Recently in Visiting Concord Category

From Orchard House, Home of the Alcotts

We are deeply honored to announce that famed photographer Annie Leibovitz (at right) held a photo shoot at Orchard House on July 9th.  Ms. Leibovitz is at work on a book about famous authors and the places and things that inspired them, and has informed us that Louisa May Alcott has been a great inspiration to her!  We are thrilled to be included in the new book, and look forward to working with her.
 

By Rick Wheeler, Concord Resident

Several days ago, I posted a message affirming that Debbie Bier's Concord List Serve is truly an outstanding example of a means for "bringing people together!  Today, I would like to share an account of a wonderful incident that occurred on her "List Serve" some seven years ago that serves as an excellent example of the gift that she has given to us.

It all started with a message from Japan that popped up on the list serve!  The message was from a Japanese writer, Tetsuro Takasaki, who was looking for a contact in Concord to assist him in his efforts to write a biography of Concord's William Wheeler!  Knowing about our time in Japan, Debbie called me that day and said, "You are the one, Rick!"

William Wheeler had joined with three others from the Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1876 to go to Japan to start an agricultural college in the northern island of Hokkaido.  He stayed for two years, came back to Concord to marry his bride, Fannie Hubbard, and returned to Hokkaido with her for two more years during which he was the President of the new College!  In 1924, William Wheeler was awarded the "Fifth Order of the Rising Sun" by the Japanese government in recognition of the many contributions he had made during his stay in Japan.  I would like to add here a personal anecdote.  When Betty Ann and I arrived in Tokyo in 1965, for what would be a four year tour with our Citibank, we kept being asked by newly introduced Japanese hosts, "Are you a relative of William Wheeler?"  This, mind you, was eighty five years after his departure!  He certainly made a difference in so many ways!  Oh, yes, he was our eighth cousin, thrice removed!

So, over the following years Betty Ann and I assisted Takasaki-San in his many visits to Concord where thanks to Alan Cathcart at the Department of Public Works, Leslie Wilson at Special Collections in our Library, and so many other members of our Concord community, he completed the Wheeler biography, which covers not only his years in Japan but his life in Concord as well.  It was published in Japanese in 2004. 

That left us with the task of completing an English language translation.  Here, Barbara Wheeler stepped forward to introduce a good Japanese friend, Kazue Campbell, a former Professor at Boston University, to lead that effort.  We brought together a wonderfully dedicated group to serve as an "Editorial Committee" composed of family members and individuals who had in various ways committed themselves to Concord's history, as well as our Sister City relationship with Nanae, and the Island of Hokkaido itself.  This part of the journey was another three years or more, however, today we can share with deep satisfaction that the English Language translation was completed in 2009 and that the book is now available for sale.

Copies are available at our Concord Bookshop at 65 Main Street in Concord.  We would like to clarify that our portion of the proceeds will be dedicated to those current and future efforts supporting our Sister City relationship with Nanae as well as the Island of Hokkaido itself.  Thank you for your interest! 

Enjoy an afternoon summer garden party at the Concord Free Public Library on Thursday, August 12 at 3 pm. Bring something to swap: a plant or vegetable from your garden, or a local recipe. Sip cool beverages and talk about books with other library patrons.

Everyone who brings something to swap will win a small prize.They  will also have their Grand Drawing for wonderful raffle prizes for the summer reading program donated by the Friends of the Library, Nashoba Bakery, Dunkin' Donuts, Debra's Natural Gourmet, and the Concord bookshop, among others.

This event will be held at the main branch of the library at the corner of Main Street and Sudbury Road. It is part of the Library's "Go Green, Think Green" series being offered to adults this summer.

Concord Players members have received 12 Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatre (EMACT) Dash Award nominations for last season's opulent musical The Scarlet Pimpernel and the classic drama Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. 

Concord residents Linda McConchie, Charlie Atherton, Cheri Fletcher are among the nominees.  Ms. Fletcher served as Concord Players President last year, and Ms. McConchie continues to serve this year as Concord Players Vice President of Productions.

The 2010 Dash Award nominees for Concord Players are:

• Concord Players for BEST PRODUCTION (A MUSICAL): The Scarlet Pimpernel
• Charlie Atherton, Cheri Fletcher & Lisbeth Cahill for BEST HAIR & MAKE-UP DESIGN (MUSICAL) The Scarlet Pimpernel
• Ethan Butler for BEST LEAD ACTOR (MUSICAL) The Scarlet Pimpernel
• Brian Harris for BEST SET DESIGN (MUSICAL) The Scarlet Pimpernel
• Tom Large for BEST LEAD ACTOR (PLAY) Cat On A Hot Tin Roof 
• Linda McConchie (two nominations) for BEST SET DRESSING (MUSICAL) and BEST PROP COORDINATION (MUSICAL) for The Scarlet Pimpernel
• Paula Ruberti McNabb for BEST STAGE MANAGEMENT (MUSICAL) The Scarlet Pimpernel 
• Bob Pascucci for BEST SOUND DESIGN (PLAY) Cat On A Hot Tin Roof 
• Rick Shamel for BEST LIGHTING DESIGN (MUSICAL) The Scarlet Pimpernel
• Jennifer Shea for BEST SET DESIGN (PLAY) Cat On A Hot Tin Roof 
• Tracy Wall for BEST COSTUME DESIGN (MUSICAL) The Scarlet Pimpernel 

The EMACT Dash Awards are given to recognize high artistic achievement in the community theatre industry in this state.  EMACT will announce the award winners at its annual Dash Award gala on Saturday, August 28, 2010. The gala reception starts at 6 p.m. and the awards presentation ceremony starts at 7:30 p.m. in Carey Hall on 1605 Mass. Ave., Lexington, MA.  The public is welcome to attend.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.emact.org.

Concord Players has been presenting high quality theatrical productions at the Performing Arts Center at 51 Walden Street for over ninety years.  Season subscriptions  for three plays next season are now on summer sale for only $44.  Learn more about Concord's premiere community theatre at www.concordplayers.org.

Photos: By Rik Pierce, courtesy of Concord Players.

The Concord Shakespeare Festival will be held August 13-15 at the Masonic Temple in Concord Center and, as in the past years, will include an "Open Stage and Evening Fest", Saturday, August 14th, to which one and all are invited to step forward and tip their caps to the blessed bard. This year's festivities are entitled "Shakespeare: Eternal Fountain of Youth."

There is no fee for the festivities; contributions -- as guests' fortunes allow -- will be gratefully received.

The full schedule and details are available at www.concordium.us/shakespeare.

A celebration noting the 300th birthday of Colonel James Barrett is being held on Saturday, July 31 at the Barrett Farm, 448 Barrett's Mill Rd. in Concord MA.  Colonel Barrett was in charge of the provincial supplies, enough for an army of 15,000, and the commander in charge at the Old North Bridge engagement with the British on April 19, 1775, the beginning of the American Revolution.

The British regulars had been ordered to Concord and Colonel Barrett's farm to capture the supplies and persons in command.  The British did reach Colonel Barrett's farm and searched it while, at the same time, Colonel Barrett was at the North Bridge commanding the militia and Minute Men.

The farm house has been undergoing restoration since 2005 and will be open for the public to view the progress and to interact with the historians, architects, timber framers, archaeologists, and trades people performing the work.  The house will be open attic to basement.

Talks will also be given throughout the day by historian J. L. Bell, historic architect Rick Detwiller, National Park ranger Joan Laxson, and paint analyst John Vaughn.  British regulars and colonial minute men will also be attending, giving reenactments of the house search, colonial life demonstrations, and musket salutes.  A number of Barrett descendants are also coming from across the country to help celebrate this significant birthday.

The house search reenactments are scheduled at 11:30, 2:00, and 3:30 with lectures and other demonstrations occurring continuously.  Muskets, clothing production, field plowing, and musket ball making will also be demonstrated.  Food and rest rooms will be available on-site.

The Minute Man National Historical Park will have a short ceremony at 10am sharp at the North Bridge with Mike Ryan and Joan Laxson giving talks on Colonel Barrett.

The Concord Museum, open from 9am - 5pm, will have items specially on display over the weekend related to Colonel Barrett.

For more information, visit www.saveourheritage.com -- choose the  Barrett link.

Restoration of Barrett Farm has been generously supported by the Town of Concord Community Preservation Fund, Save America's Treasures Preservation Fund, and many private donations.

We are often asked where Concord's 4th of July fireworks will be held.  Answer:  Lincoln, Acton, Boston... anywhere but in Concord!

Except for very, VERY special occasions, Concord does not permit the use of fireworks.  We will have some this year in September to celebrate our 375th birthday.  We had some for our 365th in 2000.  And a long time had elapsed since the previous time.

Does anyone know why we don't permit fireworks displays in Concord? If so, please write us here.

Have you noticed how sweet the new landscaping in front of the Walden St. US Post Office looks?  We noticed a sign today crediting the project to joint sponsorship between Gorgeous Gardens and Barrett & Co (the latter being their across the street neighbor).

What a sad eyesore that "landscaping" had been until recently. That end of Walden Street otherwise opens into lovely trees, lawns and window boxes. It was such a sadness that the post office had been so out of step (the poorly cared for privet hedge was bad enough, but the maple seedling grown up into a small tree that kept getting cut back but was never removed was painful to see). 

What a wonderful improvement that graces the streetscape well. Excellent work!

Recently, we were early meeting friend at Nashoba Brook Bakery. We happened to stand inside where we could watch the bakers through the window that overlooks the brook-side of the building as viewed from the kitchen.

We were watching the oven nearest the window being loaded. It can simultaneously handle 163 full-sized loaves we were told; the loading operation was what we saw, and it was a performance worthy of a ticket-buying audience.

Two young men were taking ready-to-bake loaves and putting them in the oven. Now, that sounds awfully pedestrian -- and this was anything but!  The loaves had finished rising in their individual, lined baskets and had to be carefully turned over onto the baking peel (more on that peel in a moment) without undue harm to their loft.  There were something on the order of 50 loaves turned out one-by-one for each insertion of the peel.  The whole shebang was then lightly dusted with flour, and each top was slashed with a blade along its length.  The entire peel was raised/lowered to be aligned with the proper baking chamber (there looked to be at least four total), and the loaves were inserted into the oven. The peel pulled out and the door shut for baking.

As interesting as the above paragraph is, it's still not nearly evocative of what we saw.  Every movement was spare, efficient, full-bodied, rhythmic -- and performed at high speed.  Not rushed, but as fast as the bakers could go and be in control of the process. There were two of them working on each batch together, and they worked smoothly toward the same goals together -- sometimes one doing more of one task, sometimes the other -- but getting the job done as a well-oiled team. 

There were moments where they had to work together in a fully synchronized manner, particularly when the peel was withdrawn from the oven.  And don't think "flat, wooden paddle" when you read "peel" -- instead, visualize a flexible but stiff surface about four-feet in diameter and maybe 10-feet long.  It's rolled out with a snap onto the prep surface, the loaves loaded onto it and readied.  The ready-to-bake load is positions in front of the open oven door and the pair of workers slide it in. With another snap -- this time with more speed and muscle -- they both pull on the outer edge of the peel and out it comes. 

From the distance we were watching, more detail was not possible to discern. But their skill and teamwork shone forth clearly. We never saw those finished loaves emerge from the oven -- much less taste them --  but nonetheless, the view was quite exciting.

Nashoba Brook Bakery bakes their awesome bread 14 hours a day, 7 days a week. Come watch the performance any time the cafe is open, which is Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 5:30 pm, Saturday  7:00 am to 5 pm, and Sunday 8:00 am to 5 pm. 152 Commonwealth Ave, West Concord.