Another great event organized by Jessica Craig. This time it was in Manchester-by-the-Sea Massachusetts. The Sharksmouth Inn was built in 1867; but we didn’t let a couple of years dissuade us. The house is wonderful. The scenario for the event was an open house weekend for the Curtises, the original builders of the house. We interpreted friends and family of the Curtises visiting their new abode.
The grand entry.
The grand entry
Dining room. Opened out the back patio which overlooked the back lawn and the ocean.
The “parlor”
The office
The second floor space from which the bedrooms spurred off.
As I am the widow aunt I was given the cook’s old room on the second floor. It is right at the kitchen stairs and down the hall from the common space.
I never did make it up to the third floor.
The view from the back of the house.
The event officially started on Saturday. As with all Jessica’s events, she prefers that we do not run around taking photos during the event but rather allow her to unobtrusively serve as the official photographer. All the following photos were taken by Jessica and used here with her permission.
The day began with breakfast. Food for the weekend was arranged potluck style with everyone taking turns helping with meal set up or clean up.
Many of the ladies attended breakfast in their wrappers.
This day we were to go on a schooner trip; however, the weather did not cooperate so we stayed at the house and found ways to entertain ourselves.
And some went down to the beach.
Lunch was a light affair as we would have a catered dinner that night
In the evening, we had a wonderful candle-lit dinner.
The dining room was not big enough to hold us all, so we improvised a second dining room in the entry hall. After dinner, the dining hall was again transformed; this time into a stage. We were entertained by the great magician, Prof. Jonathon Harrington; also known as Andrew Pinard. Mr. Pinard came from New Hampshire and presented such a wonderful interpretation of Prof. Harrington. Even though Mr. Pinard is fairly new to first person interpretation outside of his magic act, he did very well at the dinner table. We all enjoyed his act very much, which was done in first person and stayed within the period.
So ended our first day at the ocean.
Categories: Civil War, Immersion Events, Living History