Hearthside - The House That Love Built

GRANT RECEIVED TO HELP PRESERVE RARE PRINTS OF HEARTHSIDE

A very special ceremony was held at Hearthside on May 17, 2011 as Friends of Hearthside received a check for $1,000 from Historic New England.  Our organization was selected to receive the grant as part of Historic New England’s Community Preservation Program Grants in which one recipient is chosen from each of the New England states.  The grant is for the digitization of 50 early 20th-century handpainted photographs. Bill Durvin, professional photographer from Lincoln, will be undertaking the project.
  
For nearly 100 years, this set of handpainted photographs of Hearthside lay packed away, probably shortly after they were taken. Bill Talbot, direct descendent of former owner of Hearthside Arnold Talbot, discovered the box of prints in his Ohio home attic among other items from the family business, The Hearthside Looms.  He knew immediately that the best place for these prints was back at Hearthside, and so he generously donated them to the house.
  
The prints, which include both interior and exterior shots of Hearthside, were done by renowned photographer David Davidson.  Davidson was considered to be among the foremost photographers in the country at that time doing handpainted photos.  Many are quite rare, and some have been done by a lesser known photographer, Rufus Waterman.  The prints are in immaculate condition, having barely been exposed to light during the past century.  We have had the prints examined by experts who have marveled at the workmanship involved in producing them.  Our plan is to have a major public exhibit to show the prints next year, once the archival process has been completed, and we can raise additional funds that will be necessary to have a professional exhibit.
  
The prints are not only a wonderful glimpse of New England life during the early 20th century, but more importantly they show us what the inside of Hearthside looked like during that time period, and we can see how the rooms have changed over the years. 
  
What made the check presentation ceremony even more special was the appearance by Alice Davidson, daughter-in-law of the famous photographer, who happens to live in Cumberland, the next town over from Lincoln.  She still owns many of his prints and equipment, and the Davidson family has enthusiastically offered to loan us some items for the exhibit next year, which will take place in the very rooms at Hearthside that are pictured in the prints taken 100 years ago!

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