Regional Designers Transform Emerson House Inside and Out

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist
YORK—
The 22nd Decorator Show House of the Museums of Old York is a historic structure at 31 Long Sands Road in the center of York Village.
Situated in York’s Historic District, the Georgian Colonial house traces its beginning to circa 1719. Several structures, including a tavern have been on the site over the years and it is believed some of the old remains within the new. John Adams, the second president of the United States, is known to have stayed on the site.
The annual Show House celebration is a major project in the annual fundraising efforts of the museum. This year the event runs from Saturday, July 16, through Saturday, August 13 at the Emerson House.
It is sponsored by Maine Home and Design and will be open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays until 7 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The house will be closed Tuesdays.
There will be a preview gala to celebrate the event on Friday, July 15, from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring a jazz ensemble and food by the Kitchen Chicks. Tickets for this gala are $50.
The funds raised by the exhibit support educational programs offered by the museum along with other exhibitions and preservation efforts.
Designers and artists from throughout New England vie for the job of decorating a room or area of the house. This year there are nearly 20 areas that have been assigned to designers for individual treatment within certain guidelines established.
Massachusetts designers and artists from Beverly, Beverly Farms, Boston, and North Andover are included this year as are New Hampshire firms from Rye, Hampton Falls, Barrington, Portsmouth, Hollis, North Hampton, Bedford, Rye, and Greenland.
Those participating from Maine come from Kittery, Wells, York, and York Harbor.
On four Wednesdays during the Show House celebration, there will be luncheon lectures at local sites.
These include the York Harbor Inn July 20, a Fashion Show at Stage Neck Inn July 27, Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School Aug. 3, and The York Harbor Reading Room Aug. 10. Tickets for the luncheons are $55.
Admission to the Show House is $20 and includes a free tour of the new exhibit at the Museum’s Visitor Center in the Remick Barn. It also offers a reduced ticket price of $5 to tour all the historic buildings at Museums of Old York.
Parking is available in village lots.
Many of the items used in decorating the various rooms are available for sale and others will available in a boutique in the garage on the property.
Additional information is available by calling 363-4974 or by visiting the museum’s website at www.oldyork.org.
Photo caption: Emerson House (pictured above) is the site of this year’s Decorator Show House of the Museum of Old York (Courtesy photo)

9th Annual Native American Pow-Wow

WELLS—
The Wells Chamber of Commerce and the New Hampshire Inter-Tribal Native American Council announce the 9th Annual Native American Pow-Wow to be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17, 2011 at Wells Harbor Park, Wells, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
The event will include dancing, drumming, flute music, vendors, storytelling, auction, and evening session. Host Drum-Walking Bear (Southern Drum), Guest Drums-Black Thunder (Northern Drum), Medicine Bear (Eastern Drum), Mountain Spirit (Eastern Drum). MC-Peter Newell. Flute Music by assorted musicians. The Grand Entry is at 12:00 noon sharp on Saturday. Admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 seniors, children under 6 are free. The public is cordially invited — no drugs or alcohol are allowed. For more information call 603-528-3005.
New for this year is an evening concert at 6:30 p.m. featuring Grammy award winner Flutist Joseph Firecrow. The concert is part of the Wells Harbor Park Concert Series and is free and open to the public. (Courtesy photo of Joseph Firecrow)

Registration Open for History Camp at Museum

KENNEBUNK—
Children entering grades 4 through 8 are invited to the Brick Store Museum for the 7th Annual History Camp program “Passport to Discovery 2”on Saturday, July 16 from 9:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Space is limited with pre-registration required by July 9. The registration fee of $25 per child ($20 for Museum members) includes a snack and all supplies. Participants must bring their own lunches. Registration forms are available at brickstoremuseum.org or by contacting the Museum at 207-985-4802.
This year’s History Camp ties in with the brand new exhibition “Impressions of a World Traveler: Early 20th Century Travel Through the Eyes of Edith Barry,” and is an extension of “Passport to Discovery,” the vacation workshop held in February. In “Passport to Discovery 2,” attendees will take an imaginary trip across the globe with their own personalized passports, following the travels of Edith Cleaves Barry, the Museum’s founder. As they “visit” Canada, Congo, and Ireland, they will hear about Miss Barry’s visit, create a representative craft, and learn a bit about each country. While in Canada, they will learn about Inuit inukshuks and make their own small models. They will create tribal masks in Congo, and in Ireland they will make replicas of the bodhran, an Irish percussion instrument. As the students work, snacks and music representing each country will be available.
The workshop concludes with family members and the general public invited to the Museum from 2:30 to 3 p.m. to view the kids’ projects and to tour the Museum’s exhibitions. As lasting memories of the day, children take home everything they have created.
History Camp is made possible by the Museum’s Education Committee and the Dorothy Fish Fund for Furthering Edith Barry’s Legacy.
Photo caption: Brick Store Museum will host “Passport to Discovery 2” on July 16. (Courtesy photo)