News
Trails and Sails Visitors Welcomed at Two Historic Houses
October 11, 2010
Mary Baker Eddy’s history came alive for more than 70 visitors during “Trails and Sails” in September. This ninth annual Essex National Heritage Commission event featured guided tours at two of the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses, and a special needlework demonstration. It also included free activities at more than 100 other historic, cultural, and natural sites in Essex County.
On September 18 and 19, visitors participated in guided tours of Longyear’s historic house in the coastal town of Swampscott, Massachusetts. The tours focused on the healing that Mrs. Eddy experienced while living here in 1866 – a healing that would lead to the discovery of Christian Science. In later years, Mrs. Eddy would refer to this house as “the birthplace of Christian Science.”
Further north in Amesbury, Massachusetts, visitors took guided tours and participated in “The Art of Stitchery” at the Mary Baker Eddy Historic House. Longyear employee Susan Kilborn broadened the visitor experience by offering an original needlework demonstration. Susan designs and creates the needlepoint and cross-stitch products available for purchase in the Longyear Museum Store.
Susan’s presentation provided visitors with context for the nineteenth century cross-stitch, net embroidery, perforated paper work, bargello, and other needlework pieces exhibited throughout this historic house. Some of these artifacts were created by the Bagley women in this modest house where Mrs. Eddy briefly resided as a guest in 1868 and again in 1870. The Bagley women were accomplished seamstresses who operated a dress making and millinery business.
For more information about these historic houses and all of the houses in the Longyear Museum collection, please visit the Mary Baker Eddy Historic Houses section of our website.
View All News
