Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold
Props
Just home from the hospital, after those “ops,” I have to admit it, I needed my “props”! (Sunglass and visor, my stool and my stick) They really were useful and helped turn the trick. … Read more.
1/16/1904
JANUARY 16th Saturday. Ther 54 degrees, about same all day, rainy cleared towards N[oon]. Wrote. Called in P.M. Flinch at Mrs. Serger’s in eve with Henry. Mrs. W. returned from Vicksburg. S.L. Guild made $41.60 … Read more.
Preparation for War
As we prepare to celebrate another Fourth of July, we may want to consider for a moment the enormous sacrifice that made the freedom of our country possible. And how it was nearly dissolved some … Read more.
Arthur B. Rae
Arthur B. Rae was among Bessie McKee’s most devoted and loyal estate staff. He came to work at Blithewold in 1906 and spent most of his adult life working for the McKee/Lyon family. His name … Read more.
Confusing Traffic Signs, May 1
CONFUSING TRAFFIC SIGNS by Marjorie Lyon February 26, 1949 As a small school girl, I was taught to read either from left to right or from top to bottom. Skipping about was not encouraged. … Read more.
Opening Exhibits, April 1
OPENING EXHIBITS, APRIL 1 by Margaret Whitehead The excitement at Blithewold is building as we prepare the Mansion for the season’s opening on April 1st. Floors have been polished, carpets cleaned; paintwork and wallpaper conservation … Read more.
Mauve Evening Dress
Marjorie Van Wickle Lyon’s Evening Dress, 1932 In the thirty years since Marjorie’s pink party dress (shown in the first exhibit case) was fabricated, styles and construction changed considerably. Trains disappeared, and punishing boned … Read more.
Pink Party Dress
Marjorie Van Wickle’s Party Dress, 1903 Marjorie Van Wickle had this party dress made in Vienna when she visited in 1903 as part of her Grand Tour. It was designed and constructed by Drecoll’s, the … Read more.
BRISTOL NEWS, MARCH 1, 1897
BRISTOL NEWS, MARCH 1, 1897 by Margaret Whitehead One hundred and twenty years ago, on March 1, 1897, Marjorie Van Wickle was at the Jekyll Island Club in Brunswick, Georgia, with her parents Augustus and … Read more.
February 1917 – Preparation for War
February 3, 1917, had dawned cold and miserable in Boston. The thermometer hovered around zero and there was a biting wind. It was a day to stay home. Bessie McKee and her companion Estelle Clements … Read more.