It was nice to see Gina Bent, Annett Quimby, Chris Corey, Diane Austin, Eric DiVirgilio, Amy and David Fessenden, Bob Canada, George Winters, Vicki and Jim Pope and Peter Webb. A new face, however, would certainly be welcome.
Minutes slipped by. Treasurer Corey reported receipts of: cribbage – $35, mural fund contributions – $525, donation in memory of Edith Corey – $100, Brookline Lion’s Club donation – $1,000, totaling $1,660; expenses of electricity – $132.17, phone – $51.73, propane – $593.35; balance remaining $29,201.89. We await receipt of several mural pledges and are hopeful that more might be forthcoming for that project.
We decided to order 120 trees for our annual Xmas tree sale, 5 more than last year. The supplier has bumped up their prices by $5 per tree. Our gross cost will be $3,983.00. The order form and 30% deposit of $1,195 have been mailed to Weir Tree Farms, LLC. We are always looking for volunteers with lots of holiday spirit to help us out during the sale.
Jay Chrystal has generously agreed to donate an old millstone to the BHS. Brookline had several gristmills over the centuries. Nothing remains but foundation ruins and a millstone or three. We are grateful to Jay that we’ll be able to preserve this small but significant remnant of Brookline’s distant past.
Who remembers the local watering hole that displayed the sign pictured below? The famous landmark at the corner of Route 13 and Bond Street has been a railroad depot, a restaurant serving the ski hill traffic, a snack bar, a gunshop, a saloon. Today it is the home of Julie and Dick Cotton. The BHS was overjoyed by the Cottons’ generous gift of the wonderful Brookline Station sign. It will be preserved and displayed as an irreplaceable piece of local history. Thank you to the Cottons for their kindness.
Eric DiVirgilio bought, picked up, delivered and donated a beautiful antique wood and glass display case for the display of BHS’s collections. Eric’s effort and generosity are greatly appreciated. He will be making some small repairs. It is hoped that it might serve to display artifacts relating to the history of the railroad in town, a specialty of Mr. DiVirgilio. He is producing a series of videos on that story, a number of which are already completed and are available for viewing here: Brookline Railroad Series.
Diane Austin’s cribbage continues to the great pleasure of its participants. Beginning April, the games will be every Thursday evening, 5:30 – 8:30, $5 per person. Kurtis Fusco and Associates’ local archeology presentation is scheduled at the BHS for Saturday, April 15 at 1 PM. Members are encouraged to help with refreshments. Webb is to firm up arrangements with the presenters. He will also touch base with Mark Fountain. The work party installed a large tv screen on a moveable wall bracket for displaying videos and photographs of relevant interest. The Lions Club is looking for volunteers to help them with their penny sale on November 4.
Our next meeting will be April 12. George Winters offered to take care of refreshments.