Essex Heritage Events
|  | Thursday, November 4 5:30-7:30 PM From Vine to Wine! Jewell Towne Vineyard
183 Whitehall Road
South Hampton, NH (map) Enjoy a fall evening at a New England vineyard! The evening will include a tour of Jewell Towne Vineyard and the cellar
with Derek Brock, vineyard manager and wine maker. Derek has been
making wine at Jewell Towne for over 10 years and is well-equipped to
share the ins and outs of wine making as well as the history of this
North Shore gem. Derek will walk us through the wine making process from
the recently harvested vineyard to 12,000 gallons of wine that will be
fermenting in the cellar! Find out more...Not a Member? Join here.
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Wednesday, August 4Guided Tour of New Deal for LawrenceLawrence History Center6 Essex StreetLawrence, MA 01840You will want to be here! Don't miss this opportunity! Docents on hand to walk and talk with you about the Depression - era exhibit about Lawrence in the 1930's. Archival footage of the WPA, Hurricane of 1938, Dust Bowl will be shown. Audio of FDR's Fireside chats. Where?Lawrence Heritage State Park When? 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Free and open to all Bring a sandwich - beverages will be provided. Find out more.
Tea with Mrs. Jack Saturday, August 712:00 & 3:00 PMBeauport, Sleeper-McCann House75 Eastern Point Blvd. Gloucester, MAEnjoy afternoon tea on the Beauport terrace overlooking Gloucester Harbor, watch a performance by actress Jessa Piaia portraying Isabella Stewart Gardner, arts patroness and frequent visitor to Eastern Point. Afterwards, Piaia stays in character as she mingles with the guests. The tea is followed by a tour of the house. Rain date, Sun., Aug. 8. Registration is required. Call 978-283-0800. Find out more. Period Music at The Gables Saturday, August 14 1:00-3:00 PM115 Derby StreetSalem, MA 01970 Join Jennifer and Bob Strom in the garden to hear a number of dance tunes performed on fiddle, guitar and flute. Social dance was popular in Salem in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Many of these lively and popular tunes were carried here from England, Scotland and Ireland by the immigrants settling in the area. Find out more. Annual Car Meet Sunday, August 15 from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.Chestnut StreetSalem, MAVintage and antique vehicles will be on display, there will be special tours of the Phillips House and Carriage House, including a close-up look at the two Pierce-Arrows, Model A Ford, and five carriages on display in the collection. Special family activities and games in the backyard. Jazz will be provided by the Trent Austin Duo. Light refreshments provided as well. Free. Find out more. Seven Lectures at the Seven Gables: Salem Trading By SeaSunday, August 29, 2 PM115 Derby StreetSalem, MA 01970 Jim McAllister will provide information on the original Turner and
Ingersoll families responsible for the creation, evolution, and
longevity of the home which inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The
House of the Seven Gables. Tickets: $10, $5 for members of The House of the Seven Gables, Historic New England or The Salem Athenĉum. Reservations: please call 978-744-0991 ext. 104. Find out more. Spicket River CleanupSaturday, September 11Each year we provide trash bags, gloves, and dumpsters for volunteers to utilize, logistical support, and a celebratory lunch for all donors and volunteers. Find out more. |
Congratulations!
|  | Congratulations to Dr. Patricia Maguire
Meservey and Salem State College upon the passage of state legislation that
grants University status to the institution effective October 28. The entire
legislative delegation worked tirelessly to make this change possible. Essex
Heritage acknowledges the special leadership of Sen. Fred Berry and Rep. John
Keenan in this effort.
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Read About the Region
|  | A lifelong resident of Newburyport, author Jean Foley Doyle has written a book about the city, Life
in Newburyport: 1950-1985 which is a follow-up to her earlier book, Life in Newburyport: 1900-1950.
Her latest book covers some of the most tumultuous years in
Newburyport's history and chronicles the city's struggles as it rises
from its designation as
a distressed area to achieve the role of a "model city." This book is a
gift to
the city and to future generations. For more information click here. |
Where In Essex
| County?
|  Where in Essex County was this picture taken? Be the first to let us know and win a mug! Hint, Essex Heritage staff visited this spot on our staff outing last week... Email us with your answer. Click on image to see larger version.
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House Committee Action
We are very please to
announce that the US House Subcommittee on Natural Resources has voted to
restore the funding for the National Heritage Areas and two essential historic
preservation programs - Save America's Treasurers and Preserve America - to the
same level as last year. The President's budget had cut the NHA by 50% and
eliminate all funding for the two historic preservation programs. There was a
ground swell of support throughout the Essex National Heritage Area and across
the country from other National Heritage Areas, from the National Trust for
Historic Preservation and from local and state preservationists - in support for
restoring these critical funds. Essex Heritage thanks all of you who sent
photos of "I love Essex Heritage" and who wrote in
support.
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Heritage Area Caucus Formed: Local Congressional Support
Essex Heritage joined its sister Heritage Area organizations
across the country in a rally and press event on U.S. Capitol grounds on
Tuesday, June 15 where the formation of a National Heritage Area House Caucus
was announced by Congressman Paul D. Tonko
(D-NY) and Congressman Charles W. Dent (R-PA). Essex Heritage representatives
visited with Congressman John F. Tierney and Congresswoman Niki Tsongas who
represent the 34 cities and towns that comprise the Essex National Heritage
Area. They also met with key Congressional staff members to discuss key
strategic priorities the Caucus will focus on. Both Congressional members were
quick to add their support by joining the House caucus, citing the Heritage
Area's strong track record of programmatic results in promoting and preserving
Area historic, cultural and natural resources. Read more here (pdf).
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Inaugural Friendship Passenger Sails!
Grab your windbreaker, sunglasses and a pair of binoculars for the ride of a lifetime!
It is with great excitement that we announce that National Park Service tall ship, Friendship of Salem,
has successfully completed all necessary US Coast Guard certification
and sea trails, enabling her to board commercial passengers on day
sails! This is a dream come true for Patricia Trap, Salem Maritime's Superintendent
and her staff and volunteer crew. The Inaugural Friendship Passenger Sails program will be piloted Sept 4th and 5th as Friendship
sails to Gloucester
for the annual Schooner Festival.
Be a part of history! Ticket prices for this extraordinary opportunity include a 6 hour sail, the opportunity to
help sail the vessel as a volunteer and participate on supervised "watches",
interact with Park Service interpreters who will share information about the
ship, life of the crew and officers and the China
trade that made Salem
a port of international renown. A delicious lunch, snacks and beverages
provided by the Ship's capable cook. All ticketed passengers will receive a special
edition Friendship of Salem logo'd cap with the date of the
Inaugural Sail.
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Membership Program Update
We are so pleased with the reception the New Essex Heritage Membership Program has experienced since its launch on July 1! An outpouring of response from individual and corporate contributors has helped kick off this initiative with great success. Special thanks to Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank and Wire 4 Hire, Electrical Contractors in Salem, who have both joined at corporate membership levels. If you are interested in joining, take a moment to review membership opportunities. Thank you for your continued support!
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Summer and fall are great times
to explore the byway's coastline up close. The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone
Management (CZM) has two online tools that feature maps and descriptions to aid
your discovery of the region's most dominant feature. Check 'em out at Massachusetts Coast Guide to Boston and the North Shore and Online Locator of Coastal Public Access Sites. In Beverly, there is still time to catch an outdoor
evening concert. The city's recreation department hosts
two free summer concerts series at locations just off the byway: Lynch Park
Concerts, Sundays from 6 to 8 p.m., and Concerts on the Commons, Thursdays from
6 to 8 p.m. For more information click here. Providing direct easy vehicle access
to the scenic byway from Boston and Logan Airport is critical to its success. Read why others think access is a priority too (pdf). |

Salem Maritime Festival
On Friday, August
6th and Saturday, August 7th, 2010, a
flotilla of ships from ports far and near will converge at Salem Maritime National Historic Site
to celebrate the 22nd annual Salem Maritime Festival! This year, the National Park Service offers
a special salute to our fishing heritage, as well as the free family fun, live
music and traditional maritime crafts that the Maritime Festival is well-known
for. The event is organized and hosted by Salem Maritime National Historic Site. The tall
ship Friendship of Salem will be joined in port by Schooner Thomas E. Lannon and Schooner Fame of Salem, both with unique seafaring stories to tell. These visiting craft will offer free rides
around the harbor (random ticket drawings held 30 minutes prior to departure at
the Central Wharf boat ramp). A full schedule of
boat rides, children's waterfront activities, Junior Ranger Programs and an
exciting array of maritime demonstrations can be found on the Salem Maritime
website. Read more about the Salem Maritime Festival (pdf)!
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Essex Heritage 2010 Photo Contest Get snapping! Enter your photos in the 2010 Essex Heritage Photo Contest to win some
amazing prizes! All
photographers are welcome to submit images to the Essex Heritage Photo Contest
that capture the essence of the Essex National Heritage Area or speak to Essex
Heritage's role in preserving the historic, cultural and natural treasures of
Essex
County. All photographs
must be taken within the Essex National Heritage Area and submitted by October
1, 2010. Click here for
2010 contest categories, Rules & Regulations and to download your entry
form.
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Partnership Grant Spotlight: Middleton Re-issues Trail Guide The Town of Middleton
has re-issued its popular guidebook to the town's trail system, "Hiking for
Health and History." Exemplifying the spirit of the Essex Heritage Partnership
Grant Program, the town's board of health and conservation commission
collaborated on the 84-page publication. Funded in part with a 2008 Partnership
grant and illustrated with maps, photographs and public health information, the
guidebook effectively promotes passive recreation, education, and the
exploration of the town's ample natural and historic resources. Canoe trips on
the town's waterways are also described. The guidebook was produced as part of the
"Middleton in Motion: Moving towards better health in the community"
campaign to promote physical activity within Middleton. The trail booklet may
be downloaded here (pdf).
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America's Great Outdoors America's
Great Outdoors is a new initiative of the Obama administration. The Department
of Interior, US Agriculture Department and Environmental Protection Agency are
working together seeking ideas for ways to conserve and reconnect Americans to
the great outdoors. Essex Heritage executive director, Annie
Harris, recently attended a "listening session" in Philadelphia to discuss
this new program. "There was a lot of energy and many good ideas," she said.
More than three hundred people gathered to discuss "what works", "what are the
challenges", and "what is the Federal Government's role?" The conclusion from
this session was that public-private partnerships such as those fostered by the
Natonal Heritage Area program really work. The small federal investment that
goes into the Heritage Areas and other preservation programs such as Save
America's Treasures and Preserve America are very beneficial. Not only do these
programs proved to be effective in preserving historic, cultural and
natural resources - but they also produced more jobs for much less cost
than the stimulus bill. Join in the conversation and share your ideas to protect the places you love here.
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Editorially Essex by Tom Leonard
At the end of July, the Essex Heritage Executive Committee met to hear a
report from the Commission leadership on progress toward the established
long-range planning goals. Since its inception the Commission has
been assisted with an annual appropriation that has been offered through
our affiliation with the National Park Service and the wonderful
support of the Washington Congressional delegation. That appropriation
has provided Essex Heritage the ability to develop and offer many
programs that benefit this region. Read more...
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