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April 10, 2011 06:22:29
Posted By The Curator
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As you may know, we're working hard on our old house to make it look...well...still old, more shiny and amazing. Take a look at the photos from our latest restoration project! I'll have finished photos on here next week, but we've been working hard on the 1st and 2nd floor grand halls and I couldn't wait to show off what's been done!
These rooms were wallpapered in all original photographs we have, so unfortunately, financially we were unable to restore them to their exact appearance. We were however able to check colors based on what was common in other historic homes dated to the same period and came up with some rather spiffy colors!
Take a look:
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June 1, 2010 12:08:15
Posted By The Curator
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Hello All!
Here are a few pics from our recent plaster restoration. We still have a long way to go, but it's been a great start!
Durable Restoration of Ohio performed the work. They are known for jobs including the Warren Harding and Rutherford Hayes houses among other remarkable buildings!
They really made our parlor looks spiffy!
At some point mid 1900s, forced air heating was installed and a floor beam was cut through to accomodate it! They had to jack the floor up in the library and reframe the area to keep the 2nd floor on the 2nd floor!
Durable was able to save samples of the removed plaster, discovering the bottom or original layer of paint! We were able to match the color using the handy computers at Sherwin Williams Paints and return our ceiling to its original color!
More photos of the completed rooms soon!!!!!!
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March 14, 2010 01:18:50
Posted By The Curator
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Did you ever want to know how to care for your heirloom furniture? Decorate your Victorian home? We have been hard at work trying to find ways to help you out with these things and this summer and are adding workshops to our summer schedule. Starting in June, we will be holding workshops open to the public on these topics and more and want your feedback on what else you want to learn at the museum! We would be holding any of these on Saturdays and will be taking reservations once plans are finalized. Here are a few of our proposed topics:
Herbs and their Uses
Step back in time with us to learn what rue, tansy, and other herbs you may not have even heard of are, what their uses were/are, and how to grow them in your own home.
Antiques 101
Come learn an overview on purchasing, collecting, and decorating with antiques. We’ll go over some ways to spot fakes, and where to look to find the most accurate values of your collection.
Decorating with and Caring for Antique Furniture
Enjoy antique furniture collecting? We do (for obvious reasons)! Join us to look at different styles of furniture, how to best decorate a room with them, and how they should be maintained.
Creating a Victorian Holiday in your home
You may have been to our house for Christmas over the years, but did you ever wonder how to do some of those things at home? We could show you.
Cooking with Katherine
Katherine Reynolds’ handwritten family cookbook is part of our collection and we’d be happy to open it up for you! Come learn just how many of the vague, complicated recipes of old time are made in modern kitchens!
Please help us this week by reading these options and emailing us with you vote at museum@baldwinreynolds.org on which workshops would interest you the most. If you have other ideas for workshops, don’t hesitate to let us know as well as which of those I mentioned are your favorites. We can’t wait to serve you in even more ways in 2010!
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February 2, 2010 04:40:19
Posted By The Curator
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It’s amazing how a person can change the climate of a town or city forever. When Gideon Sundback was brought into the fold at what would become Talon, the Swedish born and German trained electrical engineer may have seen a challenge he couldn’t pass up, but by no means could have dreamed his work would change Meadville forever. After finding two chairs at the museum donated by Marguerite Titus Sundback, wife of zipper fame, we’d like to share a small taste of their lives.
Gideon Sundback moved to the United States from Sweden at the age of 24, almost immediately taking a job at Westinghouse in Pittsburgh. He was quickly sought out by the Automatic Hook and Eye Company (predecessor to Talon) in Hoboken, New Jersey. He took on the project of trying to improve upon existing zipper designs in 1906, giving speculation as to the reason for his interest a mix between the desire of a challenge and the appeal of his employer’s daughter, Elvira Aronson. Sundback and Aronson were married in 1909. Sundback moved to New Jersey and began work on improving the C-curity which after a year on the market was beginning to reveal problems already.
Sundback was determined and with new interest from Lewis Walker who had began to drift from the failing company, in 1913 Walker purchased the company and assets for $50,000 and tied his fate to it completely- moving it to Meadville Pennsylvania.
Upon the design of Sundback’s Hookless #2, the zipper in Meadville became a permanent staple and with it the fame of Walker, Sundback, and the rest of the Hookless Fastener Company in Meadville, PA. The company was eventually renamed Talon and its fame continued for decades- locally to this day.
Many of our readers may have worked for Talon Zipper and some may have been fortunate enough to know Sundback, who remarried Marguerite in 1916 after his first wife’s death in 1911. Their legacy lives on at the museum in the form of Marguerite’s leadership there in the Baldwin-Reynolds House’s early years as well as two French styled chairs in the library. Those chairs are permanent fixtures in our exhibits, just as their former owners will forever remain permanent fixtures in our fair city.
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January 25, 2010 02:28:43
Posted By The Curator
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With new Mayor Christopher Soff stepping into his office recently, a perfect opportunity is presented here to discuss Meadville borough, and eventually city in terms of an organizational history. This week, we will track how Meadville became a city, where its original boundries were, and other little known facts about the place we all know and love.
Meadville was a village in Allegheny County, and once it was established, Crawford County in 1800. It remained a village for over twenty years, however, and was not incorporated into a borough until March 29, 1823. Its original boundaries were as follows:
Beginning at the east end of Kennedy’s bridge; thence along the Meadville and Mercer Turnpike Road, to the place where the south line of the south alley crosses said road; thence east along said alley to the Susquehanna and Waterford Turnpike Road; thence south along said road to the place where the north line of William Clark’s farm crosses the same; thence east along the said line to the east end of the town track; thence north along said line to the northeast corner of Samuel Lord’s farm; thence west along the north line of Samuel Lord’s land to the bank of French Creek; thence along the meanders of said creek to the place of beginning.
Upon the first election of borough officers, held May 5, 1823, Thomas Atkinson was elected Burgess (the borough term for mayor at that time). Atkinson was best known as the owner of the first newspaper in Meadville and his daughter Salome is hanging in Baldwin-Reynolds House. The last Burgess was William Reynolds, holding a term in 1865. He made history in this regard as on February 15, 1866 Meadville was granted a new charter and became an incorporated city. Reynolds served the first term in Meadville as mayor in 1866 before stepping down, making him the “last and first” in this area. Meadville was, in 1860, a borough of 3702 people and a city of 7103 in 1870, growing considerably. Others of considerable local renown such as John Dick, S.B. Dick, Alfred Huidekoper, Gaylord Church, H.L. Richmond, and John Earle Reynolds held one or the other of these offices, depending on the time period.
We have been a city since 1866 and have had our ups and downs, but have one thing for certain- we act like the village from which we came. I am happy to call this area home as for as large or spread out Meadville becomes, one can still find familiar faces walking through town and a helping hand is never hard to fine. I’m thankful that we are still in touch with our small town roots. Welcome Mr. Soff to the mayor’s office and I hope you enjoy the city in which you will help to run. We certainly do!
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