Outdoor ideas

I like the idea of styling anything outside to resemble signs from the parks system. Tourists are familiar with it so it might attract attention.

Sign examples:

Maybe a small enclosure? I wonder what the requirements are to be considered a “destination” by DOT? Would an enclosure get you a sign? Open picnic tables are easier, but they can attract bears.

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A fence could also help get attention. It would define the house from the street, just add a bit of curb appeal. Although I like the state park feel, historic likeness is possible too. Federal architecture is attractive and it looks good behind a fence

JM. Although I like the ideas, esp. the uncovered National Park sign (shown in reddish brown in 1st group), I am getting scared of this idea for at least 2 reasons.  The cost would be high relative to indoor displays, and parking.  If we put something up that attracts passing motorists we must also make it clear where they should park. The sign would also have to tell people the house was closed and that they could only see the inside by appointment.  Do we (I) really want a lot of people calling for appointments? (no).  Maybe best to concentrate on making the inside an interesting and welcoming experience so that schoolchildren could enjoy it as well as those who attend our events.  We could have a grand opening or an occasional open house to try and get more people to see it.  Still, I keep an open mind about exterior ideas.

Ideas to appeal to kids

I’ve talked with a middle-school librarian who says that kids are interested in weird, gross, or scary things. She suggested I focus a bit on his connection to the Salem witch trials, but I’m nervous that it would inappropriately glorify it, and it’s only related in a small way to Hawthorne. I agree with you. There is a story about a Raymond husband and wife who froze to death when Hawthorne lived in Raymond, I believe the couples daughter was taken in by the Mannings and that Hawthorne later uses the story in his writing. That could be interesting? Yes, that was the Tarbox family and the little girl was Betsy, I believe-JM.

I would like to have a display that has some visual depictions of things for period children. Little knives for cutting quill pens, clothes, school desks, etc. things children today can understand but don’t have. There is a specific style of drawing that I find quite appealing by Eric Sloan. The diagram below is his work and he has endless interesting diagrams on so many historic and natural subjects.  Great ideas here.

I’m not sure if it would even be possible to get rights to his work but I’d be interested, or if not his work specifically something of this nature would be okay.

I talked with Rose from RCHS, and she has a scavenger hunt for children to complete on their visits, it’s a really good idea. Easy to execute and easy to engage the kids with. When I mentioned the idea to the middle school librarian she thought the kids would expect a prize. I know the scavenger hunt and it is fun for the kids, but a hunt for objects might be too disruptive. If we could orient them to look for written clues as opposed to objects, it would encourage them to read the displays.  e.g. “In what year(s) did NH attend Bowdoin college?”

Timeline

This is a rough idea of what I’m thinking of for the timeline organization and content. The idea is to more easily tie together events happening at different levels to offer a comprehensive picture of the past. I also like the timeline because it contains enough information to easily make other related displays, sort of like a master plan.

Again, this is very rough; my initial thoughts are that the house is really empty and filling it with tangible displays is not feasible both because of cost and that it would probably hinder functions held here. This layout would fill visual space, allow a lot of information to be present (without getting in the way), and can accommodate some tangible displays (like the low display cabinet currently in HH) around the base of the wall. The scale and content of this project is extremely flexible.

JM – Lots of good ideas here and I like the timeline very much, as well as your ideas for posting quotes in the now vast empty spaces above.

Here is some of the images I’ve been looking for inspiration. Another nice option with a timeline is that it could be constructed to stand on the floor so it won’t damage walls, can be moved, etc.