Hadley Community Day
Sunday, July 5 from 10am to 40pm

HADLEY—On Sunday, July 6, 2008, The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum invites Hadley residents to Hadley Community Day. In celebration of Independence Day, free hourly tours of the home of one of Hadley’s founding families will be given between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Lemonade and snacks will be served on the scenic back veranda, and visitors are invited to bring a picnic to enjoy on the museum’s historic grounds.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum provides a detailed look at the role of one family in the span of over 200 years of history in the Connecticut Valley. The home, built in 1752, is preserved to its circa 1800 structure and interior décor, composed completely of original objects, furniture and artifacts. Through a tour of the house, one can see the impact of movements in American history, such as the Revolution, the abolition of slavery, and theological movements, on a single family in a rural farm town. At the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House, the evolution of a nation is seen through the eyes of one Hadley family.

Join us on July 6th to learn about the role the Phelps’s, the second generation of family to live in the house, played in the Revolutionary War. Major General Benjamin Lincoln, a member of the extended family, was a respected Revolutionary War officer, who was later instrumental in suppressing Shays’ Rebellion. General Lincoln belonged to the Society of the Cincinnati, a prestigious organization of which George Washington also was a member. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum possesses one of only twelve china tea sets made for members of the society. Also on display at the museum is the tea caddy General Lincoln carried with him throughout the Revolution.

Caesar Phelps, one of the family’s slaves, also served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Despite a health condition that limited the use of his hand, Caesar enlisted for a three-year stint. A letter written by Caesar complaining about the treatment he received by his commanding officer can be found along with other family papers at the Amherst College Archives.

Two prisoners of war arrived at the Phelps’ farm as servants during the Revolution. As farm labor was scarce with so many men off fighting in the war, enemy captives were often doled out to colonists throughout the countryside as temporary workers. A Hessian soldier named Andries, was one such POW to arrive at the Phelps’ farm, who worked as a farm hand and remained with the family until his death. He brought his wife Mary to the estate, and the two of them occupied a small house of their own on the property. When Mary fell gravely ill, Elizabeth Porter Phelps cared for her in a converted chest on display in the museum.

The other POW to arrive at the Phelps’ farm was a Scotsman named John Morrison, who became the family gardener. Morrison remained on the estate voluntarily after the war ended and became a cherished member of the family. The beautiful garden to the north of the house was designed and cultivated by Morrison over two hundred years ago.

Today, the house is not only host to historical interpretation, but also to weekly concerts and teas. Every Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. the Museum presents Wednesday Folk Traditions, an annual concert series featuring talented musicians playing a wide variety of music, ranging from folk and bluegrass to Middle-Eastern music and gospel. Every Saturday afternoon beginning July 5th, the Museum hosts “A Perfect Spot of Tea,” where guests are invited to relax on the back porch, sample desserts and tea from local restaurants and bakeries, and listen to talented local musicians.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47 North. The museum is open for guided tours Saturday through Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment. For further information about the Museum and its programs, call the Museum at (413) 584-4699.