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New England, 1850-1900. Maple, chestnut and tulip poplar tester; 77" h. x 77" w. x 48 ¾" d. < Back Four-Post Bedstead with Tester Second Floor - SE Bedroom Furniture and Hard Furnishings New England, 1850-1900. Maple, chestnut and tulip poplar tester; 77" h. x 77" w. x 48 ¾" d. Four turned posts into which bedrails are tenoned. A double curved headboard is tenoned into the front posts; arched tester attaches to the top of each post. White candlewicking now covers the tester. Condition note: A written record accompanying the bedstead states that the end rails were shortened from a full to three-quarter size by Fred Denson in 1927. Previous Next

Including a cup and saucer, and 7” d. plate; early 20th century manufacture. < Back Three Associated Pieces of Meissen Porcelain First Floor - Dining Room Ceramics and Glass and Objects of Vertu Including a cup and saucer, and 7” d. plate; early 20th century manufacture. Heavily decorated gold trim on white porcelain; pattern names unknown, all marked with Meissen crossed blue swords mark. Condition is good. Previous Next

Maple, pine; early 19th century and later New England; 28 ¼” h. x 28” w. x 14 ½” d. < Back Sheraton One-Drawer Stand Second Floor - NW Sitting Room Furniture and Hard Furnishings Maple, pine; early 19th century and later New England; 28 ¼” h. x 28” w. x 14 ½” d. Top (replaced), over long drawer with glass pulls (replaced); turned legs ending in double-swelled feet. Previous Next

Local Revolutionary War buff, Eric Chandler, educated our audience about the Spies of the Revolutionary War! < Back Brown Bag Lecture - Cloak and Dagger: The Revolution's Secret War! Local Revolutionary War buff, Eric Chandler, educated our audience about the Spies of the Revolutionary War! Previous Next

On the Trail is just back from their tour of the Netherlands, bringing us bluegrass to the Mather Homestead! < Back On the Trail - June 26, 2022 On the Trail is just back from their tour of the Netherlands, bringing us bluegrass to the Mather Homestead! Previous Next

Docent Donn Smith has been busy in the attic and has many stories to tell about the Homestead and its inhabitants < Back Donn's Blogs Docent Donn Smith has been busy in the attic and has many stories to tell about the Homestead and its inhabitants Previous Next

The grandson of Joseph Mather, Stephen was the first director of the National Park Service, and more than doubled the park system's land area. < Back Stephen Mather Listen to Audio Tour for this location: 00:00 / 02:40 The grandson of Joseph Mather, Stephen was the first director of the National Park Service, and more than doubled the park system's land area. Image Gallery A photo of Stephen Mather circa 1920 An example of a Stephen Mather memorial plaque, located in Acadia National Park Site Description Stephen Tying Mather was the great grandson of Deacon Joseph Mather. He was born in 1867 in California where he loved spending time outdoors. Following his graduation from the University of California Berkeley in 1887, he became a reporter for the New York Sun. Following his marriage to Jane Thacker Floy, he left journalism to work for the Borax Company, where his father worked. He moved with his wife to Chicago and became very successful, founding his own Borax company and becoming a millionaire. He was able to retire at the age of forty seven. That same year, on a visit to Yosemite and Sequoia, two of the nation’s few western national parks, Mather found the parks to be undermanaged and ill-protected. He wrote a critical letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Franklin K. Lane, who was also a Berkeley graduate. His friend wrote back "Dear Steve, if you don’t like the way the national parks are being run, come on down to Washington and run them yourself.” And that is exactly what Mather did. He became Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior and lobbied the case for the National Park Service. He led efforts to gain Congressional and public interest and to create the park bureau. This led President Woodrow Wilson to authorize the National Park Service in 1916. Mather was appointed as the first director of the National Park Service in 1917. He is responsible for more than doubling the land in the park system to include Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Acadia, Shenandoah and more. He believed that beautiful lands in the United States should be protected and made available to people for enjoyment. In fact if you travel to these parks today, you will see prominent plaques and even statues of Stephen Mather. An inscription on the plaques reads: "He laid the foundation of the National Park Service, defining and establishing the policies under which its areas shall be developed and conserved, unimpaired for future generations. There will never come and end to the good that he has done." Stephen Mather's own words stated his intentions best: "Who will gainsay that the parks contain the highest potentialities of national pride, national contentment, and national health? A visit inspires love of country; begets contentment; engenders pride of possession; contains the antidote for national restlessness.... He is a better citizen with a keener appreciation of the privilege of living here who has toured the national parks." Previous Next

< Back American Poetry: Women's Month Tues., Mar. 8, 7 pm Previous Next

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Artists drew, painted and photographed on the Mather Homestead grounds during our first "Plein air" week. < Back Plein Air Weeks 2020 Artists drew, painted and photographed on the Mather Homestead grounds during our first "Plein air" week. Previous Next

< Back Garden Tea Thurs., May 26, 12 pm, garden Our second annual Garden Tea will include tea (or wine) in the garden, followed by "tea-style lunch" and a speaker. More details to come soon! Previous Next

Samuel Sturgeon (working 1811-1835) Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, 1815-1825 Walnut, hard pine, brass movement, painted iron dial < Back Tall Case Clock First Floor - Keeping Room Furniture and Hard Furnishings Samuel Sturgeon (working 1811-1835) Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, 1815-1825 Walnut, hard pine, brass movement, painted iron dial The eight-day, striking clock movement is in a tall case with scrolled pediment bonnet. The imported whitepainted dial has a moon arch, seconds dial, elaborately painted spandrels that embody raised scrollwork, and raised beads around the chapter ring. Painted on the dial: Sam’l Sturgeon / Shippensburgh below date aperture. The waist has chamfered corners and a figured walnut door with scalloped top. The base stands on French bracket feet. Condition notes: The lower backboards of the clock case have been rebuilt. Previous Next