January 2012

January 28: "Going Places" at the Harbor History Museum in Gig Harbor

This NEH on the Road traveling exhibit was made possible through the Mid-America Arts Alliance and the
National Endowment for the Humanities

Exhibit date: January 28 - March 16, 2012

Carriages—not cars—once ruled the road. These forerunners of automobiles and trucks were absolutely essential to American life in the 1800s. Carriages came in an amazing assortment of sizes, shapes and finishes; and they had a wide variety of uses. They moved people from place to place, transported goods, demonstrated their owners’ pride and accomplishments, and provided new leisure opportunities. But carriages were not for everyone. Owning a vehicle, and the horse or horses to pull it, took a good deal of money. At the time, a smaller percentage of the American population owned carriages than now own cars.

However, the standard of living of Americans improved greatly during the 1800s. As more and more people were able to own vehicles, they began to demand more and better roads. And as roads improved, people could go more and more places—and faster. This, in turn, greatly helped the developing American economy, since horse-drawn vehicles often provided the necessary connections between other forms of transportation—trains, canal boats, and steamships—to get people and goods to their final destination.

Going Places, organized by The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, and Carriages, explores the culture, evolution, and eventual demise of horse-drawn transportation, from the early nineteenth century, through the industrial revolution, and into the 1900s and the dawn of the automobile age. Along the way, diverse artifacts—including a full-sized child’s carriage, horse goods and tack, and other transportation materials—speak volumes about our insatiable desire for travel, speed, and new technology. The exhibition also covers a broad range of questions: How were carriages used and outfitted? Where were they sold, and who could afford them? What happened when cars began to take over American roadways? The answers are surprising, and frequent parallels to today’s car culture make Going Places a fascinating journey.

New winter hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm; Sunday, noon to 4 pm

Visit www.harborhistorymuseum.org for more information and admission costs.

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February

Feb. 4: SAVE THE DATE - HERTIAGE LEAGUE OF PIERCE COUNTY ANNUAL MEETING

Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Washington State History Museum, 1901 Pacific Avenue

Featured Speaker: Jennifer Kilmer, Executive Director, Washington State History Museum

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Feb. 11: Afternoon Tea at Historic Fort Steilacoom

Ladies of the Territory are cordially invited to attend an afternoon
Valentines Tea with Abigail and Elizabeth, daughters of  Mrs. Colonel Silas Casey,
on Saturday the 11th of February, 2012.

The tea will be held at the Casey home at Fort Steilacoom, Washington Territory.

Please arrive by 2 o’clock p.m. so that you will have plenty of time for socializing.

Please, also, do reply no later than February 5th, as Mrs. Casey’s housekeeper
will need time to prepare the refreshments.

Notation:

In 1859 Abigail and Elizabeth lived at the Fort with their parents, Commander of Fort Steilacoom Colonel Silas and Mrs. Casey for a few years. It was a lonely post and they enjoyed hosting social events for ladies of the Territory. We hope you will enjoy their hospitality.

The tea will include re-enactors from Fort Steilacoom and the surrounding area as it was in 1859, period foods to sample, a spinning demonstration, display of handmade items, and a small favor to take home. “A Fancy Fair” silent auction will also be held to benefit the Fort.

The cost of the Tea is $15.00 per person, the proceeds to go to the Fort Steilacoom Museum.

Please RSVP by February 5th. Space is limited, so a prompt reply is recommended.

Please send your check made out to Historic Fort Steilacoom Association, P.O. Box 88447, Steilacoom, WA 98388. Reserva­tions will be made in the order checks are received.

For additional information call (253) 582-5838

 

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Feb. 25: “Wagons West!” -- Presented by master storyteller Karen Haas at Harbor History Museum

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March

March 11:“River, Rail and Road: How We Got Here…and Why” -- Presented by cultural historian William Woodward, Ph.D., Seattle Pacific University

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March at Fort Nisqually Living History Museum

Now registering for their winter classes. Don’t miss out!

If you would like to register, click here! 

Or… call the fort at 253-591-5339

Before There Were Video Games

Meets: 3/3, 10 am - Noon;

Ages: 8 - 10 Yrs.

Fee: $20.00

Description:

Before there were video games, children's toys were homemade. Learn about common toys of the 1800s and make a couple to bring home with you! The class includes patterns, materials and rules for making toys that were available in the 1800s. Instructor: Peggy Barchi

Magical History Tour

Meets: 3/24, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm;

Ages: 16 Yrs. and over

Fee: $65.00 

Description:

Forget Seattle: nothing but stumps and bad land! The earliest settlers to the Puget Sound were heading for opportunities that southern Puget Sound offered. The Magical History Tour will open your eyes to the history that awaits you in your own backyard. Starting at Fort Nisqually in Point Defiance Park, history travelers will visit Fort Steilacoom, historic sites in Steilacoom, and Fort Nisqually's original DuPont site. This tour is a must for lovers of local history. Please bring money to purchase lunch in Steilacoom. Instructor: Mike McGuire

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March 31: "With a Loving Eye: The Photographs of Jini Dellaccio" opens at the Harbor History Museum, Gig Harbor

This exhibit is made possible thorugh a partnership with the Jini Dellaccio Collection, Seattle, Washington

Exhibit sponsors: Boeing and Propel Insurance

Exhibit date: March 31 - July 29, 2012

Jini Dellaccio was born in 1917 in rural Indiana. As a teenager during the Great Depression she played saxophone with the “Girl Groups” of that era, giving her a lifelong affinity for the scruffy musicians that would later become the focus of her work.

Following formal studies at the Art Institute of Chicago, Dellaccio relocated to California to work as a fashion photographer. She subsequently moved to Gig Harbor, Washington and began to document the provocative proto-punk garage bands emerging in the neighboring Northwest working class industrial towns of Bremerton and Tacoma.

Dellaccio brought a remarkable degree of sophistication to her portraits of blue-collar rock musicians of the early-to mid-60’s. Her iconic images of seminal Northwest rock ‘n’ roll bands such as the Sonics, Wailers, Daily Flash, Don and the Goodtimes, among countless others, capture both the aesthetics and attitudes of these influential groups. Many of Dellaccio’s photographs were shot among the lush landscape of her Gig Harbor property, and reflect the conventions of the dominant “Northwest School” art movement of the region. Her candid concert photographs - featuring local groups as well as legendary touring acts including the The Who, Yardbirds, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels – mirror the raw, energetic, and often menacing music that characterized early Northwest rock ‘n’ roll.

The artist recently celebrated her 92nd birthday with an exhibition and accompanying catalogue “Rock & Roll” at Seattle’s famed Crocodile club. She currently resides in Seattle, Wash.

Visit: www.jinidellaccio.com for more information about Jini Dellaccio, and to view her trend-setting work.

Harbor History winter hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday, noon to 4 pm

Visit www.harborhistorymuseum.org for more information and admission costs.

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