History of Jacob Hill Farm 1723 - 2023 #historic #Seekonk #history 300 year #anniversary

In addition to writing novels, one of my passions is visiting and researching historic sites.  Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the historic Jacob Hill Farm in Seekonk, Massachusetts.  It is now an amazing wellness center, with three of the original structures still gracing this beautiful property, 300 years after the farm was first built!  Before it became the wellness center, it was Jacob Hill Inn, Seekonk's first professional bed and breakfast.  The owners of the Inn purchased the property in 1991, and did a great deal of work to restore the landmark buildings, while also researching the property's history.  Much of this post includes information from their website and television appearance, used with permission.  Visit the site for more details and photos at HistoricJacobHill.com  and view the corresponding 3-part televised discussion on Discovering Seekonk History.   

The land itself was first deeded to Reverend Samuel Peck by the Wampanoag Tribe.  It passed through generations of his family and was eventually deeded to Thomas Allen in 1722.  With 10 children, building a large home was necessary, and it still stands today.  When Calvin Jacob, a prominent deacon, married into the family, the property eventually acquired the name Jacob Hill Farm.

The "Front House", known as the "Club House"
 during the years it was a hunt club
(and then again when it was the Inn), as it appears today

In 1915, the wealthy Grosvenor family purchased Jacob Hill Farm, in part due to their love of horseback riding.  In 1924, it became the Jacobs Hill Hunt Club, a members-only establishment possibly arising in part to the restrictions of Prohibition.  The Grosvenors donated the Front House to the club, and that became the Club House.  Members included such prestigious figures as former Governor of Rhode Island William H. Vanderbilt and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Firestone, and Mrs. Gammell Cross of the family that founded what is now A.T. Cross, one of the oldest pen manufacturing companies in the world. (There are even some Knights on the list!  Probably no relation).  See the member (box holder) list from 1939 and other photos on the Historic Jacob Hill website under the History tab. 

The arbor was once a coach stop ~
note the seats on the sides!

In another current photo of the Front House, you can see the arbor that was once a coach stop on the Providence to Taunton route.  Note the seats on the sides for waiting passengers.  One of the other three buildings still standing today was originally a barn which was converted to a carriage house.  The third structure, known as "The Barn", was the barn constructed by the Hunt Club.  It was painted white...a symbol of affluence at the time as white paint cost more in those days than the usual red paint associated with barns on farms.  It is still white today.

The Hunt Club was active from 1924 -1943, hosting horse shows and fox hunts (where no foxes were actually harmed!  Only their scent was used for the chase).  The property passed through several families until it was purchased as an Inn.  At one point, a member of the Atomic Energy Commission resided there, and there was a phone in the Front House that connected directly to the White House.

Hello? ;)
Door to the Front
House basement

So, with such a rich history, this author of ghost mysteries had to ask about any unusual happenings.  One person told me he saw the door to the basement open by itself while standing in the current kitchen of the Front House, but of course, it is a very old (but very beautiful) building.  

Speaking of kitchens, the Front House still holds fireplaces original to the building, including the one pictured below, which was a cooking fireplace (note the long iron arm).  To the right, the small door still houses a beehive oven, once used to bake bread.

Original cooking fireplace and beehive oven (behind door)

I've posted a few more of my photos below!  Thanks for stopping by, and if you enjoyed this post, you might also want to check out a few of my other posts on historic places: Historic Mt. Washington Hotel, Historic Falmouth, Cape Cod, Haunted, Historical Barnstable, and Visiting Brewster.

Side view of the Front House

Gazebo off the Front House

Wallpaper in
the Front House

The Carriage House, now a gym and offices

Sunset at Jacob Hill

 

 

 

History of #Christmas Traditions: #StNick, Reindeer, + Trees #ChristmasEve #MerryChristmas

The writer in me loves looking into the origins of our holidays and celebrations, so for the Christmas season, I'm dedicating this post to St. Nick, reindeer, and the decorating of trees.  As usual with my origins/history posts, I'll do my disclaimer that I'm an author, not a historian, but I'm used to doing thorough research for my novels!  

Obviously, St. Nick is a well-known figure associated with the Christmas holiday.  While most people are familiar with the story of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem, though, many are unaware of how a 4th century Bishop influenced the legend of Santa Claus.

St. Nicholas of Myra

Saint Nicholas, or Nikolaos of Myra, was a bishop in an ancient town in Lycia--now Demre, in the Antalya Province of Turkey. One of his most well-known deeds involved giving unexpected gifts, one of which landed in a stocking.  In the story, Nicholas wanted to help three young girls, whose father had no money for their dowries.  At that point in history, such a fate would result in a life of prostitution. Not wanting to embarrass the poor father, Nicholas threw bags of gold coins through the windows.  In one version of the tale, the father laid in wait to discover who was doing this...and so instead of throwing the third bag through the window, Nicholas dropped it down the chimney, and it landed in a stocking hung to dry by the fire.

Sinterklaas rides
a white horse

The Dutch figure of Sinterklass is based upon Saint Nick, and he more resembles the white-bearded man in red we're all familiar with. In turn, our Santa Claus is derived from Sinterklass, and it's widely believed that he was introduced to North America around the time of the Revolutionary War, by inhabitants of New York City, which was once New Amsterdam, a Dutch colony.

Of course, many other sources have combined to shape both the modern-day image of Santa Claus and the various legends and traditions which have evolved.  For example, what about the sled pulled by reindeer?

That brings us back to NYC, and the 1823 poem by Clement Clarke Moore--A Visit From St. Nicholas ('Twas the Night Before Christmas).  The names of eight flying reindeer are listed, and they are portrayed pulling a sleigh full of gifts, landing on rooftops so St. Nick can deliver toys.  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was added to the mix in 1939, when Robert L. May created the story of the leader of the reindeer team in a booklet distributed as a Christmas promotion by Montgomery Ward.

The tradition of decorating trees is more difficult to pin down in terms of specific dates and regions.  I remember learning in a college class (a LONG time ago, but it stuck with me...) how certain pagan rituals became entwined with Christian celebrations.  The professor discussed how in ancient times, people often believed their actions could influence the future, so decorating trees that mysteriously stayed green throughout the dark winter with fruit and berries could help produce a plentiful spring harvest.  What I've read online supports this theory, and it is known that historically people used greenery to decorate during the winter months, both as symbols of life and as festive decorations for celebrations.  Most sources agree the modern practice of putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it can be traced back to 16th century western Germany.  The idea of evergreen trees representing everlasting life dovetails with the Christian celebration of Jesus's birth.

The holidays can be such a busy time, and I'm hoping my blog readers who celebrate Christmas have some time to relax and enjoy the magic of the season.  And if you need a book to help you de-stress, check out one of my novels - each one is filled with romance, mystery, and suspense - something for everyone! Also perfect as a last-minute gift, since all you need to send someone a Kindle copy is an email address. Each one is less that the price of a card (Dangerous Currents is actually on sale right now for just 99c on Kindle)!

My happy place!

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Holidays!

Touring Historic Mt. Washington Hotel #NH Mount Washington Resort #travel

Unfortunately, the fog completely obscured the majestic
Mt. Washington behind the hotel...but it also
added to the spooky The Shining atmosphere!

A few weekends ago, my husband and I traveled to North Conway, NH, for a fun-filled skiing weekend with friends.  Now, I only cross-country ski at this point in my life, thanks to a certain disastrous skiing weekend in 2013.  But, that's okay, because I was able to cross country right from the back door of our friends' condo, while most of the others drove to a nearby mountain.  But as we all shared coffee and chatted that first morning, the subject of having drinks later at Mount Washington came up.  I had no idea what everyone was referring to, but by the time I'd learned this grand hotel was built from 1900 to 1902, had an amazing view of the highest mountain in the Northeastern U.S., boasted a fascinating--some say haunting-- history, and eerily resembled the hotel in The Shining, I knew I had to get myself there, and not just for drinks.  I called to inquire about the daily tour schedule, and three of us made the short trip to Bretton Woods early to learn more about Mount Washington.  
**Disclaimer...I took photos and notes from the tour and backed it up with research, but any mistakes are mine.

First impression is that the hotel does indeed look like the Overlook Hotel from Stephen King's The Shining, both outside and in some parts of the interior.  And due to efforts to return the decor to the vintage splendor of the opening season in 1902, walking through the doors feels like stepping back into the past.  As our guide began the tour, we learned that this hotel was indeed the height of luxury even when it opened...it was one of the first hotels to have electric lights and private bathrooms.  In fact, Thomas Edison himself designed the lights that still grace the lobby.

A portrait of "The Princess" now hangs above the
original balcony that was part of her rooms.

The original owner and builder, Joseph Stickney, saw only one season before he passed away, leaving his young bride Carolyn to inherit the property.  Carolyn eventually remarried a prince and was hence known as "The Princess".  During her years of presiding over the hotel, she became known for some eccentric habits...for example, she would sit in a balcony of her room, overlooking the staircase leading to the dining room, to watch the guests descend for dinner.  If any of the ladies were dressed more elegantly than she was, she would change.  If she dined in the dining room, she was the last to enter, and she ate alone at a small table by the door, which was closed after her entrance.  No one was permitted to leave until she did.

Apparently, she also was quite attached to her large four poster bed...which I understand completely.  But she went a step above and beyond and took it with her wherever she went...having it disassembled and then reassembled during her travels.  She died in the bed, and it now welcomes guests who opt to stay in "The Princess Suite" (Room 314)...the haunted room, or at least one of them, according to gossip.  Where can I sign up?

We asked if we could open
the trapdoor...and we did!

Prohibition in the 1920s put a damper on the hospitality industry, but on the tour, we were introduced to an area, now The Cellar bar, where a plan existed to circumvent the national law.  Guests drank liquor out of teacups, and a lookout sent up an alarm in the event of an impending raid.  The liquor was dumped and the bottles were tossed into a barrel, which was lowered into this trapdoor in the floor.

  

Entrance to The Cellar

After The Princess passed, her nephew inherited the hotel, but he wasn't particularly dedicated to managing a resort, and financial struggles and WWII resulted in closure in 1942.  Shuttered, the abandoned property stood vacant until 1944, when it was purchased and renovated in preparation to serve as the site for the Bretton Woods monetary conference.  During the clean-up, workers were instructed to paint everything white...which resulted in gilded artwork and trim, stained glass windows, and original brass lighting being coated in white paint...the great "White-out".  Much of this has been restored, except the gold leaf paint, which is now lost forever.  Thankfully, one room was left alone, the gold paint intact, for reasons unknown.

Countries present at the Bretton Woods Conference...some of
which no longer exist anymore as countries

The Bretton Woods conference hosted 730 delegates from all 44 Allied countries while the world was still at war. Part of the reason Mt. Washington was chosen as the site involved security...with so many leaders of different countries in one location and WWII raging, security was a major concern, and the hotel surrounded by mountains had limited access.  The conference resulted in the establishment of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Now the hotel has been restored to its original glory as closely as possible, and it is owned by Omni.  It's on the US National Register of Historic Places and is a US National Historic Landmark.

The rest of the group joined us after
skiing at the hotel pub for a fun night!

Closer to my passion for spooky things, the hotel has been featured in two episodes of Ghost Hunters...so, yeah...I hope one day I can actually stay overnight.  But even just a day trip for the tour, the breathtaking view, and a fun time in the pub made for a memorable weekend!

If you enjoyed this post, check out some of my other posts on my visits to haunted historical places:  The Catacombs of Paris, The Dakota Hotel in NYC, The Old Jailhouse in Barnstable, and The Abandoned Glenn Dale TB Hospital...to name a few!

And I hope you'll check out my novels in the tabs above if you enjoy spooky suspense!

I was hoping I might catch an image in my pic down the hall...

History of St. Valentine's Day ~ Happy #ValentinesDay

Valentine's Day is here, and in the tradition of dedicating my blog to a bit of history about certain holidays and traditions (See New Year's, Saint Nick and Santa Claus, Finding Easter's Date, and Saint Patrick for a few others), I decided to look into the facts behind St. Valentine and the reasons we celebrate love and romance on February 14th.  Turns out, there is quite a bit of conflicting information regarding this particular saint and the holiday named for him. Disclaimer: as always, please keep in mind I am a romance author by trade, not a historian!  

The name Valentine comes from the Latin word "valens" which means healthy or strong.  The derivation Valentine was a popular name between the 2nd and 8th centuries AD, which could explain part of the confusion surrounding this saint.

St. Valentine Kneeling in
Supplication by
David Teniers III
Public Domain

The Valentine remembered on February 14 was a third century Roman Saint martyred and buried in a cemetery on the Via Flaminia, an ancient Roman Road.  It's possible that early references to Saint Valentine actually referred to several saints with the same name.  Sources including The Catholic Encyclopedia mention three Saint Valentines connected to the February date: a Roman priest and a bishop, both buried along the Via Flaminia, and a saint in a Roman province of Africa. Some information points to the first two Valentines actually being the same person.

The details surrounding the acts and eventual martyrdom of Valentine are also hazy.  Common threads point to an account of Valentine performing a miracle (restoring the sight of a young girl), aiding Christians and encouraging others to embrace Christianity.  While imprisoned, he refused to renounce his faith and was executed.  

Pope Gelasius I established the Feast of Saint Valentine on February 14 in 496, acknowledging that while not many details were known about Valentine, his acts were known to God.

The more modern traditions connecting Saint Valentine's Day to romantic love date to the fourteenth century and are generally attributed to Geoffrey Chaucer, "the Father of English Literature", and his circle of friends.  In the Middle Ages, birds were thought to pair in mid-February, and in his poem "Parliament of Foules" there is mention of February 14th being the day birds as well as humans find a mate.  

Now that St. Valentine's Day is linked to celebrating romance, common themes include cards, flowers, candy, hearts, and of course, a focus on love stories.  Why not download a page-turning romance novel and enjoy the thrill of the characters' journeys as they fall in love?  For steamy romance mixed with spooky suspense, try #1 Kindle and Nook Bestseller GULL HARBOR, where a medium encounters both a dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend in a sleepy Cape Cod town. #1 Kindle Bestseller SILVER LAKE also involves a haunting mystery as a group of estranged friends reunite to try to solve their friend's disappearance...and two star-crossed lovers fight for a second chance.  In HAUNTED SOULS, a damaged soldier, a secret baby, and a haunting mystery collide for a steamy and spooky read.  In DIVINE FALL, an award-winning Young Adult Paranormal Romance, forbidden first love meets supernatural secrets as the last Nephilim seeks his revenge.

Celebrate the steamy this Valentine's Day!
(Editorial Review quotes from reviews of Haunted Souls)

Exploring #Falmouth Cape Cod #CapeCod #Travel

I've lived on beautiful Cape Cod for nearly 20 years now, and I'm still discovering the rich history, diverse geography, and breathtaking beauty of the 15 towns of the Cape, as well as the nearby islands.  I've done a few posts on My Favorite Spots on Cape Cod, Haunted History of Barnstable, Visiting Cuttyhunk Island, and A Whirlwind Tour of Cape Cod, and while a few Falmouth locations are mentioned (Coonamessett Farm, the Shining Sea Bike Trail, and the Woods Hole Aquarium), I've never done a post specifically on Falmouth, a neighboring town I'm in at least once a week, if not more.  And while it's easy to miss discovering the amazing sites in our own figurative backyards, due to...well, life...I got a chance to explore Falmouth's history with my son as I drove him around to take pictures for a high school geography project.  I've driven by many of these places for years without knowing much about them, and I'm excited about all I learned on our trip!  So I'm sharing some of the town's fascinating history below.

A tip of Washburn Island in the background - we had quite
an experience camping there one night - very rustic!

We stopped first at the Waquoit Bay Natural Estuarine Research Reserve, which is both a Massachusetts State park and a center for education and research.  From there, we took pictures across Waquoit Bay of Washburn Island, an important part of the Reserve only accessible by private boat.  Washburn Island is one of the few large undeveloped coastal areas on the Cape, although it does feature a few rustic campsites which nature lovers may reserve in advance.  During WWII, the island served as an Army camp, and remnants of the abandoned base can still be found.  In addition, Native American artifacts dating between 450-1000 years ago have been found on the island as well.  

An example of a Wampanoag wetu
at the Waquoit Bay Reserve

Bay View Cemetery along Rt. 28

Following one of the trails along the water leads over to the old Bay View Cemetery, which I, as a writer of ghost stories, obviously found fascinating.  Many of the graves dated back to the 1800s.

From there, we got back in the car and drove to downtown Falmouth to the historic Village Green off Main Street (Rt. 28). This area has served as the town center since 1756, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  A few pictures from our walk around the Green are below; of particular note is the home of Katharine Lee Bates, the author of "America the Beautiful".

The home of Katharine Lee Bates, built in 1820.
Katharine was born in the house is 1859.  

First Congregational Church, circa 1796;
contains a bell manufactured by Paul Revere.

Oldest home on the Falmouth Village Green - 1790
Dr. Francis Wick's house - Federal style

From Falmouth's historic district, it's a short drive down to Woods Hole, located in the southwest corner of the Cape.  There is a great deal to see here in terms of history and geography, including many famous marine science organizations, a Coast Guard station, and the Nobska light house, pictured below.  I've actually been up to the top, as we were at a Coast Guard dinner at the house years ago.

Nobska Lighthouse, 1828.  The house is used by the
commander of US Coast Guard Group Woods Hole,
now renamed CG Sector Southeastern New England.

While we couldn't visit every point of interest in Falmouth in the time we had, we did hit a few more...Highfield Hall and Gardens, Beebe Woods, cranberry bogs, Old Silver Beach - there's so much to see in the Cape's second-largest town.  And, as a post-script, my son received an A on the Falmouth project - 100% - and we both learned a lot along the way.

History of #StPatrick #StPatricksDay #StPatricksWeekend

I love learning more about the meaning of our holidays and traditions--I've done posts on Celebrating New Year's Day, St. Nick and Santa Claus, the Origin of Halloween, and Finding Easter's Date.  This year, St. Patrick's Day is taking on a little more meaning, because I recently got my DNA results back from 23andMe (an awesome birthday gift from my hubby) and I discovered I have a lot more Irish blood in me than I thought!  I did know I had a Sullivan on my father's side of the family a few generations back, but the results say I'm 61% British and Irish.  I've always enjoyed taking part in the holiday fun--wearing green, drinking beer, and serving a traditional Irish meal. You'll notice I said "serving", not "cooking"...cooking is not one of my strengths; however, writing is.  So rather than offering a recipe, I'm dedicating this blog post to some facts about St. Patrick and his holiday.

As a teenager, Patrick was captured by Irish pirates and taken from his home country of Great Britain to Ireland as a slave.  A rough start, for sure, but although he escaped after six years and returned home, eventually he went back to Ireland as a cleric.  The exact dates of his life are uncertain, but it is generally agreed that Patrick was an active missionary in Ireland during the second half of the 5th century.  He was also an ordained Bishop and eventually became the primary patron saint of Ireland.  St. Patrick's Day became an official Christian Feast Day in the early 17th century, observed on March 17th, the date of Patrick's death.

The day not only commemorates St. Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, it also celebrates Irish culture and heritage. There are parades and festivals to mark the occasion, as well as religious services.  Because the church lifts Lenten restrictions for the day, drinking alcohol has become a custom associated with St. Patrick's Day.

The shamrock as a symbol comes from legends involving St. Patrick using the three-leafed plant to describe the Holy Trinity--the concept of three persons in one God. Obviously, shamrocks are green, but the phrase "The Wearing of the Green" comes from an Irish ballad of the same name.  The song refers to the persecution of those who supported the 1798 rebellion against British rule. The lyrics state, "They are hanging men and women for the wearing of the green" - the color adopted by the revolutionary United Irishmen.

Some stories credit St. Patrick with driving all the snakes from Ireland; however, all scientific evidence suggests no snakes ever existed on the Emerald Isle to begin with.  Another legend related to a serpent involves St. Patrick killing a large serpent in a lake, thus turning the water red with blood and creating the name "Red Lake" or Lough Derg.  It is said that God showed St. Patrick a cave or pit on an island in the lake, revealing the spot as an entrance to Purgatory.  St. Patrick's Purgatory is now an ancient pilgrimage site which still draws pilgrims annually.

Upon his death, the struggle over possession of the saintly corpse gave rise to the Battle for the Body of St. Patrick (according to the Annals of the Four Masters - chronicles of medieval Irish history).  He is said to be buried along with St. Brigid and St. Columbia at Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, County Down, but this has never been proven.

I've never been lucky enough to visit Ireland, although I did get to London and Paris last year.  But it's absolutely on my list of places I desperately want to see--a trip there conjures up images of ancient castles, mystical stone circles, and lush, rolling countrysides.  In fact, it sounds like the perfect setting for a novel! One of my favorite Nora Roberts' trilogies (Irish Jewels) is set in Ireland: Jewels of the Sun, Tears of the Moon, and Heart of the Sea.  The romance is flavored with Irish folklore and intriguing myths.  While my novels are all set in the States, they also contain haunting elements...so if you like a little spooky suspense with steamy romance, give one of them a try...a good book goes well with a slice of soda bread and an Irish coffee :) Links are all along the top tabs or with the book covers along the right side column. Happy St. Patrick's Day!