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The past has a future here in the Ardens.

HELP RESCUE THE RED HOUSE

5/4/2022

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RESCUE THE RED HOUSE!
Over the past few months many friends of the Museum have asked, “What’s happening at the Museum” and “When will it reopen?”  During the renovation of the building we discovered a number of structural issues in the gallery space of the Museum.  The Gallery, after all, is the original Red House, a converted out-building that was on the property when Frank Stephens purchased the Derrickson farm in 1900.  Our building is showing its age – all 120+ years. 
 
After major termite damage was discovered and repaired, we found additional problems under the floor of the Red House (which is the front structure that is a single story on the Museum).  A structural engineer was brought in to examine the building. Based on the engineer’s report, new plans have been drawn. The amount of work that will need to be done is extensive, involving the flooring, the ceiling, and the roof. 
 
The plans are now in the hands of New Castle County for their review and the permit process.  Our contractor is ready and we are looking forward to beginning this next step.  The work is significant and the cost will substantial. 
​
We have opened a GoFundMe Page to bring this 19th century building into the 21st century- it will be quite a journey. 
DONATE TO RESCUE THE RED HOUSE
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The Red House (The Craft Shop), ca. 1910s-1920s, ACSM00193
Your contributions will help make it possible for the Museum to continue to collect, preserve, and exhibit the history of the Ardens in a building that is safe and secure.  We are also exploring other financial sources and fund-raising plans, which we will be announcing in the coming months.  Meanwhile, this GoFundMe effort will kick-start the process.  We thank you in advance for your support.   
 
Please come and see our current exhibition Images from the Ardens 1900-1960.  The show is in the Bernie Schwab Community Room – just follow the signs along Cherry Lane to the “back” door.  Our museum hours are the same: Sunday afternoons from 1 PM to 3 PM and Wednesday evenings from 7:30 PM to 9 PM. We will also be open from 1PM-4 PM for the ACRA Spring House & Garden Tour on Sunday, May 22nd.
The Past has a Future in the Ardens.
​
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THE ARDENS IN THE MEDIA

4/27/2022

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The Village of Arden was recently featured on WHYY’s Mover’s and Makers program.  A number of museum volunteers were featured and we extend our thanks to them for representing the museum and Arden so wonderfully!  You can view the episode here.
 
The Ardens have also been shown on other public programs.  These include:
  • WHYY First Experience for Love of Chocolate features Mhairi and Stuart Craig Double Spiral Chocolate, from November 16th, 2017.
  • WHYY’s Art of Life featuring Russ McKinney, October 1st, 2015, in the last 3rd of the show.
  • WHYY’s Friday Arts from July 13th, 2016 this episode features Russ McKinney, Warren Rosenkranz, and Rick Rothrock
  • WHYY First Experience from March 1st 2018, features local artist Susan Benarcik, who showed her Arden Woods inspired artwork at the Buzz Ware Village Center
  • WHYY’s First Experience featuring the Oddporium on May 18th, 2018 
  • WHYY Friday Arts featured Phil Fisher on July 13th 2017, 
If you know of any others please let us know!
 
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Don Stephens, Billy Price under the Stile, ca. 1960s, ACSM00051
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A remembrance of Sally Hamburger from the Museum and Archives Committee of the Arden Craft Shop Museum.

4/20/2022

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Arden Craft Shop Museum opening Sally Hamburger speaking on the history of the Arden Archives, October 24, 2004, ACSM02540
If you read the minutes of Town Assembly meetings of the Village of Arden in the mid-1980s, you will find regular reports from an Ad Hoc committee – the Archives Committee.  Finally in September, 1989, this self-motivated and determined group became an official standing committee of the Village. There had long been an interest in the history of our village and the 75th anniversary in 1975 and the 80th celebration in 1980 helped crystalize that interest into action.  And Sally Hamburger was always in the forefront of the effort.
There is much to remember about Sally and her interest in the community of Arden and its unique history. She was instrumental in leading the effort to preserve our history for all of us to enjoy and to share with future generations.  Sally was part of that very special group of women we have come to call the Founding Mothers of the Arden Craft Shop Museum.
Those of you who knew Sally remember that she would be the best person to tell the story.  And the best way to tell what Sally did for the archives is to quote her own words.  We are fortunate to have a copy of the remarks she gave at the opening of the Museum in October, 2004.
Sally told the audience, “What an exciting moment this is for the Ardens, for all of us, and especially me. The dream began 15 years ago with the official formation of the Arden Archives Committee in 1989. In the beginning it wasn’t so much a dream as a panic. Oh, some of us had been conscious of the need to preserve the story of Arden, the 1980 celebration committee had gotten a grant from the Delaware Humanities Forum and created the first edition of the Arden Oral History; but it was the death of Virginia Shaw - Arden’s professional historian and archivist- that brought on the panic attack. Virginia could answer any question about who did or said what when in town; we counted on her official memory.
When Virginia died, 5 of us looked around and realized it was time to get serious about Arden’s history. So, the first committee was formed - Jean Brachman, Joan Colgan, Pat Liberman, Ethel Montfort and I began gathering art, sculpture, iron work, and files from attics and basements around town. For several years, the bust of Frank Stephens lived in my living room- my children draped him in tinsel for Christmas and gave him a mask for Halloween. 
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Sally Hamburger with bust of Frank Stephens, June 2004, ACSM02593
A quote from the Archives minutes of January 14, 1990; “we are feeling very frustrated because we have no place to work, no storage space, no permanent exhibit space. We discovered that the Frank Stephens studio in the Craft Shop is for rent- the space is historically and geographically ideal. After much agony; pondering our finances, discussions with town officials, we decided this was too good an opportunity to pass up. On January 23, 1990, we signed a one-year lease for $ 375 per month.” With that move we became an entity. We were amazed to see how much we had collected. The space allowed us to apply for an intern from the University of Delaware Museum Studies Program and we were lucky enough to get Tess Riesmeyer for that 1991 summer. Tess lived with us, worked with us and taught us what a real museum was all about; she introduced us to white gloves for handling artifacts and oh so gently forbad smoking and eating on the site.
But all was not easy. Folks began to grumble about using town funds for a rental. Talk of a private little club for old ladies was heard around the byways. So, we had to give up the Red House (At the Craft Shop). Now, where do we go? We couldn’t just pack it into Rae’s basement. A space was carved out for the collection on the Buzz Ware (Village Center) stage- Pete Renzetti built a temporary wall to secure our temporary home.  
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Pete Renzetti, Archives (Museum) Converting Buzz Ware Village Center stage into Archives Space, 1991, ACSM01440
You know the rest of the story- the amazing fund raising and purchase of the building, the formation of the Arden Craft Shop Museum, Inc. the creation of the super committee to include Ardentown and Ardencroft and their histories. So, it is just amazing to stand here and see it all come true. I wish that Jean, Joan, Pat and Ethel were still alive to share this moment they would be so proud. I’m so glad that Tess could travel from Pittsburgh to be here with us and see how her handiwork has grown.  It’s wonderful to see the dream of 5 old ladies, be picked up and carried into reality by the next generation. Most of all, I commend the good people of the Ardens for valuing their history for realizing that the privilege of living in the oldest intentional community in America cares with it the responsibility of sharing the details of that experience with others who would like to do the same.”
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Arden Craft Shop Museum opening, October 24th, 2004, ACSM02523
​All of us on the Archives committee appreciate Sally’s dedication and value her hard work. What was once an idea, became a vison, and is now a reality. We have a museum which exhibits the early history of the Ardens, houses a huge photographic collection, hires professional curators, gives group tours, works with researchers, and enjoys a growing group of active and willing volunteers. Sally – all we can say is thank you so very much.
 
 
ACSM
Museum & Archives Committee
April 2022
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HENRY GEORGE OFF FOR CONSERVATION

4/6/2022

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When you visit our Images from the Ardens exhibition and take a good look at all the pieces of sculpture, you may notice that an old friend is missing.  Look closely at the assembled busts and you will find that Henry George is not in the group.  The bust of Henry George has been part of the collection since the beginning – well before the Museum was opened in 2004.  In fact, the piece was listed in the inventory done by the original Archives Committee in 1991.  This inventory was done by of University of Delaware intern and was paid for by a grant from the Delaware Heritage Commission.  Having this piece in our collection is an important link to our founders, Frank Stephens and Will Price, advocates of the Georgist concept of Land Value Tax.
 
The bust was done by one of George’s sons, Richard, a well-known sculptor. The piece, however, has never been in the best condition.  There are numerous scratches and scrapes on the surface.  And most visibly, the top half of the left ear has always been missing.  The Museum and Archives Committee has long wanted to have this piece repaired.
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What makes the repairs possible at this time is a grant from New Castle County Council.  Through Councilman Cartier and his office, we received a grant which will pay for over half of the cost of the repair and restoration of the bust.  So, Mr. George is in the capable hands of an art conservator and we know he will soon be back in the Museum and will look better then he has in years.  Thank you, Councilman Cartier!
 
Please visit our exhibition Images from the Ardens.  The show is in the Bernie Schwab Community Room – just follow the signs along Cherry Lane to the “back” door.  Our museum hours are the same: Sunday afternoons from 1 PM to 3 PM and Wednesday evenings from 7:30 PM to 9 PM.  Your Are Welcome Hither.
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Exhibtion Opening

2/2/2022

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Hamilton "Buzz" Ware, "Exhibition", First Half of the 20th Century
 The ACSM will open a modified version of our exhibition, Images from the Ardens 1900-1960, on Sunday, February 6th, from 1 to 3 pm, in the Bernie Schwab Community Room.  Although our main gallery space is still under renovation, we are enthusiastic about re-opening and sharing these wonderful pieces from our collection with the community.  Our open hours will be the same: Sundays from 1 PM – 3 PM and Wednesday evenings from 7:30 PM – 9 PM.  The important difference is that entrance to the building will be only through the Bernie Schwab Community Room door on Cherry Lane opposite Patro’s Path, at the back of the building.  The main door on Millers Road will not be open, but there will be signs to direct visitors to the BSCR door.  The space is, of course, much smaller so the number of visitors is limited to 5 at a time, masks must be worn inside the Museum, and we will try to observe as much social distancing as possible.
 
The exhibition itself will feature Portraits, Landscapes, Places and Spaces in the Ardens, and an interesting group of paintings in the Fantasy-Abstract category.  All in all, it is a special show with some artworks that are new to the collection.  We will also display the many busts which typically resided in the small porch off the Gallery.  You will now have a chance to see them in a more open space.  Many of these pieces are by Frank Stephens, but other artists are represented and they are an impressive group.  Be sure to look for two different images of the same person, done by two different sculptors.
 
We look forward to welcoming you back – please remember your mask – and enter via the BSCR door.
 
 
The Past Has a Future in the Ardens.
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REMODELING NEWS FROM THE  ARDEN CRAFT SHOP MUSEM

1/12/2022

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As we all know, renovations or remodeling in the older buildings in the Ardens can take many unexpected turns.  This has happened at the Craft Shop.  It is not really too surprising when you remember how old our building actually is.  When Frank Stephens purchased the Derrickson Farm in 1900, our building was one of the structures already on the property. It became know as The Red House and was the center of much of the social activity in the village before the Gild Hall was renovated in 1910 as a home for the Arden Club.   
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The Arden Club at the Red House with announcements, ca. 1910s-1920s, ACSM00319
The Red House also housed the Arden Forge, Frank Stephens’ studio and Don Stephens’ wood working shop. The two-story addition was added in 1913, under the supervision of Will Price.  Many other changes were made through the years, as the building was remodeled to house artist studios, apartments, and a shop which sold furniture and other crafts made in the village.  There was even a bakery in the building.  
Don Stephens, rear of Red House (workers on roof building dance hall), 1910s-1920s, ACSM00939
Craft Shop, ca. 1916, ACSM00324
Frank or Don Stephens in Red House workshop, early 20th century, ACSM03315
Frank Stephens Studio at Craft Shop, ca. 1920s, ACSM02437
Frank Stephens Studio at Craft Shop, ca. 1920s, ACSM02438
Two Als blacksmithing in Arden Forge, 1918, ACSM02439
​And then the big renovation in 2004 which created the Museum and the apartments we have in the building today. All this means we have some work to do before we can fully reopen.
The Red House (Craft Shop), 1990s-2000s, ACSM00317
Arden Craft Shop renovation, interior, archives space, 2003 ACSM02528
Arden Craft Shop Museum opening exhibition, October 24, 2004, ACSM02523
We are planning to open a condensed version of out exhibition, Images from the Ardens 1900-1960, hopefully, in early February in the Bernie Schwab Community Room.  Watch this space for special announcements and many thanks to everyone for your continued interest and support. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Craft Shop soon!
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Sally Hamburger, Arden Craft Shop Museum opening, October 24, 2004, ACSM02600
The Past Has a Future in the Ardens.
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Remembering Linda Eaton

9/15/2021

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The Arden Craft Shop Museum community celebrates and honors the life of our dear friend and supporter, Linda Eaton. Linda passed away on August 18th, after a courageous battle against a long-term illness. Linda came to Arden in 1993 after getting a position as a textile conservator at Winterthur Museum and Gardens. She went on to have a long and distinguished career at Winterthur, retiring as the John T. and Marjorie McGraw Director of Collections and was a recognized authority in her chosen field of textiles.

Linda wholeheartedly embraced life in the Ardens and became a founding member of the Arden Craft Shop Museum, Inc. Board in the 2002.  She served as one of the board's presidents, helping to preserve the unique history of the three Ardens. ​
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Arden Craft Shop Museum Original Board: seated, left to right: Janet Cosgrove; Mark Taylor; Linda Eaton; Tom Wheeler; Bernie Schwab standing, left to right: Alton Dahl; Pete Rensetti
Her professional museum expertise helped to make the Craft Shop Museum an important center for the history of the three villages. Not withstanding her demanding schedule at Winterthur, she never missed an event at the Museum. Linda was generous with her time and her talents, whether it was navigating a tricky board meeting, writing a perfectly worded grant request, or guiding our fledging museum into the future.  She was also known for offering sage advice and giving support to friends and neighbors during difficult times.
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She had a playful side to her as well, playing baseball on the village green in games of Winterthur vs. Arden, sharing her love of single malt scotch in tastings at her home, and always being there to cheer on the participants in the ACRA games on the green at the fourth of July celebrations or at an art show in the Ardens; as well as arriving at a dinner party with a batch of homemade shortbread – fresh from the oven.
She will be missed by so many as a good neighbor and an even better friend. 

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Georgist Gild Sponsored Dance Party, Gild Hall, April 22,1996 Linda Eaton and Bob DiNigris
​"...if we do meet again, why, we shall smile"
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News from the Arden Craft Shop museum

8/18/2021

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At this time the Arden Craft Shop Museum is temporarily closed for remodeling and we wanted to make our community aware of the reason.  
 
On August 4th the museum experienced water damage due to a sprinkler head going off in the apartment above the gallery.
 
Museum staff and volunteers were already onsite and, once ascertaining that it was safe to be in the building, immediately began moving collections and laying down plastic sheeting and buckets. They implemented our recently approved disaster response plan, which included alerting building manager Jamie Jamison and board chair Peter Slattery.  Both were onsite promptly.
 
Many thanks to the speedy response of the Claymont Fire Company, who arrived promptly!  Fortunately, their services were not needed.  A number of community members also pitched in to assist.
 
A local remediation company was called, and they came to the museum that evening, and, once the water stopped pouring, began the process of vacuuming and cleaning up. They also removed the damaged carpet and drywall.
 
Thankfully, the water only directly impacted the gallery space.  Due to this and the prompt work of staff, museum volunteers, and community members the damage to the collections was negligible.  Repairs will begin shortly, and we look forward to welcoming you back to the museum for our new exhibition Images from the Ardens: 1900-1960.
 
Many thanks to the museum volunteers and community members who helped out including: Jamie Jamison, Peter Slattery, Beverly Hawkins, Lindsey Sherwood, Liz Jones-Minsinger, Keith Minsinger, and Barbara Macklem.
 
 
The Past Has a Future in The Ardens
​
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Sally Hamburger, at the opening of the Arden Craft Shop Museum, October 24th, 2003 ACSM02537
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Closed 4th of July

6/30/2021

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​Due to the 4th of July holiday the Museum will be closed Sunday the 4th.  Please enjoy these photos of Independence Day celebrations from the past!
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First Hounds in--in annual Hare and Hound race, July 4th, ca. 1900s-1910s ACSM01690
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Fourth of July celebration, ACRA races on Arden Green, July 4th 1963, July 4, 1963
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Fourth of July Celebration,Three-legged race, July 4, 2000, ACSM02917
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Fourth of July Celebration, band playing national anthem, July 4, 2000, ACSM02916
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ARTIST BIOGRAPHY--EDITH "Jimmie" CLEMENTINE VON WATTENBURG WARE

4/28/2021

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One of the nicest features of the Archives Collections at the ACSM are the many tributes and articles written by unnamed folk about their favorite neighbors and friends.  One of these pieces, by an unknown friend, provides a beautiful portrait of Jimmie Ware.  The writer details Jimmie’s many accomplishments and her special qualities.  Among these are Jimmie’s reputation as a Gardener Extraordinaire.  She is remembered in her straw garden hat who could “… coax the most recalcitrant of plants to accept a home in her garden.”  The author continues with memories of Jimmie’s strong black coffee served at community breakfasts, of her participation in theater and music activities, her involvement in many political causes, and the loss of her son James during World War II.  All these qualities provide a picture of a most remarkable individual.  
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Jimmie Ware, 1950s-1960s, ACSM00990
  Prior to arriving in Arden, she was a student at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art in Philadelphia.  Her Mother, Marian Von Wattenburg was reported to have been a member of several professional acting groups, so the younger woman’s interest in the theater probably came from an early age.  Just what drew her to the Ardens is not known, but her life in the community mirrors the lives of so many who made the villages the special places they are today.​
PictureJimmie Von Wattenburg, 1907, ACSM02410
     
Edith “Jimmie” Ware arrived in Arden in 1906 – almost at the very beginning of the communities now known as the Ardens.  Very little seems to be known about the origin of her very boyish nickname, but the woman herself was an admired artist and a valued friend and neighbor.  She was only 18 when she moved to Arden and was soon involved in the weekly Shakespeare performances that took place in the Field Theatre. In 1917, she married Hamilton D. “Buzz” Ware.  According to her 1983 obituary, “…the pair became outstanding leaders in the comprehensive cultural development of the village…”  The wedding must have been a grand Arden celebration – among the gifts they received was a set of silver teaspoons and a silver mug, made by village silversmith Margaret Wood.  The family grew to include daughter Joan in March 1919 and twins James and John in December 1924.
 
Notwithstanding all her activities, as well as raising a family; Ware found time to paint.  In a review of her show at the Warehouse Gallery in 1968, Betty Burroughs (a newspaper columnist who also lived in Arden) wrote that many of Ward’s watercolors showed her love of the nature.  There were pansies, pussy willows, and apple blossoms; as well as seascapes from Maine.  The column also quotes Joan Ware Colgan, Ware’s daughter, discussing the abstract paintings that appear in the show.  Colgan explained that her Mother disliked the early abstract work when she first saw it and framed her color-splattered paint cloth as a rebuff to those artists.  Burroughs reported that even Ware’s abstracts found acceptance due to her “…fine sense of color.”  Ware’s work continues to be treasured in many homes in the Ardens. ​

Picture
Jimmie Ware, far right, painting at the Warehouse Gallery, ACSM04117
It is not easy to sum up the work of a lifetime, but there are many more stories to tell about Jimmie Ware.  Her work was featured in a show at the Delaware Art Museum in the early 1960’s. She was an early proponent of women’s suffrage.  With her husband, Buzz, she was part of every village activity and worked hard to maintain and grow the life of the community.  Ware was a primary founder of the Arden Club’s Gardener’s Gild.  It seems best to return to the piece written by the unknown Ardenite to provide the closing for this story about Jimmie Ware.  The author writes “…Jimmie was part of that original group which struggled to create the special qualities of our community that are so dear to most of us and is struggling still to preserve its integrity.”   We are indebted to Jimmie Ware for a life well lived which continues to inspire us today.
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Jimmie Ware in costume, 1914, ACSM00074
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Open Wednesdays 7:30-9 pm
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1807 Millers Road
Arden, DE 19810

302.475.3060
A member of the Small Museum Association and the American Association for State and Local History.
© Arden Craft Shop Museum, 2015