The cool (cold?) winds are blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean and bathing Columbia Falls and the rest of the eastern Maine coast with the sure signs of winter. The scenery is lovely with autumn hues of golds, reds and shades of brown and orange. We are doing our first things to ready the Ruggles House for our winter closing. Fall painting of exterior parts of the house and fence are being done. Some repair of the window frames and sills on the back side of the house are also getting attention. To maintain this antique house requires constant vigilance as you certainly realize if you own an old wooden home in Maine.
The final closing of the House will be done after the Sunday afternoon Christmas Tea on Dec. 5th. We will be open to the public from 1 - 4 PM, charging a fee of $3.00 to see the Ruggles House and sample some very special teas from Teas of Cherryfield, mulled cider and refreshments of the 1800's period. The gift shop will be open to buy Christmas cards, framed prints and note cards featuring the art work of Emily and Lizzie Ruggles. Many other items are offered such as hand knit mittens, hats and dolls. Post cards and a book on antique Maine homes are also on sale. And, of course, the House is decorated in keeping with the 1800's period. The House never looks better than at Christmas.
The opening of the House in June started with a BUZZ. And we do mean a BUZZ. On a Wednesday afternoon in the second week in June, a queen bee (probably from a hive that was being used to pollinate the blueberries on the fields of Washington County) decided to lead her swarm into the roses at the back of the parking lot of the House. It was huge and a concern to us. Before we could get advice to cope with them, they found an opening under the eaves at the back of the house and invaded the attic. By Friday afternoon they were coming into the small children's room on the second floor, via the attic stairway door. We closed off that room but small numbers were in several rooms throughout the house. Professional advice had been procured but our Board often has many talents. Board Member Leslie McSorley, who also does our cleaning, had experience as a bee keeper and still had an empty hive at her house. She came early Sunday morning with suit, smoker, container and all needed equipment; captured the queen and about 3/4 of the workers from several combs which they had started in the attic. She transported them (don't ask how) to her Harrington home where they settled in nicely and worked all summer as busy as bees usually are. The rest of the bees were professionally exterminated, with Leslie (in her attire) vacuuming them up. She has many talents and got sealant and closed the opening under the eaves while she was there. Leslie's profession is not bee keeping but running a quilt shop. She also does plumbing repair as needed. We were only closed two days, thanks to Leslie. It was a new experience for us.
The new herb garden, named in honor of Mary Ruggles Chandler who collected herbs to use in her pharmacy (1906-1945), was planted last fall and this spring. It has started to fill in and will receive more plantings in the spring. A new sign has been ordered for Aunt May's Herb Garden. Bill Brundage donated a sundial to place in the middle of the path opening. We hope to get the herbs marked and a handout printed for our guests who like gardens. It has been enjoyed already. The Pleasant River Garden Club donated some time to plant and weed this spring. The Club is hosting a regional meeting of garden clubs this fall in Columbia Falls. They will visit the garden and the Ruggles House. Thanks!!
We have had two groups visit the House this summer. In August Bonnie Snyder brought a group of twelve people from Sunrise Opportunities in Machias to see the Ruggles House. We hope that they enjoyed their visit. We were glad to have them come to our museum. The second group visited on August 31st and was the Maine State Quilt Study Group. Judy Roche had asked if they could tour the House and examine our antique quilt collection. We were very glad to have the ladies come to look at our quilts. They brought a picnic lunch and gave us much information on quilts. Leslie McSorley, Ellen Tenan and Roberta Hammond, docent, assisted them; learning so much about our collection. The ladies promised a full report in due time. We have some very interesting quilts; some are Ruggles family quilts and some were gifts to the museum.
Work on the Ruggles book by Roger Reed is progressing with photos now being selected and captioned. We don't have a completion date but it will be within the next few months.
David Proulx from Mason's Bay, Jonesport has donated a farm winnowing machine from his family farm. It dates from the 1800's and was used to winnow dry beans, seeds for hay, etc. It is in working order and has the original paint and several screens for different size seeds. He delivered it to the House. Fortunately Elliott Batson and a friend from Addison were driving by and stopped to help put it into the basement. Since it was heavy and very large, their help was most appreciated. They also helped take a grinding wheel and bench into the basement. The grindstone was a donation from the Cherryfield-Narraguagus Historical Society this spring because they had duplicates. In rural Maine we still have neighbors who step up and offer to help. First, thank you Mr. Proulx for this nice gift and, also, the Historical Society for theirs. Secondly thank you to the two kind gentlemen from Addison for their help.
Gay Haroutunian of Steuben has given several bags of clothing that came from the old Crandon house, now owned by Chuck and Roberta Hammond and previously used as a tavern in the early years. The clothing appears to be 1890 vintage and we think may have belonged to the two Crandon ladies who lived there for many years. These ladies were descended from Thomas and Ruth Ruggles through their daughter Ruth Ruggles Crandon. The garments are fascinating but we have not decided how or whether we can use them in the museum. Thanks, Gay.
We are still working on exhibits in the basement area of the new ell. Leslie McSorley has given an old ironing board and carpet sweeper for that area. We take guests down there sometimes as time allows. It is open for special occasions although we need to do labeling. We need to thank Leslie for these items, as well as for foam rubber and material to make a cushion for the bench on the porch. Ellen Tenan will do the seamstress work. Thanks to Pat Iley for painting the porch rocker and donation of a new cushion for it. As usual, Charlie Herr has kept the grounds of the museum mowed, trimmed and done various other chores. We are constantly late on thank you's to Charlie. He seems to be there when we need him.
The gift shop continues to be popular. It is a nice revenue source for the House. As long as Nancy Herr keeps the Ruggles girls' reproduced art work in supply and Ellen Tenan does the sewing and knitting items, it hopefully will continue.
As your historian examines the material in the archives, she finds some nice old gems. The book, entitled Puritan's Progress, by Arthur Train has been in the house since 1958 when it was sent to May Chandler as a gift. Unfortunately Miss Chandler had passed away in 1955, so did not see it. Arthur Train had befriended her in the 1930's and helped greatly on restoring the house. On reading the book, I found it to be a history of the Puritan family of Train from 1635 in Watertown, Massachusetts. As an historian, Arthur Train was very good.
I loved this quote, "Were I attempting to write history, I would sweep away with one magnificent gesture every generality regarding times and people penned by historians since the Fall of Constantinople. I am willing to hazard that there is more of inaccuracy than truth in all unqualified statements and that it is more dangerous to generalize about periods and nations that about individuals, which, Heaven knows, is bad enough." Ellen Tenan
