Sunday, May 4, 2008

Martha Parsons House Opening Day - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Martha A. Parsons House Museum, 1387 Enfield Street, Route 5.  The Martha Parsons House features the furnishings and possessions acquired by generations of the Parsons family, as well as a collection of Enfield Shaker furniture.  There is always something different to see.  New exhibits and ongoing restorations and improvements to the house and surrounding land ensure that there will be something to interest everyone.  One highlight for this season is the original well, which was reopened last year.  A stone surround and well sweep were completed last fall and are ready for your inspection!  Opening day is a great time to see what is new.  Visit our Martha A. Parsons House Museum page for more about the museum and Martha Parsons.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Old Town Hall Museum Opening Day / New Exhibits! - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Old Town Hall Museum, 1294 Enfield Street, Route 5.  The first day of a new season is always exciting.  The stars of this season are several newly aquired Enfield Shaker items, including a rare West Family hanging cupboard, a beautiful yarn winder, signed work boxes, and more!  All of our Shaker exhibits have been revamped and await you.  As a special opening day treat, cookies and other treats made from original Shaker recipes will be available to tickle your tastebuds!

There are many other new and revamped exhibits throughout the museum, including a sewing exhibit featuring a circa 1910 Singer sewing machine and a variety of other sewing-related items from that period.  Another new exhibit tells about the New England Glass Burial Case Company and the Westfield Plate Company, two Thompsonville manufacturers of caskets and casket hardware.  Recently acquired artificats from the latter company, as well as photographs and ephemera from both companies are featured. 

Many of our basement-level agricultural and industrial exhibits have been revamped as well, or are undergoing overdue upgrades.  There is a tremendous variety of new material to see, and more exhibits will be coming all summer long.  Be sure to visit more than once this year, even if you visited last season.  You won't be disappointed. 

Monday, May 19, 2008

"Springing to the Cause" - 7:00 P.M. at Fellowship Hall, Enfield Congregational church, 1295 Enfield Street on the corner of South Road.  Dennis Picard, curator of Storrowtown Village, will present a program on the Civil War.  Wearing the uniform of a Union Officer he will visit with a crew member of the USS Agawam, a double ended, side wheel gunboat.  The presentation will be illustrated maps and interesting photos.  Please note that this meeting is one week earlier than usual due to the Memorial Day holiday.  Remember - the public is very welcome to this FREE program, so don't be shy!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Model & Toy Engines - 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Old Town Hall Museum, 1294 Enfield Street, Route 5.  This is a program for kids of all ages.  A variety of operating model gas, steam, and hot air engines will be on display, ranging from fanciful toys to precision scale models of real engines.  There will even be an engine that is powered entirely by ice!  You are welcome to bring your own toy or model engines to show off and play with.  Rain date June 8.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Wallop School Open House - 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Wallop School Museum, 1 Wallop School Road on the corner of Abbe Road.  Our volunteers will be happy to share their one room schoolhouse memories with you.  Please drop in during one or more of our open houses.  Stay for a history lesson, practice your letters on a slate, and enjoy your visit.  Remember to be good or you may have to stay after school!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Fathers Day - The Old Town Hall Museum is closed for Fathers Day.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

FREE Petting Zoo - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Old Town Hall Museum, 1294 Enfield Street, Route 5.  Always wanted to live on a farm, but couldn't?  Spend an afternoon at the "farm" without all of the hard work!  Come pet and feed rabbits, sheep, goats, a llama, an alpaca, a donkey, and a mini pony.  Kids of all ages (including you) will love this event.  Rain date June 29.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

FREE Ice Cream Social - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Martha A. Parsons House Museum, 1387 Enfield Street, Route 5.  Visit the Martha Parsons House and enjoy a free ice cream sundae made with Collins Creamery ice cream!  Enjoy an old-fashioned – but never outdated – treat at our historic home.  Be sure to bring the whole family, as kids of all ages enjoy sundaes! 

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Enfield 4th of July Celebration on the Town Green - The Old Town Hall Museum is closed for the day.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Wallop School Open House - 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Wallop School Museum, 1 Wallop School Road on the corner of Abbe Road.  Our volunteers will be happy to share their one room schoolhouse memories with you.  Please drop in during one or more of our open houses.  Stay for a history lesson, practice your letters on a slate, and enjoy your visit.  Remember to be good or you may have to stay after school!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Wallop School Open House - 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Wallop School Museum, 1 Wallop School Road on the corner of Abbe Road.  Our volunteers will be happy to share their one room schoolhouse memories with you.  Please drop in during one or more of our open houses.  Stay for a history lesson, practice your letters on a slate, and enjoy your visit.  Remember to be good or you may have to stay after school!

Saturday, August 23, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008

Revolutionary War Encampment - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Martha A. Parsons House Museum, 1387 Enfield Street, Route 5.  Men and women dressed in period costume will set up a typical Revolutionary War camp behind the Martha Parsons House and demonstrate the daily activities of living and fighting during our war of independence.  Cooking, military drills, and loading and firing muskets are just some of the activities that will be demonstrated.  Bring the whole family and immerse yourselves in life from another time. 

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Wild Animals from the Lupa Zoo - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Old Town Hall Museum, 1294 Enfield Street, Route 5.  Wild animals are coming to the Old Town Hall Museum!  The Lupa Zoo Game Farm, located in Ludlow, Massachusetts, is dedicated to conservation and education.  They will have several wild animals at the Old Town Hall for this special family event, including a kinkajou, sometimes called a cat-monkey because of its long tail; an African wild cat called a serval with tall oval ears and long legs; a leopard gecko with jointed fingers used for climbing (just like the gecko on TV); and an albino skunk!  Adults and children will all enjoy this FREE family event!  Rain date September 7.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Free Elisabeth von Trapp Concert - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Martha A. Parsons House Museum, 1387 Enfield Street, Route 5.  The Martha Parsons Trust will once again sponsor a free concert by Elisabeth von Trapp.  Past years’ concerts have been extremely popular and received rave reviews from concert-goers.  If you haven’t been to one before don’t miss your chance this year, and if you have gone before we know you will want to go again.  More details will be available later this summer. 

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Wallop School Open House - 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Wallop School Museum, 1 Wallop School Road on the corner of Abbe Road.  Our volunteers will be happy to share their one room schoolhouse memories with you.  Please drop in during one or more of our open houses.  Stay for a history lesson, practice your letters on a slate, and enjoy your visit.  Remember to be good or you may have to stay after school!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

FREE Pony Rides - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Old Town Hall Museum, 1294 Enfield Street, Route 5.  Sherry Whitmore from Rocky Acres Farm will bring her two ponies, Gypsy and Daisy, to this special family event.  Gypsy is a 19 year old pinto and Daisy is a 12 year old appaloosa.  Both are gentle and love to give children FREE pony rides!  As an extra special treat, the "Balloon Man" Jim Piekos will entertain children and adults with his wonderful balloon creations.  Hilarious headwear, colorful creations and clever combinations will make this a very special afternoon.  Rain date September 28.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Antique Cars - 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Old Town Hall Museum, 1294 Enfield Street, Route 5.  Antique and classic cars fill the lawn at the Old Town Hall for this annual fall event.  We never know exactly what cars we will have, but you will almost certainly see a Model T or two, as well as cars of the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, and an antique tractor or two.  Antique trucks and motorcycles are also welcome.  Come on down and enjoy the show, or - better yet - bring your antique vehicle and be a part of the show!  Rain date October 12.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Antique Engines - 1:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Old Town Hall Museum, 1294 Enfield Street, Route 5.  Members of the Scantic Valley Antique Engine Club will set up and run antique engines, including "hit and miss" engines.  These early engines replaced the steam engines, animals and humans that formerly powered many machines, including pumps, farm equipment, and even washing machines.  The variety of these engines is amazing.  Come and watch and listen to these survivors of a time gone by.  Rain date October 26.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Closing Day - 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. at the Old Town Hall Museum and Martha A. Parsons House Museum.  This is the last regular operating day for the Martha Parsons House and Old Town Hall museums for the 2008 season.  We hope that you visited all of our museums this year and that we will see you again next year.  Remember - tours can be arranged for individuals or groups year-round.