Stephani Teran
Express staff
On a sunny June day, just before a pending New England heat wave, Tina Palmer of the Historical Commission is outside the Halifax Historical Museum gifting the garden with some water. Palmer spends a great deal of time here, and other locations in Halifax, serving, organizing, caring for, protecting, and promoting all things Halifax.
Inside the beautiful antique building that once served as a one-room schoolhouse and later the town library, an expanse of carefully curated, historical artifacts relevant to and from the town of Halifax, line shelves, display cases, and fill exhibits in the bright, open space. From floor to near ceiling, the museum holds a pleasantly dizzying number of items -all pieces of local history that tell the unique and continuing story of this bucolic, New England town.
Currently, the Halifax Museum and Halifax Historical Society are raising funds to repair and restore the historic JB Baker blacksmith shop in town. The blacksmith shop was founded by Jared Baker in 1894 who served as the towns first fire chief and also as a town selectmen from 1920-1946. His wife, Ella, served as the first woman on the Halifax School Committee from 1911-1914. The blacksmith shop is a unique and important part of Halifax history and will greatly enhance learning and historically geared experiences in Halifax upon completion. Thankfully, the Halifax Historical Museum offers a wealth of local history to view and learn about as well as town-geared products available to purchase to help support the blacksmith shop restoration.
Dr. Howland Holmes gave $100 to the town of Halifax to establish a public library, which amassed a collection of some 3,000 volumes that were kept in the current Town Hall. In 1908, the town appropriated $1,000 to establish a new library location using one of the five Halifax schoolhouses. Palmer explains, “In the deed, it was promised that this building would always serve as a public library and although it is now also a museum, it is a reference library.” The collection of volumes and artifacts also offers countless immersive research and learning opportunities to the public.
Besty Hodge, retired Halifax school teacher and fellow commission member with Palmer, helps to run the museum and assisted in the massive undertaking of sorting through, organizing, cleaning, and arranging the many artifacts. Her knowledge of town history and happenings is second nature as she talks about people in images and what objects were used for. “All of these items have been donated or found by people in Halifax and surrounding areas. We have had so much fun deciding where everything goes and what should be grouped with what,” she says beaming at an extensive World War II display showcasing locals who served in the war.
Parts of Halifax history, that may be lesser known to newcomers, are on display such as the signage for Halifax Garden Co. “Halifax Garden Company was so well known and successful that they shipped roses all over the country,” says Palmer. Another bit of Halifax history that has traversed far beyond town boundaries is the slogan and accompanying symbol of “Kilroy was here”.
The slogan “Kilroy was here” came to be a symbol of what was right about America in World War II. James J. Kilroy was a rate setter for the rivets welded in shipbuilding. In order to stop the practice of some riveters trying to get paid for the work others were doing, he began writing, “Kilroy was here” near the welded areas he was inspecting. “After a while of this,” Palmer explains, “sailors worldwide began to notice this slogan and the drawing Kilroy did each time. They started to use it themselves and graffitied various objects and places all over the world with ‘Kilroy was here’ and the little face looking over the ledge.” Backing up this story, a 1970 Yankee Magazine with an article about Kilroy is displayed below images of the phrase and cartoon donning various machines and buildings.
Endearing tales are unveiled with each object examined or marveled at by the two sage women -their minds living annals of local tales and of the people who molded and made the town what it is today. After pointing out my adoration for a picture of three elderly women dressed in fancy attire -purses in hand and looking to be heading out for a good time, Hodge instantly relayed the importance of the image and those in it. “Only July 4, 1984, Halifax celebrated its 250th anniversary. They dressed up for the occasion and Inez Gassett, the town librarian, had an amazing, elaborate float that was themed ‘Mother Goose’. She dressed as Mother Goose and read to the children as the float went down the street. She was always doing wonderful things. She was a strong woman who knew how to get things done.”
From 19th century, collector Bibles that look more like they were once housed in a gothic European castle rather than being family heirlooms, to a collection of cast iron toy soldiers that would make any child incapable of resisting staging a pretend battle, and from worn baseball mitts and rusted face masks from the first baseball games in the area, to elaborate smoking pipes underneath a display of dapper top hats, the Halifax Museum is layer upon layer of history, stories, learning, and wonder.
“We really love people coming to enjoy the many stories we have here,” says Palmer. “The other day we had a gentleman come and spend a good hour in the corner with the World War II display -reading and taking it all in. There is a real connection to be made to where you live when you know how things came to be and why,” says Hodge. “Getting this museum into shape and organizing and cataloguing -it was a lot of work but we are learning the system and more about how to run things and we are having a great time doing it,” Palmer points out, “We just really hope the community comes out to see what this place holds and to appreciate our town.”
If you and your family are in the market this summer for local learning opportunities and the chance to support the historical restoration of a building that matters to many, do not miss a visit to the Halifax Historical Museum. Every object or image you find there comes with more than historical facts and dates -they come with stories of the people and events that shaped the lives lived in Halifax today. These accounts are now passed on by people who brilliantly blur the lines between past and present to tell the stories of Halifax “yesterdays” as clearly and poignantly as if they happened moments ago. Each tale is a page in the collective story of community -a story that is waiting for your page to be added.