Wilson Museum Bulletin

Spring 2010 Vol. 5, No. 3

An Odd Home among the Cliffs

New this summer, in the main hall of the Wilson Museum, is an introductory exhibit on John Howard Wilson whose passion for travel and curiosity about human prehistory, resulted in the development of a unique collection which can be enjoyed as much today as when the Museum was formed in 1921. As young men, J. Howard and his brother Arthur travelled widely visiting prehistoric sites and searching for fossils and geological specimens. By 1902, Dr. Wilson began to seriously pursue his interests in human prehistory. That year he began to collect Stone Age artifacts as he and his brother explored French Paleolithic sites, discovering artifacts for them-selves as well as purchasing from private collectors and museums. They continued their explorations

in 1903, traveling in France, England, Belgium, and Switzerland; however, this trip was a little different for it was J. Howard & Georgia Wilson’s wedding trip!

It was fortunate that Georgia had spent a summer in Europe a few years before enjoying the usual tourist attractions, because her wedding trip was a search for prehistory. Georgia Wilson’s memory of the trip included damp and chilly French country inns of stone, but one of the most interesting places they stayed is recounted from a manuscript written by Dr. Wilson:

Mission

Building

on the legacy of its founding family, the Wilson Museum

uses its diverse collections and

learning experiences to stimulate

exploration of the natural history and

cultures of the Penobscot Bay region

and the world.

Wilson Museum P.O. Box 196

120 Perkins Street Castine, ME 04421

(207) 326-9247 info@wilsonmuseum.org www.wilsonmuseum.org

© 2010

Grotte du Gorge d’Enfer On the stairs are Georgia Wilson (left)

and young Gabrielle (right)

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Trustees

LouAnna Perkins President

James Modisette Vice-President Harry Kaiserian

Treasurer Janice Zenter

Secretary

James Austin Patricia Bixel

Joceline Boucher Candice Bray Amy Gutow

Barbara Jackson Donald Small

Pauline Hutchins Honorary Trustee

Staff Patricia Hutchins

Executive Director Debbie Morehouse

Administrative Assistant Bulletin Editor Darren French

Education Coordinator Paula Dunfee

Program Support Denise Mix

Rebecca Thompson Inventory Assistants Sherman Hutchins Buildings Manager

n the old Province of Dordogne in Central France, in the valley of the Isle, lies the ancient city of Perigueux with its medieval streets and Roman ruins. This old town had been our headquarters

for a few days while we explored and studied the surrounding region for traces and remains of man far more ancient than the breached tower, or the ruined amphitheatre once the recreation place of the fierce Roman conquerors of Gaul and now, the playground of children in the city park. In those dim ages of the past, before even the oldest of the ancient cities of the Old World which are now known only by their buried ruins had been thought of, or the events recorded in our ancient histories had taken place, man lived in this region and elsewhere in Europe, finding refuge and shelter in the caves, and recesses beneath the overhanging cliffs. That remote time, known to geologists as the Pleistocene or last geological period was so long ago that the rivers had not cut their valleys to their present depths, and even the climate was different, all Northern Europe being buried thousands of feet beneath one of the great continental glaciers of the Ice Age, and all the higher mountains were vast sheets of ice, sending their glaciers down into the valleys and far out into what are now fertile plains. The mammoth, the reindeer, the fierce cave bear and saber toothed tiger, and other animals long since passed away, then roamed at will over regions that are today the peaceful fields and vineclad slopes of sunny France. Many of the fierce beasts of prey dragged their quarry to the caves and rock shelters of this region and contended with man for the comfort and protection afforded by the possession of these natural retreats.

These primitive and savage men built here their fires, cooked their food, and made their rude implements and weapons of stone and bone, and the refuse from their feasts with the charred wood and ashes of their fires, mingled with the products of their workmanship became strewn about the floor of the cave or rock shelter. In the course of time, deposits of considerable thickness composed of these bones and other refuse mingled with cave earth and fallen blocks of stone became accumulated on the floor of the cave, and perhaps when these men and animals have passed away from this region, these accumulations on the cave floor may become sealed

up under a thick layer of the slow forming stalagmite deposited by water dripping from the roof, and which is in itself a sign of the antiquity of what lies buried beneath. These deposits are eagerly sought by the prehistoric archaeologist who excavating them finds in the different layers with their bones and implements a record of the life and evidence as to the antiquity of these ancient people. But it is not of these far away times however interesting that I wish to write, but rather of a very modern little French boy and his home. About 20 miles south of Perigueux on the road to Agen, is a little village of Les Eyzies, a mere hamlet on the Vézère which here winds through a pretty little valley between limestone cliffs. The region about abounds in caverns and rock shelters many of which have become famous as a result of the archaeological treasures with which they have rewarded the labors of scientists and other explorers.

I

Roman tower in Perigueux

Grotte du Gorge d’Enfer just left of center as viewed from the bridge over the Vézère River.

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Memorials

To date in 2010 several of

our members have dedicated their memberships or given additional gifts to honor the memory of loved ones.

Direxa D. Dearie

Life membership in memory of Virginia Conner Dick Moseley

Philip L. Garland, Jr.

Membership in memory of Philip L. & Doris Garland

Mary Hall

Gift in memory of Charles Hall

Mildred Hatch

Gift in memory of H. Leslie Hatch

About a half mile from the little railroad station on the right bank of the river, the stream approaches so close to the side of the valley as to leave scarcely room for the smooth white road between it and in place the overhanging cliff. In this cliff, about 80 ft. above the highway, is a small cavern known locally as the Grotte du Gorge d’Enfer, once the abode of the ancient men whom I have mentioned and at times, the retreat of some of the savage animals which existed in those remote ages. But today, this cave is the comfortable and peaceful home of a little French boy and his father and mother, an elder brother as we learned being away from home serving in the army of his fatherland. The hamlet of Les Eyzies was too small to possess an auberge or inn so our small party was made welcome by this hospitable peasant family. To reach this unique habitation required something of a climb. From the road, a path led up a short slope to the foot of the cliff, whence a ladder placed in a waterworn fissure furnished the

means of attaining a ledge above. Then more slopes, ladders, and rustic stairways until a large open grotto, the ante chamber of this eyrie home was reached. Here in the open outer room which fulfilled both the offices of porch and dining room, commanding as it did a fine view down the valley, was a long rough table with benches running its length on either side, while a deep recess leading an unknown distance back into the cliff was utilized as a cold storage place for the light wines and mineral waters and other articles. The next grotto communicating with the outer one in a line parallel to the face of the cliff had been enlarged for a kitchen and had a fireplace cut into the rock with a hole through the outer wall for the escape of the smoke, a small window cut through the same wall letting in much needed light. This room had a high rustic bed made of logs with the bark still on in one corner and served also as the sleeping apartment of Père Gabrielle, a typical French peasant of the better class, and his stout good natured wife. The next natural chamber served as a bedroom for young Gabrielle, a handsome little lad about ten years of age who won our hearts with his brown eyes and bright attractive manner. This room as occasion required was evidently the guest chamber for Gabrielle yielded it gladly to myself and wife and made his bed by the hearth in the other room. It was a strange sensation to pass the night in an ancient cave high up on the face of the cliff, once the abode of fierce animals and savage men, and when one awoke in the night to reach up and feel the rough rocky ceiling close over ones head. On one side of the room, a dark narrowing passage led into the heart of the rock and from whence one almost expected at any moment to see creep forth some strange animal or savage, half human form. A door through the outer wall of this room communicated by means of a rough, narrow, wooden balcony running a hundred feet or more along the face of the cliff with another series of grottos at the same level which were used as store rooms. In front of the open outer room, at a somewhat lower level, was a natural shelf or ledge of rock 10 to 15 feet in width and extending for nearly a hundred yards along the face of the cliff and overhung by the cliff above. This was the piazza, garden, barnyard and promenade. Here, the chickens roamed at will unconscious that their surroundings were in any way unusual. These seemed to be the only farm animals which could well be kept in this elevated place, the situation rather prohibiting any livestock not provided with some sort of wings. continued on page 6

Sketch done following the trip from memory and a poor quality photograph according to notes accompanying it.

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Weeden Dart locomotive, tender and car.Schoenhut dolls were made from 1911–1924. The owner of this doll was born in 1912.

Pastimes from Times Past:

Vintage Toys

It’s the early 1900s and the family has left the city and travelled to Maine for the summer. The days hang long; what’s a kid to do? Pastimes from Times Past is an exhibit of toys from the Wilson Museum’s collection, including train sets, cars and an erector set for the boys; dolls, carriage and tea sets for the girls – just the sort of toys played with by children in the early 1900s. At the heart of a miniature workshop is a steam engine which used an open-flame alcohol burner. The woodworking tools, which were powered by the steam engine, include a lathe, table saw and drill press, all with sharp blades and bits. Childhood in the early 1900s was a dangerous time for children – even at play! Dolls were a little more benign; however, even those could be dangerous when bisque heads

broke. The doll pictured to the left found her owner a little dangerous as she wielded scissors for a haircut in the latest style! Our vintage toys will be on display all summer. Please visit and share stories of your vintage toys.

What’s half so charming as a winsome face Rimmed in the window of a Shaker bonnet, Blushing and dimpling, though with downcast grace, While her dark hair hath gleams of rain upon it.

from “Fire and Water” by Mark Wayne Williams

Topped Off ! – Bonnets of Yesteryear Several bonnets from the Museum’s collection are on display this summer

including a calash, a slat bonnet, a quilted bonnet, a corded bonnet and the Shaker bonnet pictured at left. This Shaker bonnet belonged to Sister Emma J. Neale (1847-1943). Sister Emma was a teacher and in 1872 was authorized to teach boys, a significant Shaker innovation at that time. Around the turn of the century she took over the leadership of the cloak industry and continued it into the 1930s.

Shaker bonnets were originally made from Cuban palm fronds, but rye and oat straw came into use when political issues made importation of palm leaves difficult. A bonnet was made in two pieces cut from a single woven straw mat. A silk neck scarf was pleated and sewn to allow a good fit and sun protection for the neck.

The bonnet is shown with a label from The United Society of Shakers verifying Sister Emma as being the owner. In a letter to the Wilson Museum in 1998 Michael S. Graham, curator of The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum, noted: The bonnet’s condition and its personal associations make it an extremely important artifact. Very few bonnets have survived in such good condition; never mind, accompanied by a Shaker-written provenance!

Buckman No. 3 Walking Beam Toy Steam Engine was made circa 1882 - 1895.

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Education Coordinator Hired

The Wilson Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Darren French as Education Coordinator for the Museum. Darren, a 2005 graduate of the University of Maine at Orono with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, has recently completed his M.A. in American and New England Studies at the University of Southern Maine. His experience includes work at the Page Farm and Home Museum and the Saco Museum.

The position of Education Coordinator is a new position for the Museum. Thanks, in part, to the success of the Abraham Lincoln: Self Made in America travelling exhibit, the Museum recognized a need in the community for quality educational experiences – a role that fits the Wilson Museum’s mission perfectly. The responsibilities of the Education Coordinator will include developing, implementing and promoting programming aimed at school age children as well as summer programming for the general visiting public. We look forward to Darren’s close collaboration with area educators and other cultural institutions in order to develop complementary programming that will address the needs of schools and the community.

Darren was formally introduced at the June 13th Members’ Reception and joined the staff on June 14th.

Wilson Museum Bulletin Recognized by the New England Museum Association

The Wilson Museum was recently recognized by the New England Museum Association for publication excellence. The newly redesigned Bulletin was awarded a 2nd Place Publication Competition Award in the category of Newsletters and Magazines. The cover illustration was drafted by Sherman Hutchins, Buildings & Grounds Manager, while the layout was done by Debbie Morehouse, Administrative Assistant.

Woodturning New Demonstration this Summer

Woodturning demonstrations will be featured

this summer in the Barn at 112 Perkins Street, across the street from the Museum. Member, Temple Blackwood, a local wood-turner with four decades of commercial woodturning and teaching experience, has volunteered to demonstrate his craft on Wednesdays and Sundays from 2-5 p.m. in July and August. With displays and samples of his work, Mr. Blackwood will be demonstrating on a portable electric lathe.

Woodturning is a form of wood working where spinning wood is shaped by tools held steadily in place. Woodturning began around 1300 BCE when the Egyptians developed a two-person lathe. One person would turn the wood with a rope while the other used a sharp tool to carve a shape into the wood. Over the centuries a bow and a spring pole eased or eliminated the second person’s work. The Wilson Museum has a treadle-powered lathe on display in the Museum’s lower level tool room. It works similarly to a treadle sewing machine in that the turner used his feet to keep the wood turning. Water power and later electricity made using the lathe less of an aerobic activity.

Temple Blackwood is a member of the American Association of Woodturners, Chesapeake Woodturners, and Maine Woodturners. He teaches part-time at Maine Maritime Academy, has his own woodworking shop and lives in Castine.

Above: woodturning in action.Right: Temple Blackwood

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There was a great dog, but he through his intelligence and good nature was of course considered as one of the family. In one place, water trickled slowly from the rocky wall, and a small reservoir had been hollowed out to receive and hold it. At the edge of the precipice near the entrance to the cavern home, a sort of crane with pulley and rope was rigged, which could be swung out from the cliff, by which means fagots and supplies of different kinds could be hoisted up. Our fare was nearly as simple perhaps as that of the first dwellers in these caves, consisting as it did of coarse butterless bread and a few small fish from the river, although the bread was made more palatable by the good light wine from the neighboring vineyards. The bread and wine probably did not enter into the diet of the ancient cave dwellers or troglodytes and when the chase failed, they may have often come near starvation, but it is to be supposed that at times they were able to regale themselves on such dainty morsels as a mammoth or reindeer steak or a cutlet or two from some fat cave bear brought low by the determined

attacks with their rude flint implements. But honest hospitality is a sauce for almost any dish and this we had in full measure. The surroundings also added zest to an appetite made vigorous by explorations in the neighboring valleys and over the surrounding hills. The first supper in these strange surroundings was a never to be forgotten meal. As we sat at our simple repast at the bare wooden table in the open mouth of the cavern, we could look along the ledge of rock with the overhanging cliffs above, and down into the valley where the white road, and the shining stream catching the light from the rosy sunset sky wound along together to the south. As the sunset and the twilight deepened, the full moon arose throwing into shadow the white cliffs across the valley and casting that net of mystery and enchantment over the scene which the moonlight always brings. Then we went into the kitchen and living room, and drawing up to the glowing embers on the fire place questioned little Gabrielle as to hislife in the little French village, his school and playmates, and told him of far away America where our home was. A stray American cent which was found in my purse pleased him

Gabrielle standing by as Georgia Wilson digs under an overhang of the cliff.

Treasure of the Past From Paris on March 29, 1902, Arthur Wilson wrote his mother in Yonkers, New York:

I arrived here all right Wednesday in time for supper. Howard had bought the March St. Nicholas which had the piece he wrote in it with the illustrations of the shells with crabs in them which I made.

It seemed strange to run across it here in Paris.”

from “Nature and Science for Young Folk,” St. Nicholas, March 1902.

At the entrance to the harbor of San Pedro, in

California, lies a little island known as Isla de les Muertos or Dead Men’s Island. It is composed of layers of sand and clay full of fossil shells.

Ages ago these mollusks were living on the old sea-bottom and when they died their shells became buried in the sand and ooze, and covered by the accumulating sediment. As the ages rolled by, the slow but great movements of the earth’s old crust gradually raised the sea-bottom above water so it became dry land. At the present time, the sea in storms is undermining the island, and the fossil shells are washed out and mingled with the shells of living mollusks in the rock-pools which surround its base.

It is here that a curious and interesting incident takes place and the oldest houses of which I have any knowledge are to be found. The little hermit-crabs, hunting for empty univalve shells in which to make their homes, seize the fossil ones as readily as the living, and scurry off, bearing upon their backs houses so old that, compared with them, the most ancient ruins of human habitations were built but yesterday.

And these little houses of the hermit-crabs, although so old, are not in ruins or decay, but as strong and perfect to their minutest detail as when occupied by their original owners, perhaps two hundred thousand years ago!

Wilson Museum Bulletin Page 7

with its Indian head and the, to him, foreign words. A search in our pockets was rewarded by the discovery of some American stamps on some old letters and these were presented also with a very brief account of the life, and importance in our country of George Washington whose portrait was engraved upon them. Little Gabrielle then amused us with showing off the tricks of the dog, the principal one and one which produced considerable merriment being his chasing round and round in the middle of the floor after his tail, growling all the while with affected fierceness. Sometime in the night, we were awakened by the general bustle and excitement due to the arrival of the soldier member of the family. The next day being Sunday, he had obtained leave of absence, and with a comrade had walked over all the way from Sarlat twenty miles or so to the south where his regiment was stationed. Gabrielle could not wait until morning to put the dog through his tricks for the entertainment of his new guests, as the growls and scuffling of feet with suppressed laughter in

the next room gave ample evidence. In spite of the long tramp and late arrival, the two soldier boys were up before us, and when we were up and out, strolling about the long ledge of rock, enjoying the fresh morning air while waiting for our breakfast, they were down below on the river poling about in a flat bottomed boat, and in their uniforms, adding a bit of color and picturesqueness to the beautiful view of the valley lying shining and peaceful in the early morning light. It was but a short stay that we were able to make in this interesting spot for there were other places to be explored, but for a few days, we had been brought very close to the life of this peasant family, and before leaving, came to feel well acquainted with little Gabrielle and his home, amusements, and occupations. It was but a few days visit, but with its strange and interesting surroundings and cordial hospitality, it was with real reluctance that we took a last look at the home on the cliffs across the river as the train bore us away from the little station of Les Eyzies northward through the Valley of the Vézère.

Wilson Museum’s Treasures of the Past

Across 2. large, nocturnal predatory sea snail 5. thumb piano 7. cartridge box 8. largest island in Canada 12. substance that makes fluorescent rocks glow 14. Neandertal culture of southern France 15. writing implements made from reeds 17. a device used to accomplish a task 18. Old Stone Age engraving tool 19. ancestral Pueblo spirit represented by a doll 21. tool used to smooth and shape wood 23. volcanic glass 24. stone "tool" shaped by nature, not man 25. town near Machias, ME Down 1. Lake in Switzerland rich in Iron Age artifacts 2. fence or enclosure used to catch fish 3. story of a person's life 4. name adapted by the French from the Algon-quian

word for snakes 5. male people 6. greeting sent on Feb 14th 9. New Stone Age 10. two-chambered jar from Peru 11. alloy of copper and tin 13. tribe of the Blackfoot Confederacy of the North-

west Plains 16. three lobed anthropod 20. meat cutter 21. Pharoah of Egypt 22. upper part of a woman's dress

Hint: Check out the Wilson Museum’s web page http://www.wilsonmuseum.org/treasures/treasures_new.html for help with these clues.

1 2

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4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11

12

13 14

15 16

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19 20

21

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23 24

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EclipseCrossword.com

Page 8 Wilson Museum Bulletin

WILSON MUSEUM P.O. Box 196

Castine, ME 04421

Wilson Museum May 27-September 30

Weekdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. & Sun. 2-5 p.m.

John Perkins House

Blacksmith Shop July & August

Wednesdays & Sundays 2-5 p.m.

Help us grow our membership! Thanks to all of you who responded to our recent membership drive. If you haven’t yet renewed your membership, feel free to use this coupon to do so. Or, pass it along to a friend. Every member counts.

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

STUDENT $ 15.00 FAMILY $ 40.00 INDIVIDUAL $ 25.00 LIFE (INDIVIDUAL) $ 500.00

(Memberships must be renewed annually – except for Life members)

NAME _____________________________________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS_____________________________________________

WINTER SUMMER ADDRESS___________________________ADDRESS_________________________

CITY, STATE, ZIP ____________________CITY, STATE, ZIP __________________

TELEPHONE_________________________________

I would like to volunteer – please contact me.