Pleasure Gardens of the Colonial Revival - A Look at New England Colonial Revival Gardens
Lucinda Brockway, Managing Director of Cultural Resources at The Trustees
Thursday, June 13, 2024, 6-7 PM
Lucinda Brockway illuminates the early 1900s Colonial Revival gardens of the Piscataqua River basin in this lecture. Gardens and garden clubs were promoted as a way to improve the appearance of the summer homes and communities in the region. Authors, artists, and socialites advocated for the cultivation of pleasant dooryards and highly aesthetic public and private landscapes that served as an illustration of their commitment to their homes and communities. Nostalgia for the pastoral appeal of the colonial period was paramount within the designs of many gardens of the period, many of which can still be visited today, including the Thomas Bailey Aldrich Memorial Garden (Portsmouth, NH), Hamilton House Garden (Berwick, ME), and Celia Thaxter's Garden (Appledore Island, ME).
Lucinda Brockway, leading a team of cultural resource specialists, seeks innovative solutions for cultural sites driven by the unique legacy of each property. She has curated landscape research, planning, and investments in three National Landmark sites, rethought the role of houses, collections, landscapes, and ruins for public engagement, and directed new archival research to unveil each property's unique spirit of place. As a published author and landscape preservation expert, Brockway instructs at the National Preservation Institute in Alexandria, VA, delivering nationwide lectures on historic preservation, landscape history, and design, and serving as an expert for numerous conference presentations. Since 1982, under her business Past Designs, she specializes in historic landscape preservation and design projects across the U.S. for public and private clients, collaborating with architects and engineers on new residential design and renovation projects.
Members: $15; Nonmembers: $20
About the Mark Connolly Distinguished Speaker Series:
The Mark Connolly Distinguished Speaker Series honors the legacy of Mark Connolly, a former Strawbery Banke Museum Trustee and prominent figure in finance, literature, and politics. In April 2019, following his passing, the Museum embarked on a mission to commemorate Connolly's memory and continue his dedication to intellectual discourse and civic engagement.
Connolly’s varied career, including roles as Director of the New Hampshire Bureau of Securities, an accomplished author, and a Democratic candidate for Governor, exemplified his unwavering commitment to public service and belief in the transformative power of education and dialogue.
Inspired by Connolly’s enduring spirit, Strawbery Banke initiated the distinguished lecture series to provide a platform for leading national speakers to explore a wide range of topics, from history and art to politics and current events. The Mark Connolly Distinguished Speakers Series aims to spark thought-provoking discussions and nurture intellectual curiosity within the community, ensuring that Connolly's legacy of civic responsibility and the pursuit of knowledge continues to inspire future generations.