From the South County Independent, June 17

Presenting the past:

SC Museum to showcase fine fashion, glassworks

By Doug Norris
Features Editor

NARRAGANSETT — A wooden leg juts out of a box inside the Metz Exhibit Hall on the grounds of South County Museum.

"It's fully articulated," said Museum Director Jim Crothers, moving the joints at the knee and the ankle. "We don't know who it belonged to."

In a digital world, South County Museum stands out as a place to see, touch and experience the marvels of the past. Part of its charm lies in discovering and encountering strange, old objects that illuminate local culture and a way of life. In many cases, visitors leave asking the question: "How did people live this way?"

"We know that artificial limbs were used going way back into the 1600s at least," said Crothers, putting the prosthetic back in the box. "At least with the pirate, peg-leg type of thing. During the Civil War period, with all of the injuries suffered by the soldiers, they became more sophisticated. We think this leg is from the late 1850s to 1860s."

The museum on the grounds of Canonchet Farm is open for the 2010 season, offering a mix of exhibitions, events, lectures, camps, classes and open space for visitors to congregate, meet the farm animals and explore history. The editors at Yankee Magazine honored South County Museum as the "Best Living History Experience" in New England in its 2010 Travel Guide. Crothers said that one goal for this year is to get visitors to want to come back soon.

"We're trying to promote the idea that the museum is not just a one-stop, one-time-a-season kind of place," he said.

Crothers said that he would be turning the exhibitions over more frequently, as he's always looking for ways to get more of the museum's collection — which includes nearly 5,000 textiles alone — out to the public. The leg in the box is the latest oddity on display from a series he created a few years ago titled "Unique, Unusual, Unforgettable Rhode Island."

The first major exhibition of the summer is a sequel to the museum's well-received "Wedding Bells" displays from the past two seasons. Titled "Wedding Bells/What Shall I Wear?," the exhibit features several dresses and fine apparel from the 1920s.

"Instead of focusing on wedding dresses, we decided to go with the dresses and purses that ladies might have worn to a wedding," Crothers said. "It's less about the bride and more about the wedding guests."

The museum's popular "Life in a Coastal Village" lecture series, sponsored by Centreville Bank, resumes this year. Kathy Bossy, the museum's assistant curator, will give the first talk tonight at 7:30 in Metz Hall. In "Pocket to Purse/The History of the Handbag," Bossy will trace the history of the lady's purse from 19th-century pockets to 20th-century handbags. Future lectures will tie into some of the other museum exhibit themes, including "A Celebration of Glass" on July 15, in which glass experts and members of the R.I. Bottle Club will discuss the development of the New England glass industry, and "Canonchet, the Narragansetts, and Canonchet Farm," a talk by local historian Richard Vangermeersch, who will present his research on the relationship between the Narragansett Indians and the property now known as Canonchet Farm.

Pointing to glass cases containing old South County uniforms — from Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, nurses to military personnel — Crothers said that another way he hopes to attract repeat visitors is to show previews of future exhibitions. In a couple of weeks, the uniforms will be removed, and a new show will display pockets and purses from the collection.

Jim Crothers, director of South County Museum in Narragansett, hopes that a busy schedule of events and exhibitions wll entice visitors to drop by the old Canonchet Farm more than once this year. The first exhibit, "Wedding Bells/What Shall I Wear?" showcases lovely dresses and apparel from the 1920s. Future events include the popular July 4 "R.I.Red Chick Hatch," blacksmithing camp for kids and classes for adults, the annual folk art quilt show, the "life in a Coastal Village" lecture series, and more. Photo credits: Above and right, Michael Derr; below, Selina Millard

"We have about 65 to 70 ladies' handbags," he said, pointing to a case featuring a small sample. "They're pretty unique. The idea is if you come to visit one day you're going to see at least two small exhibits that are teasers for future exhibitions." In another small display case, a collection of glass is grouped together, the teaser for the museum's "A Celebration of Glass" scheduled for July. The July 15 lecture will serve as a preview for an exhibition on all facets of glassmaking, from the tools of the glassblower to pieces created by Nicholas Lutz, a 19th-century Sandwich glass gaffer. Attendees may bring one item for identification purposes (not appraisal).

Other highlights of the 2010 summer include the museum's trademark Fourth of July alternative, "The R.I. Red Chick Hatch"; a Blacksmith Camp for Kids (July 7-9); the 25th annual Folk Art Quilt Show (July 23-25), featuring more than 100 quilts from contemporary New England artisans; Wednesday evening Adult Blacksmithing classes in August; and "Family Faire," presenting family-friendly activities with a focus on youngsters (Aug. 14).

This summer, South County Museum is one of three Rhode Island museums — and the only one in southern Rhode Island — to offer free admission to all active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day in a program coordinated by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Blue Star Families.

In addition, the Print Shop will be humming. Crothers said that printer Edward Shunney of Narragansett has every letterpress cleaned and working. "The next step will be to offer classes in the print shop, for people to learn the craft of letterpress printing," he said, adding that classes are in the works and may be offered later this summer.

In the meantime, Crothers is keeping busy trying to learn how to drive two of the museum's vintage cars — now in working order — a 1921 Model T Depot Hack and a 1928 Ford Model A Roadster.

"I've been practicing," he said, with the hope that the cars may be used to advertise the museum around town. "It's not easy."

Finally, Crothers said that research on the life of the Spragues is ongoing. A small photographic display titled "Canonchet Burns" is showcased in the Metz Hall. Crothers said a larger exhibition is planned as soon as he can get enough pieces together.

As part of that effort, the Towers in Narragansett agreed to loan the clock that was saved from the mansion's destruction by fire in 1909, and Crothers got permission from Narragansett Town Hall to borrow its portrait of William Sprague for the exhibition. The museum also received "two exciting gifts" — one, a napkin ring handed down by Sprague to one of his granddaughters; the other, a book donated by John Miller of Narragansett.

"The Spragues used to give Christmas parties and invited the children of Narragansett," Crothers said. "Usually they'd give a gift of a book and an orange. The book we got was given to John Miller's grandmother. It's hardbound and inscribed, 'Merry Christmas, William Sprague.' "

Whatever happened to the orange, Crothers said, is lost to history.

For more information about South County Museum's 2010 season, log on to www.southcountymuseum.org or call 783-5400. Museum staff members also encourage anyone with artifacts, ephemera or information about the Spragues of Narragansett to contact them.