Share a Cup of Tea!

Adapted from “A Wind that Rose”: Susan Davis Phelps and the Poet

by Anna Plummer

“Vivacious and curley haired” Susan Davis Phelps was the youngest of nine children who lived at Phelps Farm, the daughter of (Moses) Charles Porter Phelps and his second wife Charlotte. She is known for the most romantic, quintessentially Victorian New England details of her life – that she died in her thirties of “a broken heart” after her former fiancé married another woman - and because she was a friend of Emily Dickinson. The date of her funeral is inscribed on two of Dickinson’s poems, revealing a more impactful relationship than has traditionally been acknowledged. The smattering of family diary entries so far studied reference a sick and fretful young woman, but a closer look at the rich documentation of her family and community, as well as some of her own special vestiges reveal Susan Phelps with vibrancy - as a singer, baker, painter, socializer, an aunt, a loving sibling, and a lasting friend. Learn more here!

Susan Davis Phelps (1827-1865)

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New Blog Post: Paul Shipman Andrews

 On December 15, 1917, Hannah Sargent Sessions (daughter of Ruth Huntington Sessions and favorite granddaughter of Bishop Frederic Dan Huntington) married Syracuse lawyer Paul Shipman Andrews (1887-1967). He completed his undergraduate studies at Yale in 1909, and earned his law degree from Columbia University in 1912. After his service as a Captain in France during World War One, he would go on to become dean of the Syracuse University College of Law. His tenure as dean was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War; he once again served (this time as a Lieutenant Colonel) in North Africa and Italy from 1943 to 1946. In 1952, he retired from his position at Syracuse, and devoted the rest of his life to advocating for global peace. To this end, he spent a year working for the pentagon during which he produced a paper titled “The Cost of War and the Price of Peace”.

Paul (third from the right) during his service in France, WW1

Learn more about Paul Shipman Andrews here!

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A Perfect Spot of Tea

It’s that time of the summer where we would normally invite you to a cup of tea on the back veranda! Instead we encourage you to brew a cup of your favorite tea and take a moment to relax somewhere cozy. We would also like to acknowledge the musicians that have been a part of our program and hope you support them as well! For a full listing and information see our 2020 Tea lineup: https://www.pphmuseum.org/musician-lineup-2020

Check out these artists websites for more! 
https://www.passim.org/artists/danse-cafe/
http://robertmarkey.com/

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This Week : "Wednesday Folk Traditions"

This week for the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum's Wednesday Folk Traditions we bring you Pan Morigan- Songs from My Family. Vocalist/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Pan Morigan brings original songs and interpretations of music from her family’s 16 countries of origin. From Ireland to France, Italy, Greece, China, Chile, Canada and beyond, Pan mixes myriad folk styles with Jazz and something ineffable, to create a meditation on immigration, work, longing, and home. Who are we, and who do we mean to be?

Check out her website for more information and to support this artist's work!

Performers for this year's Wednesday Folk Traditions can be found here, with links to their websites, and we will be posting performances on our website and facebook page throughout the summer!

After the Storm

The above painting is titled 'After the Storm' by Susanne Personette.

Visit https://www.susannepersonette.com/ for more works and information!
© All rights reserved by the artist

We were happy to welcome the Pleine Air Painters to the grounds this past week! Susanne Personette and her fellow artists spent the morning spread out around the gardens and house, and created some stunning pieces. After spending the morning engaged in their work, they broke for lunch, social distance picnicking in the front yard and taking time for critiques.

Celebrating Independance Day!

  Before Congress passed a law claiming the fourth of July as a national holiday on June 28, 1870, it was a day of spontaneous celebration. It was customary for towns and cities to have bonfires, processions, military displays, and fireworks, much like today! However, fourth of July celebrations did not become such a popular event until after the war of 1812. In a diary entry from Elizabeth Porter Phelps on July 4, 1802, we see that her focus was on family and friends coming and going through the week, with no mention of any festivities! Normally, the museum would offer tours and tea to commemorate, but this year, we hope you enjoy a safe holiday at home with family and friends, just like Elizabeth!

“Sun: Mr. Hop 1st Tim. 6&5 — afternoon I stayed with the babe — Mr. Hop: 2nd Chronicles 15&4. Tuesday Mitty & I at Concert of prayer — Mr. John Smith from Matt. 6&6. Wednesday Mrs. Hop & Mrs. Austin of Worcester here. Mr. Huntington & wife & son arrived in safety by the kindness of heaven. Thursday all at brother Warners. Jest at night my son from Boston & his father came and drank tea with us — my son is come to carry home his wife & son — he got here after we went to brothers — came by Brimfield & brought Mrs. Hitchcock thus we are favoured with all our children & grand children meeting here except Mr. Hitchcock & his son Charles. Lord bless us in the redeemer. Fryday Mr. Partons & wife visit here. Satt: Sister Dickinson & Polly visit here, Susan Cutler, Lucy Barron, Sister Warner & her daughter Dickinson. The two sons at Northampton by Hatfield forenoon.” – Elizabeth Porter Phelps, Diary Entry, July 4 1802

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A Slice of Cottege Life

Thompson Knives

     A recent donation to the museum included a collection of small, wood handle knives of varying shapes and styles. These knives came from the Thompson family summer cottage known as the Neudick House in Georgetown, ME. 
     Looking closely at the knives reveals history a bit closer to home. Two of the knives’ handles are marked with a label from their manufacturer, the inscriptions reading “Russell” and “Russell Green River Works.” This company was started in 1834 by John Russell in a water-powered factory on the banks of the Green River in Greenfield, MA making butcher and kitchen knives. Large quantities of their hunting knives were shipped out West to the American frontier. 

Check out the full post here!

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"Wednesday Folk Traditions"- July 1st, 2020

This week for the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum's Wednesday Folk Traditions we highlight David Mallett. “The Voice of New England” This troubadour singer-songwriter, whose “Garden Song” had become an American folk classic, reflects on the dramatic changes in contemporary American life. Folk poet Dave Mallett “continues to write thoughtful, potent songs about changing America – small town Main Street, relationships disintegrated or strengthened by distance and fast-moving times, the vast chasm between this nation’s poverty and wealth.” - Allana Nash, Stereo Review 

Check out his youtube video of "Girl from the North Country" below, and support this artist by purchasing his music https://davidmallett.com/music/. Take a look at his website for more information and music! 

Performers for this year's Wednesday Folk Traditions can be found here, with links to their websites, and we will be posting performances on our website and facebook page throughout the summer!

This Week at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum!

Charles ‘Chippy' Phelps Huntington

Charles Phelps Huntington, nicknamed “Chippy,” was the youngest son of Lona Marie Goode and Michael Paul Huntington. He was born on May 13, 1928, in Delaware. This photograph, along with the treasure trove of Chippy’s childhood scrapbook, is a recent acquisition of the museum.

Learn more about Chippy's story on our blog! 
https://www.pphmuseum.org/blogging-through-the-museum

PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM RECEIVES MCFF GRANT

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation is pleased to announce that it has received matching grants totaling $46,000 from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund (MCFF) capital grants program and a Systems Replacement Plan (SRP), to develop a 20-year capital needs assessment for the museum and its mechanical systems.These matching grants will support critical preservation and maintenance projects including painting, window restoration, roofing, flashing and gutter replacement, driveway repairs, carpentry repairs and lally column replacement as well as future planning.

We hope you will consider generously contributing to the $23,000 match we need to raise for these critical projects. 

"Wednesday Folk Traditions" June 24, 2020

This week for the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum's Wednesday Folk Traditions we showcase Zikina. Featuring Uganda native Gideon Ampeire, Zikina plays an exciting fusion of Ugandan folk music with contemporary influences. Ampeire draws you in with traditional East African vocals and instruments including enanga, adungu, and kalimba - all of which he builds himself. Mike Cardozo, Roston Kirk and Kade Parkin ensconce Gideon’s vocals within a sonic landscape that flows seamlessly from intense grooves to joyous dance beats to dreamy textures with Gideon’s vocals cutting powerfully through the fabric or floating lightly above.

Check out their recorded performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l2Xxl2ZhwA&t=31s!

And consider purchasing their music here!

Performers for this year's Wednesday Folk Traditions can be found here, with links to their websites, and we will be posting performances on our website and facebook page throughout the summer!

Help Support the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation

Past and Present

This week at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, we continued to engage with the new acquisitions from David M. G. Huntington. We have several posts coming out this week with more information, so keep an eye on our website for updates on our research!

     A new collection page has been created by intern Haden featuring our ‘Canton ware’, a Chinese porcelain popular in late 18th and early 19th century America.  The collection consists of approximately 87 different plates, serving platters, covered dishes, tea service items, ginger jars, and sauce boats— most of which can be found in the house’s dining room, as you would have found them in centuries past. Want to know more? Follow this link to see the page!

      Also of interest this week, was a print of Epes Sargent by John Singleton Copley included in the acquisitions. While not the original painting, this piece adds to the history of the Sargent family, and subsequently the Huntington family, as Hannah Dane Sargent married Frederic Dan Huntington, adding the Sargent lineage to the family genealogy. Click here to visit our blog!

      Further in the week we will also be highlighting the short life of Charles ‘Chippy’ Phelps Huntington. Passing away at only nine years old, Chippy left behind a scrapbook which was later filled by his mother with memories and pieces of his life. Like and follow our Facebook page for updates!

This Week : "Wednesday Folk Traditions"

This week for the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum's virtual Wednesday Folk Traditions we highlight Jose Gonzales and Criollo Clasico. Bringing contemporary rhythms of Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic led by one of today’s foremost exponents of Caribbean music, acclaimed for his original compositions featuring the cuatro. “Full of rhythms, flowing melodies and masterly guitar playing.” – Union News.
Click here to see their facebook page, and consider supporting these artists by purchasing their music!

See our Wednesday Folk Tradition Page for performances and information on the artists!

Celebrating Preservation Month

On May 27, 1752, the roof of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House was first raised by Moses Porter. Originally a gable roof, it was converted to a gambrel roof by Charles and Elizabeth Phelps around 1800 to add more space on the third floor and as part of the general remodeling of the house into the more fashionable Federal style. Today, in an effort to preserve the architecture and appearance of the historic house, The Foundation works hard to maintain and repair it. Through generous donations and grants, recent work was done on the eastern side of the roof, allowing it to continue to protect the rest of the building from the weather. Routine maintenance and repair like this is key to the preservation of important landmarks for future generations. You can help support the preservation of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House by visiting our website to learn more and donating here!

Honoring Historic Preservation

Interested to see how The Porter-Phelps-Huntington House has been preserved?

In honor of Preservation Month, we’ve shared a few preservation-related stories to help you learn about  projects that help to keep this historic house in good repair so that it remains a bastion for public knowledge and learning. One of our more notable recent projects was the restoration of the front portico columns surrounding the main entrance to the house. Added to the house during the expansion in 1799, this Federal-style portico has been a focal point for generations of family members and now members of the public for more than 200 years.

We now have the ability to receive online donations, so you can quickly and easily help us maintain this wonderful historic site for future generations!

Preservation Month this May

Preservation month is something to celebrate across the nation and in our local communities! It is a time to engage in shared histories, promote the benefits of preservation, and take pride in community. Established in 1973, preservation month continues today, and we are thrilled to participate and share our efforts!

Built in 1752 by Moses Porter, the rooms and architecture of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum remain as they were arranged by members of the family to accommodate the procession of relatives, neighbors, community leaders and workers who crossed the house’s threshold. From farmers and businessmen, to religious leaders and social workers, to servants and enslaved people, the stories of many men, women, and children spanning 250 years of American History are told within the house. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

After almost three centuries, the house remains in excellent condition due to preservation efforts made by The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation Inc. In order to preserve the integrity of its history, the house regularly requires routine maintenance and repairs, including painting, roofing, and carpentry. This work is made possible through generous grants and donations from members of the public. Over the past forty years, the museum has received grants from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and the Mass Cultural Facilities Fund, which we are also honored to be a grant recipient from this year.

Your generous donations and interaction with the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum allow for projects that preserve this historic house for community events and engaged learning. Under normal circumstances, we would invite you to take a tour, explore the grounds, and join us for “A Perfect Spot of Tea” or our Wednesday Folk Traditions. This year we encourage you to visit our online resources, check out the musicians that would have been performing this summer, and share a cup of tea from home! 

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive, Hadley MA on Route 47 just two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47 North in Hadley.  For information concerning tours or special events, phone (413) 584-4699 or check the museum website: www.pphmuseum.org .

PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM WILL BE CLOSED FOR ITS 2020 71st SEASON

PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM 

WILL BE CLOSED FOR ITS 2020 71st SEASON 

      HADLEY – The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, a historic house museum dating to 1752 in Hadley Massachusetts determined that it will not open, or hold public programming for its 71st season due to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic. After doing historical research into past pandemics in the 19th and 20th centuries, it is clear that the impact of Covid 19 will be with us for a long time. Until there is an effective vaccine the Museum will be closed for all tours, Wednesday Folk Traditions, “A Perfect Spot of Tea”, Corn Barn exhibits, Community Days, and the many other programs held at this historic site.  

With the shut down of the Museum’s programming, we hope to continue encouraging historical understanding with the PPH collections and research through our website and social media. We are fortunate to have several new summer interns that will be cataloguing recent collections, organizing archival papers, and working with proper distancing. They will be updating the website and Facebook with their research and findings throughout the summer, and look forward to introducing themselves and their interests with a bio on Facebook. Without the Museum’s programs that bring community engagement and critical financial support for all of the operations of the PPH Museum, we hope all will go to our website to learn more about the museum’s collections and the important research our Museum Interns do each season. 

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is also the Way-Point Center for the National Connecticut River Scenic Byway. The Museum hosts a panel exhibit on the natural history of the Valley, the Museum’s history, and sites along the by-way for travelers. While this interpretive center is closed along with the Museum, a trail system beginning at the Museum and traversing the farm fields along the river and to the old buggy path to the top of Mount Warner, where the family grazed their cattle in the 18th century, remains open. This trail system was created with the help of the PVPC and cooperation from several organizations and land owners including TTOR, the Nature Conservancy, Kestrel Trust and the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation. The Museum asks that any users practice regular social distancing and carry masks in case they encounter others on the trail. Parking is best at the Museum on the outer circle where there are Please Park Here signs.

The Wednesday Folk Traditions concerts and Teas were all scheduled and programmed with a great list of performers representing the best in folk traditions across our broad cultural roots. Grants were in place from our local and state agencies and business support letters, and Foundation Grants had been sent to our generous regional sponsors. Many businesses have responded with support. However, we are concerned about all our local restaurants, farm family supporters, florists, and small grocers who donate to the teas. They need your help! Please find our 2019 Tea donor list and celebrate their past support of PPH in whatever way you can.

Given this shutdown we also hope to highlight the musicians that had agreed to perform at PPH this summer. Performances of each will be linked on our website and Facebook the week they were scheduled to perform. We hope we can successfully do this with their support and our limited technology. These are artists that could use your support too, so please see if they have albums you can purchase from them directly, or share their work on social media!  

We appreciate everyone’s support during this time, and while the house will be closed, supporters can donate to keep the museum going until next season through the museum’s website, www.pphmuseum.org.

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The Porter-Phelps-Huntington House, known as Forty Acres, is an 18th-century farm on the banks of the Connecticut River that today interprets life in rural New England over three centuries.  Through the words, spaces and possessions of the women and men who lived here, the Museum portrays the activities of a prosperous and productive 18th-century farmstead. Members of this household along with numerous artisans, servants and slaves made "Forty Acres" an important social and commercial link in local, regional and national cultural and economic networks.  Through the 19th century the generations transformed the estate into a rural retreat. In the 20th-century the house was preserved as a museum by family members and now contains the possessions of six generations of this extended family. 

    The rooms in the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum remain as they were arranged by members of the family to accommodate the procession of relatives, neighbors, community leaders and workers who crossed the house’s threshold.  From farmers and businessmen, to religious leaders and social workers, to servants and slaves, the stories of many men, women, and children spanning 250 years of American History are told  within the house. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington   House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

  The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive, Hadley MA on Route 47 just two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47 North in Hadley.  For information concerning tours or special events, phone (413) 584-4699 or check the museum website: www.pphmuseum.org .

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Clifton Johnson Photography

Click HERE check out the new page on our website that features Clifton Johnson's photography of PPH and Hadley from the "Clifton Johnson Collection" at Jones Library!

Thank You

Thank you to all who supported the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum’s 70th season. Especially to those businesses, foundations, government agencies, musicians, young volunteers and summer interns that donated their gifts and talents to realize our summer programs: the 38th season of Wednesday Folk Traditions, the 40th season of “A Perfect Spot of Tea,” and Community Days, among others. And a hearty thank you to our loyal public who came out to attend and engage in all the Museum has to offer.

We will be closing for the 2019 season on Monday, October 14th, but keep an eye on our blog and Facebook page for new posts throughout the winter! And we will be back up and running next May!

Thank you all.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum will be closing for its 70th season on Monday, October 14th.

PPH will open for its 71st season on Saturday, May 16th, 2020.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum will be closed this Monday, September 23rd.

Regular hours will resume Tuesday, September 24th.

The PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM PRESENTS PAN MORIGAN: “I Sing Earth!” Sunday, September 29th, 2019 at 3 pm

HADLEY – The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum concludes its 38th season of Folk Traditions concerts with a performance by Pan Morigan on Sunday, September 29th, 2019 at 3 pm. Morigan will present “I Sing Earth!: Songs for the Fragile Waters and the sweet Dirty Ground: A musical meditation on the times we're livin' in”. Pan Morigan, vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist uses innovative, original songs and passionate, unbridled vocals in multiple tongues, to reflect on migration, home, creativity, and love. Stirring sounds of the imagination with influences that range from traditional Irish, American, and Greek music, to Jazz, she offers something ineffable and timeless. This performance will be held at 3 pm in the Sunken Garden at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, 130 River Drive, Route 47, Hadley MA 01035. Admission is $12, $2 children 16 and under.  Picnickers are welcome on the museum’s grounds starting at 1:30 pm. The museum and its grounds are a smoke-free site. For further information please call (413) 5844699 or view www.pphmuseum.org.

Pan Morigan, a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S., was influenced by many stellar musicians growing up, from Irish fiddlers, and folk and blues artists who jammed in the basement on weekends, to Jazz innovators, Persian classical musicians, Flamenco players, and Greek folk singers who were neighbors, friends and family. Pan respects her musical influences by integrating them into an authentically innovative songwriting path - honoring roots by finding a new voice. She takes her first inspiration though, from the vast, stormy skies and great lakes of the Midwest where she grew up. She hopes audiences will hear that primeval influence in her singing. Singer Lisa Fischer says that “Pan’s music is a gift to all who really listen.”

Pan Morigan has an extraordinarily wide vocal range and is a passionate powerhouse on stage. She plays hunter’s harp, banjo, guitar, violin and viola and will be accompanied by local greats: Joe Belmont on guitar, Tony Silva on guitar, and Rudi Weeks on bass. Local poet/playwright/producer Lenelle Moise, writing about Morigan’s recent recording Wild Blue, says that Pan’s voice: “Wails, sails, cartwheels, back flips, sashays, dives, soars and absolutely inspires.” 

The Porter-Phelps Huntington Museum’s Wednesday Folk Traditions is funded, in part, by grants from: the Marion I. And Otto C. Kohler Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; the Amherst and Hadley Cultural Councils, local agencies, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; Massachusetts Cultural Council Festivals Program; Easthampton Savings Bank, Eversource Energy, Gage-Wiley & Co., and with generous support from many local businesses. 

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The Museum is open for guided tours throughout the summer and fall; hours are listed at pphmuseum.org. The house, which remains unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. The family, prosperous traders turned farmers, fought in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars, rose to prominence in local government, and embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. Tours highlight both local and regional narratives, from architecture, material culture, and labor, to early-American theology, economics, women’s history and social movements. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 or visit our website at http://www.pphmuseum.org .

The PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM ANNOUNCES CHANGE IN HOURS FOR THE FALL SEASON: Friday-Tuesday, 1-4 pm

HADLEY – The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum announces a change in the hours of operation for the fall season. Starting on September 6th, through the museum’s closing on October 15th, the museum will be open for tours Friday-Tuesday, from 1-4 pm. Admission is $5 for adults and $1 for children under 12. Guided tours are approximately an hour long.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The house, which remains unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. The family, prosperous traders turned farmers, fought in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars, rose to prominence in local government, and embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. Tours highlight both local and regional narratives, from architecture, material culture, and labor, to early-American theology, economics, women’s history and social movements. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 or visit our website at http://www.pphmuseum.org .

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THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM CONCLUDES ITS 2019 SEASON OF “A PERFECT SPOT OF TEA” WITH A PERFORMANCE BY DANSE CAFÉ ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 24TH

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum concludes its 2019 series of  “A PERFECT SPOT OF TEA” on Saturday, August 24th. There has been a change in performers, and this event will now feature Danse Café. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum invites guests to partake in its 250 year old tradition of afternoon tea with good company, interesting conversation, and lively music. Admission is $12 per person. There are seatings at 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. For an additional fee, guests may also tour the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum. Tours will be every hour on the half hour; at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30.

Danse Café performs traditional dance music from France and Brittany. Their performance will include lively tunes for Breton line dances such as the an dro, hanter dro, gavotte, and rond, energetic bourrées and scottishes from the Auvergne, slinky mazurkas from the Occitan, French circle dances, and waltzes, both 3 and 5 beat. The group includes Cynthia Thomas on the fiddle, Doug Feeney on the guitar and banjo, Peter Stolley on the accordion, and Thomas Gajewski on the clarinet and mandolin.

Elizabeth Porter Phelps, a resident of the house from its construction in 1752, regularly hosted teas until her death in 1817, and noted the teas often attracted ten to fifteen couples weekly. Elizabeth’s daughter met her future husband, Dan Huntington, at one of these events. Visitors would “tarry” a while over a beverage that “cheers but not inebriates.”

The series is made possible through generous donations from area musicians, volunteer servers, restaurants, grocers, florists, and other businesses who provide the music, engagement, tea, pastries, and flowers for this program.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The Museum is open for guided tours Saturday through Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The house, which remains unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. The family, prosperous traders turned farmers, fought in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars, rose to prominence in local government, and embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. Tours highlight both local and regional narratives, from architecture, material culture, and labor, to early-American theology, economics, women’s history and social movements. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 or visit our website at http://www.pphmuseum.org .

THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM CONTINUES ITS 2019 SEASON OF “A PERFECT SPOT OF TEA” WITH A PERFORMANCE BY BOX SHOP BLUES ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 17TH

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum continues its 2019 series of  “A PERFECT SPOT OF TEA” on Saturday, August 17th with a performance by Box Shop Blues, playing original folk, blues, ragtime, and rock. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum invites guests to partake in its 250 year old tradition of afternoon tea with good company, interesting conversation, and lively music. Admission is $12 per person. There are seatings at 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. For an additional fee, guests may also tour the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum. Tours will be every hour on the half hour; at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30.

Box Shop Blues will perform original folk, blues, and ragtime. The duo is comprised of Pioneer Valley residents Walter Burnham, a prolific singer-songwriter and pianist, and Mitch Mulholland, the lead-guitarist, and University of Massachusetts professor emeritus in anthropology. Both men work with Leverett Crafts & Arts, a non-profit studio, gallery, and education space in a historic building in Leverett, MA. 

Elizabeth Porter Phelps, a resident of the house from its construction in 1752, regularly hosted teas until her death in 1817, and noted the teas often attracted ten to fifteen couples weekly. Elizabeth’s daughter met her future husband, Dan Huntington, at one of these events. Visitors would “tarry” a while over a beverage that “cheers but not inebriates.” The series is made possible through generous donations from area musicians, volunteer servers, restaurants, grocers, florists, and other businesses who provide the music, engagement, tea, pastries, and flowers for this program. 

The “A Perfect Spot of Tea” series concludes on Saturday, August 24th, with a performance by Celtic Calamity,  a group of amateur musicians consisting of two fiddles, three mandolins and two Irish bouzoukis. 

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The Museum is open for guided tours Saturday through Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The house, which remains unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. The family, prosperous traders turned farmers, fought in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars, rose to prominence in local government, and embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. Tours highlight both local and regional narratives, from architecture, material culture, and labor, to early-American theology, economics, women’s history and social movements. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 or visit our website at http://www.pphmuseum.org .

THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM CONTINUES ITS 2019 SEASON OF “A PERFECT SPOT OF TEA” WITH A PERFORMANCE BY 56 STRING DUO ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum continues its 2019 series of  “A PERFECT SPOT OF TEA” on Saturday, August 10th with a performance by 56 String Duo, a local musical group featuring Robert Markey and Andrew Jenkins playing Indian inspired guitar and sitar improvisations. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum invites guests to partake in its 250 year old tradition of afternoon tea with good company, interesting conversation, and lively music. Admission is $12 per person. There are seatings at 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. For an additional fee, guests may also tour the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum. Tours will be every hour on the half hour; at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30.

56 String Duo is comprised of Robert Markey and Andrew Jenkins playing Indian-inspired guitar and sitar improvisations. Robert Markey studied classical and blues guitar and then sitar in Boston and in India. His music is based in the North Indian (Hindustani) music tradition, playing a mix of ragas from North and South India and raga-like improvisations from Persia, Japan, Hungary and Indonesia. In addition to his work with music, Robert Markey is a visual artist working in mural, sculpture, and mosaic whose work has been displayed throughout the Pioneer Valley and the world. Andrew Jenkins is a twelve-string guitarist who studied at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, and has been playing music for 38 years. Since relocating to Northampton, Andrew Jenkins performs regularly, and hosts and produces the local TV access show Thoughts and Sounds from New England.

Elizabeth Porter Phelps, a resident of the house from its construction in 1752, regularly hosted teas until her death in 1817, and noted the teas often attracted ten to fifteen couples weekly. Elizabeth’s daughter met her future husband, Dan Huntington, at one of these events. Visitors would “tarry” a while over a beverage that “cheers but not inebriates.” The series is made possible through generous donations from area musicians, volunteer servers, restaurants, grocers, florists, and other businesses who provide the music, engagement, tea, pastries, and flowers for this program. 

The “A Perfect Spot of Tea” series continues on Saturday, August 17th, with a performance by Box Shop Blues, a Leverett based duo playing original folk, blues, ragtime, and rock. 

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The Museum is open for guided tours Saturday through Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The house, which remains unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. The family, prosperous traders turned farmers, fought in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars, rose to prominence in local government, and embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. Tours highlight both local and regional narratives, from architecture, material culture, and labor, to early-American theology, economics, women’s history and social movements. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 or visit our website at http://www.pphmuseum.org . 

THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM PRESENTS THE SWEET MANDOLIN ENSEMBLE ON JULY 28TH, 2019

HADLEY, MA - Around the end of the 19th century, dozens of mandolin orchestras sprang up in Massachusetts and New England. Now, one local ensemble revives that tradition. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is excited to welcome the Sweet Mandolin Ensemble for a special afternoon performance on Sunday, July 28th from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m in the Corn Barn. Admission to the concert is free, however donations are greatly appreciated.

The Sweet Mandolin Ensemble was formed in 2014 by Adam Sweet, who has taught fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and banjo locally since 1986. The group is based in Granby, Massachusetts and recently made Sweet Mandolin Ensemble its official name. Formerly known as the South Hadley Mandolin Orchestra and a part of Mandolin New England, Sweet and his co-performers have given concerts at The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum since 2015. The ensemble performs Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical works and includes a wide variety of its namesake instrument, such as the mandola and mandobass and Mando Mo Strings instruments like “The Whale,” a hand-carved F5-style mandocello. On July 28th, the ensemble will perform the World's Premier of the Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 for two Mandolas, featuring the Higginsonic 8 and 10 string instruments, and Mozart's Dissonance Quartet featuring "The Whale" mandocello. Performed by musicians world-wide since 1721, the last of the six Brandenburg Concertos originally featured “two viole da braccio, two viole da gamba, cello, violone, and harpsichord.” It comes to life anew with this first-ever mandola arrangement.

The Museum itself has a link to these fretted instruments; the Long Room in the home displays an ornate mandola supposedly given to Elizabeth Whiting Phelps by her brother around the year 1790. To see this and other collections currently on display, guests may tour the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum on the day of the concert. Tours will be held at 1:00 p.m. and immediately following the performance. Admission for a guided tour is $5.

Sweet’s Irish music ensemble Celtic Calamity will also be performing at the Museum’s final “A Perfect Spot of Tea” event on August 24th.

The house, which remains largely unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. Porter, Phelps, and Huntington family members were prosperous traders turned farmers who fought in both the Seven Years’ War and the Revolutionary War, rose to prominence in local government, and embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. Tours highlight both local and regional narratives, ranging in focus from architecture, material culture, and labor, to early-American theology, economics, and social movements.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The Museum is open for guided tours Saturday through Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 or visit our website at www.pphmuseum.org.

THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM CONTINUES ITS 2019 SEASON OF “A PERFECT SPOT OF TEA” WITH A PERFORMANCE BY PETER WEST AND BURT JACKSON ON SATURDAY, JULY 27 TH

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum continues its 2019 series of  “A PERFECT SPOT OF TEA” on Saturday, July 27th with a performance by Peter West and Burt Jackson, a duo performing instrumental jazz, pop, and original songs. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum invites guests to partake in its 250 year old tradition of afternoon tea with good company, interesting conversation, and lively music. Admission is $12 per person. There are seatings at 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. For an additional fee, guests may also tour the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum. Tours will be every hour on the half hour; at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30.

During tea on Saturday, July 27th, Peter West and Burt Jackson will perform instrumental jazz, pop, and original songs. Peter West has been playing guitar professionally since 1980 and takes his audiences on a melodious and stimulating turn through instrumental jazz, pop, and original songs. He has been giving wonderful performances at the museum's “A Perfect Spot of Tea” for over a decade. At his side is Bert Jackson, another highly skilled guitarist with over 25 years of playing experience in blues, jazz, and other styles.

Elizabeth Porter Phelps, a resident of the house from its construction in 1752, regularly hosted teas until her death in 1817, and noted the teas often attracted ten to fifteen couples weekly. Elizabeth’s daughter met her future husband, Dan Huntington, at one of these events. Visitors would “tarry” a while over a beverage that “cheers but not inebriates.” The series is made possible through generous donations from area musicians, volunteer servers, restaurants, grocers, florists, and other businesses who provide the music, engagement, tea, pastries, and flowers for this program. 

The “A Perfect Spot of Tea” series continues on Saturday, August 3rd, with a performance by Same Old Blues, a group which performs 1920’s and 30’s Piedmont and East Coast blues. 

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The Museum is open for guided tours Saturday through Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The house, which remains unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. The family, prosperous traders turned farmers, fought in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars, rose to prominence in local government, and embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. Tours highlight both local and regional narratives, from architecture, material culture, and labor, to early-American theology, economics, women’s history and social movements. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 or visit our website at http://www.pphmuseum.org . 

WEDNESDAY FOLK TRADITIONS at the PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON MUSEUM CONCLUDES WITH SAYREAL & REBELLE JULY 24th, 2019

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum concludes the 38th season of the Wednesday Folk Traditions concert series on Wednesday, July 24th with the return of SayReal & ReBelle, the coming-together of a family of musicians. These seasoned international performers plus a collective of young musical revolutionaries ignite a narrative of lyric, rock, and reggae. This and all other performances are held Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm in the Sunken Garden at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, 130 River Drive, Route 47, Hadley MA 01035.  Admission is $12, $2 for children 16 and under. Picnickers are welcome on the museum grounds starting at 5:00 pm. The museum and its grounds are a smoke-free site. For further information please call (413) 584-4699 or view www.pphmuseum.org. 

SayReal represents the new generation, a pop-reggae band based out of Los Angeles, CA, whose rhythms and tones have roots here in the Pioneer Valley. Naia Kete leads the group with vocal chops that brought her to a top ten finish on The Voice. She performs with her brother, multi-talented musician Imani Devi-Brown, and with bassist and percussionist Lee John. Naia and Imani are the children of ReBelle performer and founder Kalapana Devi, and went to school and began their musical careers locally, influenced by the powerful musical traditions of their parentage. The band and its members have received accolades including mention in Rolling Stone magazine, People, US Weekly, and more. They have played at major West Coast reggae festivals, sold out the Iron Horse Music Hall, and opened for Ziggy Marley at the Calvin Theater in Northampton. They recently completed a six week tour of the U.S. and Canada with members of David Bowie’s original ensembles. SayReal has distinguished itself by bringing focus on social justice issues into pop culture. They are currently fundraising for their community outreach initiative, Concerts and Conversations. Concerts and Conversations provides special programming at schools where the band members perform, teach, and engage with students in conversation about relationships between creativity and social responsibility.  

ReBelle is an intergenerational and intercultural band from Africa and America. Founded by Manou Alkebulan and Kalpana Devi, the ReBelle story has a rich foundation of love and powerful musicianship. ReBelle plays all original music, sung in four different languages: English, Wolof, Creole, and French. Their powerhouse vocalists chant meditations on liberation while the band propels roots reggae soul. The band’s mystical mix of pulsing tribal rhythms, guitar, and tight harmonies is internationally acclaimed. ReBelle is heard on airwaves throughout Africa, Europe, Jamaica, the Americas, and the world. In Senegal and Cape Verde, and in the U.S. from Maine to Florida to California, ReBelle has performed hundreds of concerts at noted festivals, venues, and colleges. ReBelle is committed to love, unity, freedom, and peace throughout the world. According to the Valley Advocate, “ReBelle does some heavy channeling in their live shows… When ReBelle performs, concert halls become churches, and for several hours… people come together.”

The Porter-Phelps Huntington Museum’s Wednesday Folk Traditions is funded, in part, by grants from: the Marion I. And Otto C. Kohler Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts; the Amherst and Hadley Cultural Councils, local agencies, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; Massachusetts Cultural Council Festivals Program, Easthampton Savings Bank, Eversource Energy, Gage-Wiley & Co., and with generous support from many local businesses. 

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The Museum is open for guided tours Saturday through Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The house, which remains unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. The family, prosperous traders turned farmers, fought in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars, rose to prominence in local government, and embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. Tours highlight both local and regional narratives, from architecture, material culture, and labor to early-American theology, economics, women’s history, and social movements. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 .