Children's grave photos in AGS Quarterly!

I was pretty excited this week when my Association for Gravestone Studies Quarterly arrived and it was the issue I submitted photos to!   The photos I sent were from cemeteries in Dayton and Wooster, Ohio.

Looking for photos of Canton entertainment!

 As I mentioned in my last post, I've just signed a new contract with Arcadia Publishing to write my fourth book!  This one is on Canton entertainment.

Since it will be part of the Images of America series, I'm currently looking for photos of "fun" from Canton's past.  If you have photos you'd like to submit, please give me a call at 330-455-7043.

Gary Brown wrote a wonderful article in today's Repository, but there isn't a link posted yet.  Here is a brief synopsis of what I'm looking for:

Kim Kenney, Curator of the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, has just signed a contract with Arcadia Publishing for her fourth local history book.  This new book will be part of the Images of America series and will focus on entertainment in Canton.

The book idea came from a successful Keller Gallery exhibition Kenney curated in February 2012 called “That’s Entertainment.”  The book will focus on similar themes, including movie theaters, opera houses, sports, hotels, shopping, restaurants, amusement parks (Meyers Lake and Mother Gooseland), community celebrations, clubs, circuses, the Auditorium, cultural groups (Players’ Guild, Canton Symphony, etc.), and other entertainments.

Kenney is asking the community to submit photographs and documents (menus, programs, store ads, etc) for possible inclusion in the book.  Original photos can be donated or loaned to produce a high quality scan.   All photos will become part of the museum’s archive, documenting Stark County history for generations to enjoy.

Anyone with photographs of Canton entertainment should call Kim Kenney at 330-455-7043 to make an appointment.

Exciting projects on the horizon!

There are all kinds of exciting things we're working on behind-the-scenes!  Here are just a few of them:

• Last week conservator Bob Lodge, of McKay Lodge Laboratory, Inc., came to the Museum to review our Brader collection.  We have a total of 8 drawings -- 6 framed and 2 unframed.  He examined each one and will be letting us know what the possibilities are for conservation.  I found him riveting!  I spent the day just trying to absorb a fraction of his vast knowlege about paper.  There are some minor issues and some not-so-minor issues with our Braders, but nothing that will prevent any of them from being chosen for inclusion in the exhibition we are planning in conjunction with the Canton Museum of Art in December 2014.  When Bob was taking the backing off of one of the Braders, it had been patched with a bag from Stone's!  As in SAM STONE, of A Secret Gift fame...
• Speaking of which, today Chris and I met with Michelle Mullaly and Lisa Boyer from the Canton Symphony to discuss partnership opportunities surrounding our exhibit based on Ted Gup's book A Secret Gift, and a special Christmas concert they are planning with a new piece also based on the book.  The ideas were flying!  Stayed tuned for more -- we are going to be bringing you A LOT of neat events!
• Last week Split Rock Studios was here installing the major components of the new Fascination Station in Discover World, where Space Station Earth used to be located.  There are tons of great new things to see up there!  There are new interactives, but also new and improved old favorites like Shadow Catcher and the Weather Station.  We're having our grand opening February 18 (President's Day) so we hope to see you there!
• Today we received a donation of a barber chair that President McKinley used to sit in when he was having his hair cut!  We have plans to re-design the Barber Shop in the Street of Shops to accommodate this new piece.  That shop was not part of our button project, so we will be adding a new button explaining the significance of this barber chair, as well as several other barber shop pieces that were also part of the donation.
• On a personal note, I found out this morning that my proposal to Arcadia Publishing for an Images of America book on the history of entertainment in Canton was accepted!  I have a spring deadline, so look for a pre-Christmas release of my FOURTH book!  I'm very excited about this new project!

Best Quotes of 2012

I was excited to see myself listed in this Repository article a few days ago!

Working on the Dentist

This is the current scene in the Dentist's Office in the Street of Shops.  No Dentist!  And no patient.

We are moving forward with LifeFormations on the design for the Dentist.  I sent my preferences for eye color, skin tone, and hair color this afternoon.  We'll see if what I picked actually exists in nature!  I want something that looks completely different from the Doctor and Little Girl, who are located next door.

This project is just one of many exciting things coming up in 2013!  Stay tuned for more...

Happy New Year!

Inaugural Ball

We're busy behind-the-scenes planning this major fundraising event!

Tickets are $125 per person.  Call 330-455-7043 anytime to make your reservations.  The Ball will be held at The University Center at Kent State Stark.  We are finalizing menu details soon!  We will be having a cocktail hour with appetizers and a sit-down dinner, followed by dancing to a live orchestra.

Black tie suggested, period costumes encouraged!

Open Hearth Dinner

On Friday night we had another successful Open Hearth Dinner!  Believe it or not, this was our 8th annual dinner.  How time flies.

It was a lovely night, as always, with delightful guests, great volunteers, delicious food, and holiday cheer!  The menu included homemade bread, pumpkin soup, fried chicken, bubble & squeak (red cabbage, apples, bacon, onions, brown sugar, and vinegar), green beans, and homemade apple pie.

If you're wondering why you never see this event advertised, it's because we sell it out every year!