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Research Library
Located at 7 Fair Street, the library is open year-round.
Hours June to mid-October: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.; Tuesdays opening later, 11 A.M. - 4 P.M. Closed all legal holidays & weekends. Closed Wednesdays October to June. Call 508-228-1894 ext. 4, or e-mail library@nha.org.
Administrative Offices
Located at 15 Broad Street, the administrative offices are open Monday - Friday, 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. Call 508-228-1894, ext. 0, or e-mail info@nha.org.
For a printer-friendly PDF of this newsletter, click here.
If you wish to discontinue receiving this e-newsletter from the Nantucket Historical Association, please email jwodynski@nha.org. |
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The Whaling Museum and Historic Sights are open daily!
The Whaling Museum, open Sunday - Saturday 10 A.M. - 5 P.M. and the first and third Wednesdays in June, July, and August until 8 P.M., features exhibits about Nantucket history, decorative arts, scrimshaw, and numerous interactive, hands-on learning opportunities for children twelve and under. The museum includes a restored 1847 candle factory, with its original whale-oil beam press (a three-story wooden structure that is the only such artifact surviving anywhere in the world); a 47-foot sperm-whale skeleton; a fully rigged whaleboat; a vast collection of whaling tools; the 16-foot Fresnel lens from Sankaty lighthouse; and numerous portraits of whaling captains and their wives and the vessels they sailed in. The film Bones of History, the Whale Hunt Lecture, the whaleship Essex Gam, and various gallery tours. The Hadwen House, 96 Main Street; Oldest House and period Kitchen Garden, 16 Sunset Hill Lane; Old Mill, 50 Prospect Street; Quaker Meeting House, 7 Fair Street; Fire Hose-Cart House, 8 Gardner Street; and the Old Gaol, 15R Vestal Street are open Monday - Saturday, 10 A.M. - 5 P.M. Sunday, 12 - 5 P.M. |
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Summer Walking Tours of Downtown Nantucket
Monday - Saturday, 4:30 P.M.
Eighty-minute tours depart from the Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street. Free for NHA members: tickets are $10, adults; $4, children (ages 6-17)
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Host your special event in the Whaling Museum - Exceptional events begin with unforgettable
venues. . .
Include the Whaling Museum when planning your social events! A great location for weddings (welcome parties, rehearsal dinners, and receptions); cocktail parties; staff gatherings; and corporate parties. Celebrate life amid Nantucket treasures at the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Immerse your guests in Nantucket history at our world-class museum, located in the heart of Nantucket Town. The space accommodates both small and large gatherings-a perfect mix of state-of-the-art and old-world design. Surround your guests with elegant art and important objects that bring the story of Nantucket's past to life. Your guests will enjoy breathtaking views of Nantucket harbor, town, and beyond from the rooftop observation deck. Call Susan Beaumont for details about hosting a memorable party in the Whaling Museum or other NHA properties. 508-228-1894, ext. 131 |
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Bookworks Benefits:
A program that gives back to the NHA, among others.
Nantucket Bookworks, at 25 Broad Street, has chosen nine partners to benefit from its new pilot program. It is a two-tiered process: 1) Every time your accumulated purchases total $200, you'll receive a $10 coupon from Bookworks toward your next purchase; 2) Bookworks will then donate the value of 1% of your purchases to the organization you've selected. The NHA is one of the organizations that Bookworks has chosen; all you need to do is sign up in the store and put the NHA down as your affiliate. This is a most gracious community-minded program, and we are grateful to them for including us as one of their nonprofit partners. Now get out there and buy those books (and whatever else you can find in Bookworks' eclectic collection)! |
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Give the gift that lasts an entire year
The NHA is a member-based organization, receiving no municipal, state, or federal moneys; your membership enables the NHA to continue its mission of preserving the island's history and connecting the island's residents to Nantucket's unique past.
A one-year membership (which includes unlimited admission to the Whaling Museum, Old Mill, Quaker Meeting House, Oldest House, and Hadwen House; free use of the NHA Research Library; subscription to Historic Nantucket; 10% discount at the Museum Shop; discounts on certain classes and Explorations trips; and invitations to special events, concerts, and lectures). A perfect birthday, hostess, or anniversary gift. Please call 508-228-1894, ext. 116 (Beth) for additional membership information, or go to our website. |
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Please support the Businesses that support the NHA!
Business Leaders:
Accessible Dental
The Beachside at Nantucket
Congdon & Coleman Insurance
Cuddy Associates
James Lydon, Sons & Daughters
Johnstons of Elgin Cashmere
Killen Real Estate
Laura Munder Fine Jewelry
Lyman Perry Architects Ltd.
Marine Home Center
Mind's Eye Productions
Murray's Toggery Shop, Inc.
Nantucket Bank-A division of Sovereign Bank
Nantucket Bike Shop
Nantucket Island Resorts
Novation Media
Sylvia Antiques/Four Winds Craft Guild
Thirty Acre Wood, LLC
Trianon/Seaman Schepps
Young's Bicycle Shop
Business Sponsors:
Atlantic East Real Estate
Botticelli & Pohl, P.C.
BPC Architecture
Brass Lantern Inn
Cape Cod Express, Inc.
Congdon & Coleman Real Estate
Design Associates, Inc.
Dujardin Design Associates, Inc.
Dunton Property Management, LLC
Hatch's Package Store
Kathleen Hay Designs
Leslie Heiden Design Consultants
Nantucket Butter Company
Nantucket House Antiques & Interior Design Studio
Nantucket Pharmacy
Norton Preservation Trust
Philbrick and Avery, LLP
Business Partners:
A. B. Norton Construction
ACKBBQ
American Seasons
Arno's at 41 Main Street
The Art Conservancy of Nantucket
Benji's Boutique
Brant Point Inn
Brien, Inc.
Cape Cod Life Publications
Cary Hazlegrove Photography
The Cellar
Centre Street Inn
Chase Canopy Company
Coffin Real Estate & 'Sconset Real Estate
Cooper Shepherd and Associates
Cross Rip Outfitters
D. Neil Parent Associates
Denby Real Estate
The Downyflake
Edith Delker Real Estate
The English Trunk Show Company
Even Keel Café
Flowers on Chestnut
G. S. Hill Gallery
Hoorn-Ashby Gallery
Hospice Care of Nantucket Foundation
Le Languedoc Restaurant
Lindsay, Inc.
C. Richard Loftin, Attorney at Law
Madaket Marine
Mary Keller, Classical Harpist
Nantucket Architecture Group, Ltd.
Nantucket Carving & Folk Art, Inc.
Nantucket Catering Company
Nantucket Country
Nantucket Event Media
Nantucket Frameworks
Nantucket Inn
Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce
Nantucket Office Products
Nantucket Party Rentals
Nantucket Real Estate Company
Nantucket Storage Center
Peter Beaton, Inc.
Pinwheels
Placesetters, Inc.
Sandcastle Construction, Inc.
Sankaty Head Golf & Beach Club
Sherburne Inn
Simply With Style Catering
Soirée Floral
Spanky's Raw Bar
Surfing Hydrangea Nursery
Susan M. Warner Catering
Swain's Travel
Sweet Inspirations
Topham Designs, Inc.
Twig Perkins, Inc.
The UPS Store
Vis-A-Vis
The Wade Cottages
Water Street
The White Whale
Zero Main
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Volunteer opportunities at the NHA Research Library
Interested in indexing scrapbooks, digitizing photographs, or transcribing ships' logs? The NHA Research Library has an abundance of work that needs to be done. A description of these and many other tasks is available on our website, or you may receive a packet by mail; just let us know your address! Please contact Georgen Gilliam Charnes,
Curator of Library & Archives 508-228-1894, ext. 301 |
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Take a Class in Early-American Arts and Crafts at the 1800 House
This educational program is dedicated to celebrating and reviving Nantucket's rich tradition in historic decorative arts and crafts. Taught by artisans from Nantucket and throughout the country, offerings range from one-day to three-day classes. Prepayment and preregistration required. For a full listing of summer and fall classes, please visit our website. | |
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Lights, Camera, Action! It's August Antiques Show Time
Preview Party, Thursday, July 31, 6-9:00 P.M.
Nantucket New School, 15 Nobadeer Farm Rd.
The 31st August Antiques Show Preview Party
A limited number of tickets are still available; please call 508-228-1894, ext. 117
Friday, August 1
The 31st Annual August Antiques Show Opens
Nantucket New School, 15 Nobadeer Farm Road, 10 A.M.-5 P.M.
 The show is managed by the prestigious Antiques Council
For ticket information please call 508-228-1894, Ext. 117
Saturday, August 2
The 31st Annual August Antiques Show
Nantucket New School, 15 Nobadeer Farm Road, 10 A.M.-5 P.M.
The show is managed by the prestigious Antiques Council
For ticket information please call 508-228-1894, Ext. 117
Saturday, August 2
August Antiques Show Cocktail Party
Hosted by Nancee & John Erickson, 34 West Chester Street 5:30-7:30 P.M.
Tickets must be purchased in advance. Please call for tickets, (508) 228-1894, ext. 117
Saturday, August 2
August Antiques Show Dinner &
Live Auction - Absentee Ballots available  Sponsored by Trianon /Seaman Schepps NHA's Oldest House, Sunset Hill, 7:30 P.M. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Please call for tickets, (508) 228-1894, ext. 117
Sunday, August 3
NHA 31st Annual August Antiques Show (last day)
Nantucket New School, 15 Nobadeer Farm Road, 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.
Raffle drawing at 3:00 P.M. The show is managed by the prestigious Antiques Council
For ticket information please call 508-228-1894, Ext. 117
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Shop Ralph Lauren's Main Street Store and Benefit the Nantucket Historical Association July 28 - August 3, 2008
The Ralph Lauren store, located at 16 Main Street, will be donating fifteen percent of the total price of all items purchased during those seven days to the Nantucket Historical Association in support of its 31st August Antiques Show.
A spokesperson said that "Ralph Lauren is proud to support the NHA's August Antiques Show by inviting island residents who received a postcard to present the card at their Nantucket location anytime that week, and fifteen percent of their total purchase will benefit the Nantucket Historical Association." Postcards have been e-mailed to NHA members, are also available in the Whaling Museum lobby, and available online by clicking here.
Ralph Lauren previously partnered with the Nantucket Historical Association in September of 2006 to restore the familiar Compass Rose mural that adorns the side of the Nantucket store. The NHA holds a preservation restriction on the entire exterior of the building. The "Compass Rose Collection" of merchandise designed to preserve and honor this significant piece of Nantucket history include T-shirts, hats, and caps are available exclusively at the Nantucket Ralph Lauren store, and 100 % of all proceeds from the Compass Rose products continue to benefit the Nantucket Historical Association. |
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Hands-on History Daily 1 - 4 pm., in the Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street
 Hands-on History is an educational crafts program designed for children from 5 to12 years old held in the Whaling Museum's Discovery Room. The purchase of an entrance ticket or a Museum membership allows a child to participate in the program. All children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. |
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Lawn Party Reception at 1800 House Tuesday, August 5, 5:30 P.M., 1800 House, 4 Mill Street
 1800 House coordinators Betsey Braun and Mary Lacoursiere will welcome guests, students, and instructors for refreshments and the opportunity to chat with Don Carpentier and other artisans who teach the Early American Arts and Crafts classes. Later that evening, guests are invited to walk to the Hadwen House for a lecture by Don at 7:00 P.M.
The 5:30 pm meet-and-greet lawn reception is free to the public. |
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Historic Lighting of the Nineteenth Century by Don Carpentier Tuesday, August 5, 7:00 P.M., Hadwen House, 96 Main Street
 A respected craftsman and historian, Carpentier will discuss and demonstrate Historic Lighting of the Nineteenth Century-especially appropriate in the elegant 1845 Greek Revival home built by whale-oil merchant and candle manufacturer William Hadwen-and will focus on the restoration and history of period light fixtures. Please call 508-228-1894 for further information.
Free for NHA members, $15 for the general public. |
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Summer Lecture Series - "Cyrus Peirce" by Barbara White Wednesday, August 6, 7:00 P.M. Whaling Museum, 13 Broad St.
 Born in August of 1790, Cyrus Peirce was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, the youngest of twelve children. While an undergraduate at Harvard, he developed his love of teaching and in 1810, when he was twenty years old, he moved to Nantucket. Peirce taught in a private school here for two years before he left to attend Harvard Divinity School, and in 1815 returned to the island to resume teaching. He taught in several of Nantucket's private schools before being appointed as principal of the town's first public high school.
Barbara White is a recently retired Nantucket schoolteacher who taught history in the middle school for twenty-five years. She was awarded the James Bradford Ames Fellowship in 2005,  choosing for her subject the life of Anna Gardner, a Nantucket woman who taught at the African School here and subsequent to the Civil War went south to teach in various "Freedmen's Schools," as they were called. In the course of her research, Ms. White became interested in Cyrus Peirce, a fervent abolitionist and promoter of education for women, who was the founder and principal of the first normal school in the country, now Framingham State College.
Free for NHA members, $15 general public |
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Mochaware Presentation by Don Carpentier Thursday, August 7, 2 -3pm, Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street.
 Mochaware, also known as mocha diffusion, is a little-known, difficult technique of surface decoration that dates from the 1780s and was developed in Staffordshire, England. The original recipe involved a tea made by boiling tobacco leaves, which formed a thick sludge that was then thinned with water, which was then colored with iron oxide. This process is mastered by very few pottery artists.
Carpentier, well respected as a craftsman and historian, is a self-taught potter; he will discuss the vividly colored mochaware plates and mugs found in 18th- and 19th-century kitchens and taverns. He also creates his own mochaware, using authentic tools and period methods.
Free for NHA members, $15 general public |
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Old Mill Up and Running!  Earlier this summer, in preparation for the high season, the Old Mill restoration was completed; new aerodynamically enhanced wooden mill vanes, built by Cape Cod mill expert Andrew J. Shrake, and new canvas sails, sewn by Nantucket Sail Repair, were mounted onto the mill. A new five-foot diameter windshaft tail wheel-used for rotating the top of the windmill into the wind-was constructed by Hansen Wheel and Wagon Shop in South Dakota. Several other interior components that were damaged or worn-such as the main flywheel wooden teeth on the internal gears-have been carefully replicated or restored. These historically sensitive improvements now allow this venerable 262-year-old structure to operate more efficiently and in lighter winds, turning in less than 13 mph winds (previously, 25 mph windspeed was required). |
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Up Close and Personal: Oldest House Kitchen Garden Tours "Inch By Inch, Row by Row" Fridays & Saturdays at 3:00 P.M.
May 30 - September 27
 Learn about the herbs and plants and their uses that are growing in this replicated 1700s kitchen garden. Discussion led by NHA staff member Kathrina Pearl, who is currently completing a certificate program in Historic Landscape Preservation at the Landscape Institute of Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum. Pearl researched and designed the garden, and will provide an overview of a period kitchen garden and the orchard at the Oldest House.
Oldest House, 16 Sunset Hill. Free for NHA members, $6 Historic Site pass |
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Special Tours of Gosnold Support Center, Friday, August 15, and Friday August 29. Please call ahead to reserve your spot; space is limited and tickets will not be sold at the door.  These special tours, led by NHA curators Ben Simons and Tony Dumitru, will highlight some of the NHA's vast artifact collection, which represents many definitive aspects of Nantucket's history. The collections encompass all media, including textiles, glass, wood, metals, works on paper, paintings, and whale ivory. Some of the gems on the tour will include examples from the eight-hundred-piece scrimshaw collection-such as engraved whalebone busks, canes, pie crimpers, and letter boxes; South Seas artifacts; whaling implements; Chinese porcelain tea sets and items in the highly decorated famille rose-style porcelain. Various artists' work from the more than eight hundred paintings in the collection will also be discussed. There are more than thirty thousand artifacts in the NHA's collection.
The interpretive tour lasts one hour. 89 Bartlett Road, 11 A.M.-NOON Tickets are $25 for NHA members, $35 for nonmembers. For more information about the tour or to register, please call 508-228-1894, ext. 0. |
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Yale Whiffenpoofs Alumni Benefit Concert, in partnership with the Maria Mitchell Association Saturday, August 16, 7:00 P.M., Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street
 Whiffenpoof alumni will perform a benefit concert for the Nantucket Historical Association and the Maria Mitchell Association. Established in 1909, the Yale Whiffenpoofs are the oldest collegiate a cappella group in the United States, and its active alumni members continue to raise their voices in song according to the celebrated Whiffenpoof tradition.
$5 NHA & MMA members; $15 general public |
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Summer Lecture Series, "Lucretia Coffin Mott: The Greatest American Who Ever Lived?" with Helen Seager Wednesday, August 20, 7:00 P.M., Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street
 "Lucretia Coffin Mott: The Greatest American Who Ever Lived?" An illustrated lecture about the life, times, and accomplishments of Nantucket-born Quaker Lucretia Mott. Seager was the director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women from 1979 to 1983.
Free for NHA Member; $15 general public
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Summer Exhibition: 'Sconset 02564: A Celebration of the Patchwork Village
In the Peter Foulger Gallery, through November 11
 The exhibition features the history, architecture, personalities, and "character" of this unique village at the eastern end of Nantucket, often described as the most charming in America, following its evolution from a fishing village to a world-renowned summer resort.
Peter Foulger Gallery, 13 Broad Street
Purchase a souvenir of the 'Sconset Exhibition to take home with you!
The NHA Museum Shop is pleased to be offering a number of exclusive take-away gifts recalling the unique exhibition, 'Sconset 02564. These assorted gifts, designed especially to complement the 'Sconset show include: Souvenir 'Sconset Chocolate Bars, $2.50; Detailed working Nantucket Club Car (exactly like the one in our exhibition), $65.00; 'Sconset 02564 Lapel Pins, $3.00; Desk-sized 'Sconset twelve-month Calendars featuring historic images of 'Sconset in various seasons-many never before published, $6.95; 'Sconset Short-Sleeve White Tee Shirts, discrete 'Sconset 02564 on the front, and old-style postmark on the back, $20.00 (adult sizes only), and same-style long- sleeve White Tee, $24.00 (adult sizes only); 'Sconset soft-cover Book, 'Sconset: A History, by Betsy Tyler and other contributors, $19.95; Rhodium "silver" Railroad Ornament (reproduction of the Schlesinger's sterling silver ornament from the 1980s) $20.00 and 02564 Car Magnets for $4.00. Secure a keepsake for yourself, or stock up for family and friends that love the little village at the eastern end of Nantucket! |
Nantucket Presidential Papers: From Washington to Franklin D. Roosevelt
July 3-November 7 In the Whitney Gallery at the Research Library, 7 Fair Street
 American presidents have been concerned in the affairs of Nantucket Island from the days of the nation's founding. The collections of the Nantucket Historical Association hold documents signed by almost every president beginning with George Washington. In recognition of election year, the NHA will present an exhibition highlighting some of the more remarkable items in the collection. Some of the notable documents include: appointment of Inspector of the Revenue for the Ports of Nantucket and Sherburne, signed by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson; ships' papers signed by John Tyler, James Polk, Franklin Pierce, and others; Abraham Lincoln's appointment of George Hussey Tracy as first lieutenant in the Fifteenth Infantry Regiment; a letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow; and a letter from Franklin Delano Roosevelt (as Acting Secretary of the Navy) regarding the naming of a torpedo-boat destroyer in honor of Nantucketer Reuben Chase. The exhibition is made possible by the generous support of Susan R. and L. Dennis Shapiro. Open during regular NHA Research Library hours. |
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Exciting digital exhibition: Landmarks!
 During the summer and fall of 2007, more than thirty Nantucket sixth-, seventh-, and eighth- graders participated in the NHA's first student-curated photographic exhibition, Landmarks of Nantucket! This digital exhibition showcases what the students considered to be their cherished Nantucket landmarks. This collaborative exhibition-organized by the NHA, the Nantucket Preservation Trust, and Sustainable Nantucket-was on display in the Whaling Museum's Candle Factory from May to November. The full panels are now available for viewing online. |
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Explorations heads to New Zealand! February 2009 Join the NHA on a journey through maritime, whaling, Maori, and European history in New Zealand.
 Fly Fly to New Zealand! February 9 -25, 2009: Come fly with the us as we explore the country of New Zealand with our hosts Bill and Peggy Tramposch, who lived there for eleven years before moving to the island when Bill joined the Nantucket Historical Association. Travel includes 16 nights of accommodations with stays in Wellington, Picton, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Bay of Islands, and Auckland. Package also includes daily breakfast, 5 lunches, 7 dinners, transportation within New Zealand, sightseeing and gratuities. Price is based on double occupancy, land only: $6,599 (per person). Supplement based on single occupancy: $1,500 additional (per person).
$1,000 per person is tax deductible.
A $1,500 deposit is due August 12, 2008 (of which $500 is nonrefundable). Rates are based on a minimum of twenty participants. Travel to and from New Zealand is NOT included. For add-on flight information, please contact Swain's Travel at 508-228-3201. Call Julie for more information or to make a reservation, 508-228-1894, Ext. 0. For additional information, visit www.nha.org/nz.html
Call Julie for more information or to make a reservation, 508-228-1894, Ext. 0.
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NHA Museum Shop - 2008 MARKS ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY!
A companion piece to the 'Sconset 02564: A Celebration of the Patchwork Village exhibition, the soft-cover book 'Sconset: A History, is a comprehensive look at the history of 'Sconset written by Betsy Tyler with contributions by numerous other longtime residents. Made possible by the generous support of the Judy Family Foundation, the book is available for $19.95. Also new this year, after receiving permission to reprint, we have the Commemorative Edition of Greater Light on Nantucket: A Memoir, written by Hanna D. Monaghan in 1973, available for $16.00. The exhibition catalog The Nantucket Art Colony, 1920-1945 is also available for $29.95. For those who loved last season's summer exhibition, this is the book for you. The catalog gives in-depth descriptions of each painting in the exhibition, with a foreword by NHA executive director Bill Tramposch. For these gifts and many others, you may shop on-line by visiting the website, or place orders by calling 508-228-5785. | |
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