In Honor of Memorial Day

The Springfield Art and Historical Society would like to take a moment and say thank you to all our men and women in uniform. Thank you for your courage, your service, and your sacrifices.


GAR stands for "Grand Army of the Republic", the veterans' organization formed for veterans of the Civil War. Springfield Library photo collection

 

Sons of Civil War veterans, SAHS colletion - Springfield Library photo collection

  
The photos below are from a Memorial Day service held in Springfield, Vermont c. 1900.



 Citizens of Springfield and veterans of the Civil War gather in town to celebrate Memorial Day.



Springfield High School Vintage Prom

It's spring time! And that means prom season. On Saturday, May 19th Springfield High School will hold its 2012 prom at the Harness House. The Grand March will take place at 7:00pm.

Here is a look at some vintage prom dresses that are part of the SAHS textile collection. All three of these lovely dresses were made by Marion Eldredge for her daughters.

The first is a lovely pink cotton gown made by Mrs. Eldredge for her daughter Anne to wear for her junior prom in 1954. The gown is shown below modeled by student intern Julia during our vintage fashion show last fall. The next two gowns, also by Mrs. Eldredge, were made using Vogue sewing patterns. Interns Abby and Jenn are shown modeling the gold and green gowns.

Above photos by Hannah Lille, 2011

The gold dress was constructed using Vogue Paris Original pattern #1082, view B. Mrs. Eldredge made this for her daughter Betsey for her Springfield High School graduation ball in 1962.

Vogue Paris Original pattern #1082

Vogue Paris Original pattern #1082

Vogue Paris Original 1082

The green satin gown was constructed using Vogue Couturier Design #919 by Mrs. Eldredge for her daughter Dorothy's 1956 Springfield High School prom.

Vogue Couturier Design 919

Photo by Hannah Lille, 2011

Tag Sale May 19th

~ Parker Hill Community TAG SALE ~
 

This Saturday, May 19th from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
~ Rain or Shine ~
  To Benefit the Parker Hill Association and Springfield Art & Historical Society 

 

 
Location:  789 Parker Hill Road, Springfield, Vermont
 

Thank You to H.B. Plumbing and Heating

The Springfield Art and Historical Society would like to extend a special thank you to H.B. Plumbing and Heating for donating their time and equipment to remove a sapling from our chimney! We truly appreciate their help in maintaining our historic "mansion on the hill"!

 

Don't forget our Opening Reception for the annual Student Art Show is this Thursday, May 10th, from 5:00 to 7:30pm. 

Come out and support your local student artists!

Anne Miller's Mink Coat

Donna Welles, the grand niece of Anne Miller has graciously donated her aunt's fur coat to the Springfield Art and Historical Society. It was the Miller family who, in 1956, donated their family home to the town to Springfield. The building is now known as the Miller Art Center and is home the Springfield Art and Historical Society.

The coat, dating to the 1950s or 60s, is made entirely of mink and is in beautiful condition. It has a maker's label which reads Holt Refrew. The coat, along with other new donations, will be on display at the Miller Art Center beginning in June.

Donna Welles wearing her aunt's mink coat

 Here is the history provided by Ms Welles of Anne Miller and her coat.

"Anne Miller was born on Jan 2, 1912 in Perkinsville, VT to Grace Spencer and mechanical engineer, Edward Whitney Miller who worked with Fellows Gear Shaper from 1898-1968. She graduated from Springfield High School before going on to study Italian at Wellesley College. Anne married David "Dave" O. Collins of Hingham, MA and they lived in Hartford, CT until WWII began.

          Dave took his saxophone with him to the European theater where he served as a combat medic in the 63rd Infantry Division of the 7th Army under General Patch. He helped repel the German Offensive called Operation Northwind. After the war, the couple returned to Vermont where Dave worked at the Fellows Gear Shaper plant.

          Never having any children, Anne and Dave explored artistic interests by listening to classical jazz - they saw every great act that came through New England. Highly intelligent, Anne collected art and Hester Bateman Silver. The two of them were genuinely happy until Dave died in 1981. Anne lived another 20 years until September 2001.

          In 2004 Donna Welles, Anne's great niece, took this coat with her to Russia where she spent a year at St. Petersburg State University, before graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas in Dec 2005" 

Update 7/13/12: Here are a few photos of Anne Miller's coat on display in one of our smaller galleries. This beautiful coat will be on display for the remainder of our 2012 season.