Nicholas Khrabroff puts the
finishing touches to the base of a pair of dolls.

By December, 1917 General Khrabroff was still acting in his role to procure arms, despite the changes in Government occurring in his country precipitated by the Russian Revolution. There is still question whether he could have actually been representing his government in agreements he signed during this time, having been sent as a representative of the Imperial Government, which had been overthrown in early 1917. Eventually, it became obvious that he could not return to Russia and he settled in Thetford, Vermont with his wife and daughter, having lost his son in WWI.

A Mongolian Couple and the sketches
from which Mrs. Khrabroff worked...

In their new life in Vermont it is Nicholas Khrabroff’s wife who emerges to us through her Christmas gifts to Alice. The Alice T. Miner Museum holds, among other wonderful collections, an assemblage of hand made dolls representing various historical and cultural groups of Russia. The 30 dolls, usually in male/female pairs, were lovingly made and clothed in their traditional dress by Mrs. M.V. Khrabroff, who even included accessories and jewels for the fascinating figures. Among them are: Peasant twins sent to Alice in 1929; a Polish Noble couple sent in 1928; a newly engaged Ukrainian couple; Finnish twins; a Shaman or “Mongolian Priest” holding his drum; a “bridal couple” from the Volga River region that Mrs. Khrabroff refers to as “Mordvah”, sent in 1935. The Mordvins (also Mordva, Mordvinians) are among the larger indigenous peoples of Russia.

The sketches were done by a friend in Petrograd.

Accompanying these wonderfully made dolls, some of whom have hand painted faces, are affectionate and romantic letters written to Alice by Mrs. Khrabroff about her creations. Some of the letters include sketches of costumes, and separate notes written to Alice by the dolls themselves! These letters are usually safely stored in our archives and therefore out of the public eye. Right now, however, you can see a few of the sketches and postcard images that inspired Mrs. Khrabroff, paired with the figures she created, on exhibit at The Alice.

For this pair Mrs. Khrabroff worked from postcard images...

She recreated every wonderful detail, including costume colors.

Mrs. Khrabroff once wrote to Alice, "I want you, dear Friend, to be sure that I understand very well that the only thing which makes my rag-dolls a little bit interesting and a little bit worthy (oh! very little!) to occupy a very, very small place in your beautiful and rich museum - is the truth of the costumes. Next year I am going to send you the sketches which Oksana made of the Tartars from the ethnographic figures in our best museum in Petrograd... I want that the whole Russia in the great variety of her numerous nationalities, tribes and races would stand up before you as a token of love and gratitude for what Mr. Miner and you, our endlessly kind Friend, made for one of her unfortunate families." The costumes and details of these figures are magnificent! Mrs. Khrabroff was justifiably proud of her work, and would be thrilled, we feel sure, if she knew your curiosity about these little works of art would lead you to visit The Alice!

ADK Family Time blog about visiting The Alice

Diane M. Chase writes about her tour of The Alice with her children in her blog:

ADK Family Time: Alice T Miner Museum

Thomas Jefferson & The Barbary Pirates

You may be surprised to learn this! Right here in this Colonial Revival influenced museum, first opened in 1924, resides a hand-written letter containing information that may help the United States Navy tackle the current problems presented by pirates on the high seas. In this letter, a very prominent man in our Nation's history offered his advice. He was the President of these United States and he held very strong opinions about dealing with the terror wrought by pirates! This, however, is no recent missive. It was written in November 1801, by Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson Bronzed Metal Plaque, early 19th century

Jefferson was writing to Thomas Newton. He wanted to thank him for the casks of "Hughes's crab cyder" (sic) Newton had sent to Jefferson. But the pirate issue weighed heavily on his mind. Jefferson had just become President in March of that year and he had made a bold decision regarding the Barbary pirates. Since 1784 Congress had been paying as much as $1,000,000 each year in tribute to the North African states of Tripoli, Tunis, Morocco, and Algiers (the Barbary Coast) to protect it's ships from piracy. Jefferson had argued that simply continuing to pay the tribute would never solve the problem. He felt the only way to effectively deal with the issue of piracy was instead to protect our shipping interests with a strong Navy.

When Jefferson refused to pay the tribute, war was immediately declared on the U.S. by the pasha of Tripoli. U.S. Navy frigates were dispatched from the Mediterranean to defend U.S. interests. Thus began the Barbary Wars. Jefferson's refusal to submit to the extortion so surprised the North Africans that Tunis and Algiers broke their alliance with Tripoli. Jefferson's plan seemed to be working. The first Barbary War lasted from 1801 to 1805.

In The Alice's letter, Jefferson wrote Newton (then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 11th congressional district) referring to Navy Lieutenant Sterritt's "having captured the Tripolitan... I wish it true the rather as it may encourage the legislature to throw off the whole of that Barbary yoke."

Letter written by Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Newton, Nov. 1801

I'll not reveal more in hopes you will come read this letter yourself. It is currently on exhibit in The Lincoln Library, along with another letter written by Jefferson, as well as the first English edition of his book, Notes on the State of Virginia, published in 1787. This is the only book written by Jefferson that was published in his lifetime.

Also, while visiting The Alice ask your guide to explain how one U.S. Navy Lieutenant finally got his revenge on the Barbary pirates over 200 years after being held captive by them!

Notes on the State of Virginia by Thomas Jefferson,
First English Edition 1787

Dr. Franklin's Maxims (and other bits of wisdom... or decorative art...)

Recently I created an exhibit of objects from the collection related to Benjamin Franklin - it is quite varied in subject and materials; including plates and cups with "Franklin's Proverbs;" a lovely framed silhouette of Ben; and "A Treaty... With The Indians Of The Six Nations..." printed and sold by Benjamin Franklin.

He was a man of many talents and interests, as noted in this entry from Wikipedia, "Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, a carriage odometer, and the glass 'armonica'. He formed both the first public lending library in America and the first fire department in Pennsylvania. He was an early proponent of colonial unity, and as a political writer and activist he supported the idea of an American nation. As a diplomat during the American Revolution he secured the French alliance that helped to make independence of the United States possible."

In these lean times I can't help but be struck by some of the words of our wise and inventive statesman. His original maxims appeared in Poor Richard's Almanac between the years 1732 - 1758. We are all familiar with the saying, "Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." But some of the sayings on our transfer-ware plates and cups will be less familiar. Staffordshire ceramics factories began producing smaller china for children around 1790 (coincidentally the same year Franklin died.) Designs and sayings from books and magazines were freely "borrowed" (despite copyright laws forbidding this) and Ben Franklin's proverbs were printed on plates and cups made for children and containing "Lessons for Youth on Industry, Temperance & Frugality..."

On the cup: "If you would know the value of money try to borrow some. When the well is dry thy know the worth of water..."

Alice T. Miner purchased these cups and plates some time before 1924. They are usually housed with other transfer-ware pieces in one of the cases lining the walls of the ballroom. I've selected a few to include in this exhibit to allow visitors a closer look at this collection within a collection.

"Keep Thy Shop and Thy Shop Will Keep Thee..."

"Women and wine, game and deceit, make the wealth small and the want great. What maintains one vice, would bring up two children."


There are two images in the exhibit representing Benjamin Franklin. One is a framed steel engraving and the other a simple silhouette or "shade." The silhouette of Franklin in The Alice's collection shows the familiar and oft reproduced profile. Held in a lovely gold frame, this image dates to circa 1800.

The most extraordinary item in this exhibit is a 1744 treaty printed by Benjamin Franklin and is his account of a meeting between representatives of the Provinces of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland with "The Indians of the Six Nations" held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in June 1744.


The last image I'll reveal of this exhibit is a J.F.E. Prud'homme framed steel engraving after John Trumbull's "The Declaration of Independence." This image may be familiar to you from the back of the $2 bill. Ben Franklin is among the five statesman standing in front of the table - he is the gentleman on our right holding his spectacles. To see this image larger simply click on the photo... or, better yet, come to The Alice for a tour and see the exhibit for yourself!

Intimate Objects

With birds nesting and spring cleaning in full swing, I have been preparing the museum for our spring and summer visitors. Recently I put together a new exhibit in the Dining Room, and another in the first floor hall at The Alice. The museum collection holds a wide variety of wonderful treasured objects - pieces to interest a range of visitors and tastes; from Japanese prints and Sheraton furniture to engravings of famous statesman & poets, and silhouettes, ceramics, glassware, pottery, 18th century firearms, and rare books and manuscripts. Also within these walls that Alice and William Miner built remain some of their own intimate possessions.

the display with a photo of Will and my current
favorite photograph of Alice in the center

The museum also holds a large archive with many of the boxes filled with papers, letters and photographs belonging to Alice & William. Along with these records of their lives we have some of their personal belongings, including a few of the lovely gifts Will gave to Alice; a colorful Venetian brocade table cover, beaded purses and belts... oh, and some very sweet letters!

a few of Will's books and his fez complete with box!

Many of these objects are tucked away in what we call "The Miner Room" or "The Memento Room." I have brought some of my favorites together, converted the dining room table to a display space, covered it with the lovely Venetian brocade, and placed their intimate objects around the table for you to experience. In the center of the display I have placed a very handsome pair of silver-resist, green glass scent bottles with stoppers which were given to William Miner by Diamond Jim Brady, a friend and business associate.

letters from Will to Alice

Alice along with a cup and saucer from a set given
to Alice and William as a wedding gift in 1895

The new displays will only be on exhibit for a month, so come experience them for yourself. The Alice is open by appointment only for the month of April. On May 1 we will resume our regular hours: Tuesday - Saturday by guided tour, with tours starting at 10:00 am, noon, and 2:00 pm. For reservations please call 846-7336, or email me at director@minermuseum.org

A Manuscript Reborn!

To followers of this blog this will come as no surprise, but 2008 was a significant year for a 15th century illuminated manuscript in The Alice T. Miner Museum's collection. 'The Lorraine Breviary' was carefully packed up and driven many miles away to receive some much needed loving care from an expert in book conservation, Deborah Evetts. For some details about the work Deborah completed to restore the Breviary you can refer back to my August 28, 2008 blog entitled Le Breviaire d’Henri de Lorraine (If clicking on the link does not take you to the older blog - you can find it by going to the "Blog Archive" on the right side of this page, opening the year '2008' and then opening the month of 'August', there you will see a link for the previous blog.)


On Thursday, April 2, at 7:00 pm Deborah Evetts will illustrate the tradition of manuscript repair through examples such as the Beatus Apocalypse and other manuscripts from her many years of conservation work. Ms. Evetts will then discuss the stages in the restoration of the Museum’s Breviary, the reasons behind each step, and how they effect the final result, accompanied by many photographs. A Manuscript Reborn: Restoration of the Lorraine Breviary will take you inside the world of book conservation, a journey through time. The ancient and exciting techniques employed to bind manuscripts – herringbone stitch and linked sewing, metal work, leather work, wood work and rare textiles – will transport you into an age where technical gadgets were not only unknown, they could not even be imagined... And where craftsmen making everything with their own hands made beautiful works of art.

Deborah Evetts: An internationally recognized book conservator she advises librarians and collectors on topics ranging from the best restoration/preservation methods, housing and climate control, and is entrusted by major libraries, museums and private clients with the restoration of their priceless books. Trained as a designer bookbinder by several of the greatest exponents of the classical English School of bookbinding she exhibits worldwide and her work is represented in numerous collections both institutional and private. Deborah is a lecturer on book conservation, fine binding, decorated papers, etc., to professional organizations, book clubs, publishers and educational institutions. As Drue Heinz Book Conservator at the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, she cared for a magnificent and varied collection of Coptic manuscripts and bindings, medieval illuminated manuscripts, early printed books, music manuscripts, autograph manuscripts and documents and children's books. She combined this work with fine binding, designing, teaching, lecturing and consulting for major institutions and prominent private collectors. The latter included binding copies of President Kennedy's notebook for Jackie Kennedy to give to her children, and the rebinding of the 9th century De re culinaria manuscript of Marcus Apicius for the New York Academy of Medicine.

Tickets are $8 and seating is limited, for reservations please call 518-846-7336, or email me at director@minermuseum.org!

Alice & Her Family

Alice T. Miner was from a very large family by today's standards. I have found conflicting reports on how many children her parents, Bernard Trainer and Louisa Saunders Trainer had, but there were ten or twelve children born from 1850 - 1868 (Alice in 1863.) One would expect that such a large brood would carry on to this day, perhaps contracting slightly with the changing times. And wouldn't it be interesting to have visits from the grandchildren and great grandchildren of Alice's siblings?

As far as I know, there have been no such visits since Alice passed away in 1950, that is, until 2007. That summer The Alice had a surprise visit from Helen Highley Matel and her family. Mrs. Matel visited with me long enough to tour the museum, a place she remembers visiting as a girl, but she does not live nearby and had not been to Chazy since the year Mrs. Miner passed away. The family connection is through Helen's grandfather, James Saunders Trainer, who was Alice Trainer Miner's older brother. James and his wife, Hannah, had one child, Helen Trainer Highley, Helen Highley Matel's mother.

James Saunders Trainer

It has been very interesting to continue a correspondence with Helen Highley Matel via email. Knowing that Helen was descended from Alice's brother I asked if she could send information about who he was, when he was born, what he looked like... The museum has photographs of Alice and a few of her sisters; Matilda, Bertha, and Louisa, but not one photo of her brothers; Bernard, James and William.

Helen Trainer Highley, Helen H. Matel's mother

What I received from Helen in return really surpassed all of my expectations! In late January I picked up a heavy padded envelope from the Post Office sent from Helen Highley Matel. I eagerly opened the parcel and was delighted to find a note from Helen and nearly thirty portraits of Saunders and Trainer family members, most of which I had never before seen! The following photo is the least formal of the collection, the rest seem to be studio portraits taken in Canada and the U.S.

Alice Trainer Miner, ca. 1898 near Chicago

At last some faces for a few of Alice's brothers, and some real surprises - three photographs of James Saunders (1792-1879) and a few with his wife, Jane Woolocott Saunders. James was Alice's grandfather who brought his family over from Crediton, England to Goderich, Ontario when Alice's mother was just a child. Goderich is where Alice and her siblings were born.

James and Jane Saunders

I had seen James Saunders face many times, in a painted portrait in the formal dining room of the museum. Now we are trying to determine if Jane's face is the same one looking out at us from a painted portrait in the collection that has previously remained unidentified.

Helen included a few rather romantic photographs of Alice, Bertha, and Matilda that I had never seen. Note the letter in Matilda's lap... She was the oldest child and raised Alice and her siblings after the loss of their parents.

Matilda Trainer, Alice's oldest sibling

Bertha Trainer, also older than Alice


William Trainer who was just a few years younger than Alice

In the accompanying correspondence Helen Highley Matel says she remembers meeting William Trainer once when she was very young. William was a pharmacist, scientist, civil servant, and author in Canada, the one person in Alice T. Miner's immediate family about whom you can find information on the internet.

The last photo I'd like to share is one of Alice at approximately age 15. She has very heavy bangs that make her look as though she has short hair - an unusual style for a girl at the time - but you can see what appears to be a thick braid of hair going behind her back. This is the youngest photo we have of Alice, note those light blue eyes... Many of the Trainer children have the very light eyes we have seen for years in photographs of Alice.

Alice Trainer Miner, ca. 1878

I'll leave you with some of Helen Highley Matel's recollections of her family,

"I do remember visiting Heart's Delight Farm when I was a little girl, probably twice it must have been in the late 30's or 1940. We drove up to Chazy from Medford during spring vacation, my mother, father and sister. Seward (Helen's brother) only remembers going once, he probably was too little the first time we went. We had to be old enough to behave properly in a formal setting. It was very exciting for us, my sister and I (to) be in such luxurious surroundings. I remember Aunt Alice as being a rather portly lady, of whom I was in awe..."

The Blue Wall

As most of you know, The Alice put on a wonderful Japanese woodblock print show from our permanent collection during the summer and autumn of 2008. In order to display these stunning prints properly we completely transformed the museum’s Weaving Room into a gallery exhibit space, removing all objects that had been historically shown there. Last autumn, at the conclusion of the exhibit, the prints were placed in their archival boxes and put back to sleep in storage... the barn loom was returned, and the gallery was restored back to the Weaving Room, as if no print exhibit had ever taken place!

With big changes come new ideas... we thought, hmmm, why not include some adventurous color in the Weaving Room? A delicious dark cobalt blue was settled on, and we painted one panel of the North wall to add some energy to the room. Interesting how one new idea can lead to another... this new blue really wanted to become a stage to feature an additional item from the collection. Perhaps a wonderful piece of furniture that has always been difficult to fully appreciate in it's usual space in the museum? Aha!

We carefully moved a Queen Anne High Chest down from the Southeast Bedroom on the third floor and placed it in front of the blue. It actually sings in its new space! For once it is properly lit and the color of the chest leaps out!



It will be another few months before our public can come to see this transformation in person, and there will be other new exhibits when we open again for tours in the Spring. I hope this little teaser will get you in the door again... you really must see the blue wall and High Chest!

Volunteer at The Alice!

At The Alice we are expanding our docent program and hoping to reach out to community members who are looking for an opportunity to be an important part of our team of volunteers.

Volunteers and docents at The Alice fill vital roles, including; interpreting the museum and it’s collection for visitors, researching our archives, assisting at special events, keeping the garden beautiful, caring for the collection, conducting research of the collection, and working with school groups to learn about The Alice T. Miner Museum and about our Nation’s past through study of our collection.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in volunteering at the museum please call Amanda Palmer at 846-7336 to set up an interview!

The Quiet of Winter

As my commute to work becomes more of an adventure each day... and the views along the way more muted, spare, simple - I have to fight being lulled into a winter sleep. The Alice "sleeps" during the cold months as well. On the first day of the new year we close our doors to the public - except for a few evening events - through the end of March.

In the main museum rooms I lower the steam heaters and keep the lights turned down. It has always been a quiet place in winter, and these days just a few of us wander the collection. We will keep up with our work: cataloging, researching the collection, planning events, organizing archives. But the only times we will see our public are when we invite them in for events or gatherings, there are no tours for the next few months.

The collection breathes a sigh and settles down to a dark, cool quietness. In the meantime, keep an eye on our website www.minermuseum.org, and this blog for news of upcoming events! If you would like to receive email announcements of our events and exhibits please send me a note at director@minermuseum.org!

A Simpler Gift

There is something about these passing years that can make us forget how much things have changed since we were children... the days really begin to fly by in our early 20’s... life fills with friends and family, and work and play, and eventually careers, and perhaps even children of our own.

When Christmas or Chanukah or Kwanzaa come along we start thinking of gifts to get for the people in our lives. More frequently these days gifts come with batteries, or plug into our televisions or computers; iPods and Wii video games have replaced the record player and Twister. One of the gifts that was most memorable for me as a child was the bike with the banana seat I got for Christmas when I was six!

Here at The Alice, however, none of the toys have batteries or plugs, and few even have moving parts! The toys at the museum hearken back to simpler times. Dolls and ice skates were things children enjoyed for hours, and in ways that did not necessarily isolate them from those nearby.

As a way to celebrate the youthful joy of the holidays we have put together some of our toys for you to see for yourself... sort of a visual "Letter to Santa Claus" from the 18th and 19th Centuries. We hope you will come enjoy this display, and perhaps linger for a last tour for 2008.

Ice Skates, an Adventure Book, Dolls, a simple tin puppet...

@ The Alice - December 19

On Friday, December 19 at 7:30 pm The Alice will be transformed into a far away Scandinavian garden, monastery, and mysterious forest when Martha Gallagher, The Adirondack Harper, performs The Christmas Rose. With Celtic harp in hand, Gallagher tells this unusual story through original music and spoken word, weaving together song and story, music and legend.

The concert is inspired by The Legend of the Christmas Rose, a story written by Sweden’s Selma Lagerlof. “My imagination was captured by this story the very first time I heard it, read by a Viking descendant by the light of the real candles that burned on his Christmas tree on a snowy winter night many years ago,” says Gallagher. The Scandinavian story takes place in a monastery garden, a poor village, and a deep, dark northern forest. There are thieves, monks, robber women, herbs, wild animals, and wilder children. There are the rich, the poor, the narrow-minded, and the open-hearted. There is danger, faith, mistrust, love and, of course, there are miracles. The tale is unusual, captivating and perfect for the darkest time of the year, when light and miracles abound throughout the many celebrations and traditions of the season. The concert is suitable for adults and older children; it is not intended for the attention span of young children. Gallagher says, “Although it’s basis is in Christian beliefs, the miracles of the heart; the “heart” of the story, transcends any one religion, making it a universal tale of faith, joy, hope and love.”

Gallagher has been sharing her spirited, distinctive, and richly varied music with audiences for over 30 years. Known in the northeastern region of New York, where she makes her home, as The Adirondack Harper, she has performed with such luminaries as six-time Grammy winners, The Chieftains. Her extensive solo tours have taken her around the US and into Canada, with several tours sponsored by The National Endowment for the Arts. She has been featured on numerous television and radio programs; most recent appearances include BBC Television, Northeast Public Radio, and Good Morning Arizona.

For more information on Martha Gallagher, please visit www.adkharper.com.

Tickets are $5

Seating is limited at The Alice so reservations are required for this performance, 518-846-7336

Or reserve a seat by emailing us at director@minermuseum.org!

A Picture (and a few well-placed labels) is Worth...

When The Alice Board began planning to exhibit our collection of Japanese woodblock prints it became obvious that the room to transform into an exhibit space was the Weaving Room. This space has the best lighting to avoid damage to paper - fiber optic lighting. But first, everything had to be removed, walls needed painting, and windows had to be creatively covered to afford increased display area. With a capable and talented maintenance man like Steve Fessette everything is possible! Even to Steve, removal of the big Four-corner Post loom or "barn loom" from the Weaving Room seemed to be the element of the puzzle that would be the most challenging. The loom is a large piece, well-constructed, with tight mortise and tenon joints held together with wooden dowels, or pins.

The loom before dismantling...

The barn loom was made to be taken apart and moved occasionally. Intellectually, we could see it was possible to dismantle, move the loom, store it safely, and then put it all back together again after the exhibit. But none of us had ever tackled this puzzle before! If we took it apart, would we know how to put it together again... so many months later?

One Saturday in June we took on the project armed with labels, a camera, and four good brains! Stephanie Pfaff, Elizabeth Greeno, Steve Fessette and I carefully labeled every joint, took meticulous photographs, and slowly dismantled the loom.

A joins with A, B with B... and so on...

Since that day in June the thought of putting the barn loom back together again has preyed on my mind every now and again! With the weather quickly changing and the time to transform our exhibit space back into the Weaving Room upon us... well, today was the day! So Stephanie, Steve and I marched out to the loom and carried the pieces of the puzzle into the Weaving Room. The labels had stayed intact, and armed with the photographs of the dismantling process, we began to reassemble.

It's amazing how well equipped we were to complete the task! We had taken so much time in the process of taking the loom apart, that putting it back together was accomplished pretty quickly!

The loom among the Japanese prints... note that the windows are still covered.

The barn loom is back in its traditional home. Currently it is surrounded by Japanese prints, but will soon have its old mates back; spinning wheels, samplers and Federal settees... that is, until the NEXT exhibit transforms the Weaving Room, once again, into the Exhibit Space!

School Days - Boire Family Donation

In May The Alice received two donations from the Boire family - Julie Duprey, Cecile Miller, Susan Mercier and Gary Boire donated these pieces to the museum in honor of their parents Orel and Theresa Boire. The student desk and 1927 Dictionary are originally from Chazy Central Rural School, where Orel worked as an electrician and Theresa was a reading volunteer. Orel acquired the objects when the old school was being razed in the 1960s. Julie, Cecile and Susan shared memories of having used the desk to play "school" as children.


The student desk is a solidly built piece of furniture - truly made to last! On a metal handle of the desk drawer below the seat is inscribed, ' "MOULTHROP" MADE BY LANGSLOW FOWLER COMPANY, ROSHESTER, NY'. Samuel Parker Moulthrop was a progressive and effective educator, a devoted Mason, Sunday school teacher, public speaker, Boy Scout Troop leader, and outdoorsman in Rochester, NY in the 1890s and 1900s.

'Colonel' Moulthrop, as he was affectionately called, developed the design for a desk with an adjustable top in 1905, to be used in Washington Grammar School where he served as School Principal. This desk offered more flexibility for the classroom over the previous use of benches, and was also a better seat for the student. The design attracted the interest of the Langslow Fowler Furniture Company, a maker of Arts & Crafts furniture, and they began producing this new style of desk a short time later. Our desk is about the size used by a kindergarten student, has a recessed pencil holder on the desktop and in the drawer, and a little metal holder for the student's name on the back of the chair.


The 'Funk & Wagnall New Standard Dictionary of the English Language' from 1927 is a large, heavy volume that was probably referenced by many students at CCRS during its heyday! "Prepared by More Than Three Hundred and Eighty Specialists and Other Scholars Under the Supervision of Isaac K. Funk, D.D., LL.D., Editor-in-Chief" this volume must have been a wonderful resource. With over 2800 pages the dictionary weighs at least 20 pounds (it would have been the perfect book to be placed under your shorter cousin to boost him or her up at the Thanksgiving table!) With small engravings on most pages, the volume also includes numerous full-page illustrations (some in full color) on such subjects as Aeronautics, Bacteria, Coats of Arms, Fire-fighting Appliances, and Wireless Telephony.

The desk is now right at home in the Childrens Room, and the fully illustrated Dictionary sits on the table in the Lincoln Library. The Board, Docents and Staff at The Alice are very grateful to the Boire siblings for their thoughtful donation.