Lecture series continues with Milton weaving traditions Feb. 28
The Milton Historical Society will present Warping a Web: Milton’s Weaving Traditions at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum, 210 Union St., Milton.
In his presentation, guest lecturer and historian Matthew Monk uses Aletta Clowes Clark’s diary as an entry point into the history of the art, craft and business of weaving in and around Milton.
“Diaries like Aletta Clowes Clark’s give us a chance to understand the past through the eyes of the people who lived then,” says MHS Chief Curator Heidi Nasstrom Evans. “In this way, Matt’s talk is about so much more than weaving. It gives us insight into the way women lived, socialized and worked in Milton during the Revolutionary War period.”
Born in Lewes in 1767, Clark moved to Milton when she married in 1785. Her weaving stool and her gravestone, along with that of her father, Revolutionary War patriot John Clowes, are part of the museum’s collection.
Monk, a doctoral student in the University of Delaware's History of American Civilization program, was a Smithsonian Women’s Committee Fellow in the woven coverlet collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. He has been a consultant for the Office of the Curator of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Museum of Fine Arts - Boston. Monk is also a craftsperson in woven, quilted and spun textile media.
Monk’s presentation continues the MHS’s Winter Lecture Series, which began Jan. 24 with speakers Phil Martin and Heidi Nasstrom Evans’ examination of the history behind the stained-glass windows in the museum. Originally a Methodist church built in 1857, the museum collects and exhibits artifacts documenting Milton’s rich and interesting history.
“We enjoyed a full house for the talk on our beautiful stained-glass windows,” said Director Mary Knight. “To see [the museum] full of a like-minded ‘congregation’ of people in this setting truly makes you feel the community’s engagement in our little town. We will be opening the Lydia B. Cannon Museum for more exciting public events in 2019. The support of our trustees, members, sponsors and donors ensures continued programs, and enables us to bring new and dynamic presenters to the museum. We hope you will attend the upcoming lectures and help keep history alive by becoming a member.”
The series will conclude Thursday, March 28, with Tad Fallon’s The Art and Science of Furniture Conservation, about the care and preservation of historic furniture and wooden artifacts.
Lectures are open to the public, and reservations are highly recommended, as space is limited. For more information or to make reservations, go to www.historicmilton.org or call 302-684-1010..
Current MHS members may attend for free; cost is $10 for nonmembers, and a reduced rate is available for students with valid ID. Registrants will have the opportunity to become MHS members during the registration process.
Beer donated by Dogfish Head and wine donated by Oak Creek Wine & Spirits will be available for purchase for those 21 and over with valid ID. All proceeds support the organization’s programs.
