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Date: 3/21/2023
MONSON — The Keep Homestead Museum will be reopening for the season on April 2, with a kick-off presentation on the surprising and interesting geological history of the town and surrounding areas, and the museum has a lineup of events and exhibitions to please the public for their open season from April to December.
The kick-off presentation, “Dinosaurs, Dunes, & Drifting Continents,” by Professor Emeritus Richard Little of Greenfield Community College, will be held on April 2 at 1:30 p.m., at the museum. The presentation is a deep dive into the town and vicinity’s geological history, and, as with all of the museum’s programs, is free to the public.
Little said that “the Connecticut River Valley is the best place in the world to study geology,” and this event will showcase the basis of his claim. From dinosaur footprints to continental collisions, Little will explore with the audience how the area came to be what it is today, including Lake Hitchcock’s history and glacial formations.
Have you heard of Jurassic armored mud balls? Little will also be bringing examples of these rare sedimentary structures, a treat for the public to be able to learn about and observe. More information on the mud balls, which are on the verge of becoming officially recognized by the state this year, can be found at armoredmudballs.rocks.
The museum’s original owners, the Keep family, would be pleased to see this presentation being offered, as the last two generations of Keeps to occupy the homestead were avid “rock hounds” according to the museum’s website, and their collections of local rocks and crystals can be seen on display at the museum.
The Keep family, one of the first settlers in town, according to the museum’s website, were not only rock and crystal collectors, but also “savers and collectors of family history and documents, and the artifacts of daily living over a span of 150 years,” so there is plenty to see and do.
Upcoming programs and exhibits
The museum has a variety of events and programs planned for the coming months and will host one event per month, held on the first Sunday of every month at 1:30 p.m. Co-Director MaryAnn Meacham said that the museum’s popularity has grown due to the new programs they have been offering, and last year was one of their busiest years yet.
In May, an Eleanor Roosevelt impersonator will entertain guests, and in June and July there will be concerts held on the lawn. Meacham said over 200 people attended last year’s concerts, so concert goers should plan to arrive early. June’s concert features Sara the Fiddler, and July will bring a bluegrass/country mix with a band called Livestock.
In August, the Forest Park Zoo will be bringing their Wildlife on Wheels program, and September and October have a pending quilt program, those details will be announced soon. In November, the public may bring up to five buttons to be appraised by an expert, and in December visitors will get to experience a Victorian holiday traditions event.
The museum also boasts several exhibits, which, Meacham says, are always rotating so the public has a chance to see something new every few months.
A collection of over 30 quilts resides at the museum, and visitors can see an example of a “crazy quilt, which is considered a textile art, and engages the viewer with it’s wild variety of materials and embellishments. One full size quilt, such as the one on view in one of the main bedrooms, was estimated to take up to 1,500 hours to create, according to the museum’s website, and to be able to see such a well-preserved crazy quilt as is in the museum is uncommon.
Additionally, the museum is host to one of the country’s “most unique” and largest button collections, which is an absolute must-see. Many of the buttons are from the homestead’s previous owner, Myra Keep, who had a button collection of thousands. The buttons are a delight to explore, as are the rest of the collectibles and offerings on display at the museum. It sincerely has something for everyone, and one can practically inhale the richness of history within its walls.
With over 75 acres of land, the museum also has nature trails for the public to enjoy, open year-round. There is also a community garden entirely run by volunteers and funded through donations, and a sculpture garden. The Alan Robert Philips Sculpture Garden has a number of works by the local sculpture artist.
Meacham said the last of the Keep family to own the property, Myra Keep Lovell Moulton, left the homestead to the town upon her death in 1989 with the agreement that the town would keep it open as a museum as long as it was under the town’s ownership. Moulton left a sizable endowment to fund this endeavor, and Meacham said that the museum operates on the interest from the endowment as a large part of their funding. Meacham said donations to The Friends of the Keep Homestead Museum as well as grants make up the rest of their financial backing.
To learn how you can become a member of the Friends of the Keep Homestead Museum, or to donate, contact the museum at khm@keephomesteadmuseum.org.
The museum is available to the public free of charge during the Open Houses, which happen on the first Sunday of each month from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Visitation by appointment is available, to schedule call 267-4137.
To keep up with the museum’s schedule, visit keephomesteadmuseum.org, and follow their Facebook page, facebook.com/keephomesteadmuseum.