Apples & foliage & pumpkins – Oh my!
It’s officially Fall and to celebrate this beloved season here in New England, we wanted to share a bit of fall-themed history relative to our home in the White Mountains.
(“015104. The Wizard Tree, Cathedral Wood, Intervale, White Mountains”. “Copyright 1900 by Detroit Photographic Co.”
(see copyright info). This is a photograph of the framed print hanging downstairs at the Conway Public Library)
The image of the “The Wizard Tree” is a striking image of a “giant” tree (relative to the surrounding trees) that puts me in mind of an outstretched hand reaching toward the sky. It’s no wonder how it got its name, as it exudes a solemn serenity with hints of magic at its edges. A large, framed version of the image is available to view in the downstairs hallway of the CPL (see photo above). But where exactly in Intervale could it be found? That is a question that was explored by Bob Cottrell of the CPL’s Henney History Room here. But I think the fact that its location is shrouded in mystery is fitting for its name!
(Photograph of the copy of a print of Benjamin Champney’s “North Conway Meadows” exhibited in the Fall display)
The second image on the top shelf of the display is a depiction of that of Benjamin Champney’s, “North Conway Meadows”. It softly depicts a scene of the White Mountains in the background, with the meandering Saco River and bundles of grain (NOT hay – just ask Bob! To see his interpretation, visit here) nestled in the foreground.
(Image of the corn husk doll in the Fall display)
Cornhusk dolls were made following the harvest of corn, providing a way to use otherwise discarded materials for a child’s companion and toy. For more information surrounding the history of the corn husk doll, check out this blog post from the Los Altos History Museum. And if you’d like to make your own doll, these instructions from the Gilcrease Museum could be a great place to start!
(Image of the straw frog in the Fall display)
Another example of using byproducts to create toys is this straw frog. If you push down on him for a few seconds, he’ll pop back up (thanks to Bob for pointing out that fun fact!)!
On the second shelf of the display, we have some images showcasing the fall foliage in the area – a couple of which feature trains of the Conway Scenic Railroad. If you’d like to explore the picturesque scenes of the Fall foliage as a passenger in a train such as one of these, you can visit the Conway Scenic Railroad’s website for more information.
(Image of the copies of New Hampshire Profiles and The New Hampshire Troubadour magazines included in the Fall display)
Another thing many of us associate with Fall, is football! The third shelf of the display includes an image, inscribed with “Nov. 1939: Conway Grammar School”. There are also copies of the New Hampshire Profiles and New Hampshire Troubadour magazines, all sporting their Fall inspired covers (see photo above). For more information on the history of these publications, take a look at this article posted through The Nashua Telegraph.
Thank you to Bob Cottrell of the Henney History Room for the backstory to all of these wonderful historical artifacts!
To enrich our Fall display even more, The Conway Historical Society graciously loaned us two pieces to further explore the history of the season in our region.
(Images of an old apple corer/peeler provided by the Conway Historical Society)
(Image of a framed chromolithograph print of B.B.G. Stone’s “Harvest”, done by L. Prang & Co., provided by the Conway Historical Society)
Thank you for taking the time to learn about our Fall display here at Conway Public Library! I love the Fall season and it’s been a lot of fun exploring our area’s history through the lens of all things Fall-related.
- Juli Medeiros (intern)