The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism recently released its list of “1,000 Great Places” and six spots were in Fall River, including the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum. The Spirit has an article on the other five places, and comment on the results by B&B owner, Lee Ann Wilber. For the article visit this link
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100826/PUB03/8260435
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Richard Behrens,author of Lizzie Borden, Girl Detective gave a reading at the Fall River Public Library on August 3rd. Some of the character actors from the Borden house museum’s Pear Essential Players came dressed 1892 style for the occasion.
This year’s cast featured Kathryn Woods as Nellie Drew, budding girl detective and fan of Miss Lizzie’s sleuthing adventures!
Abby Borden (Shelley Dziedzic) on the arm of
Uncle John V. Morse (Joe Radza) at the library (photos by Jack Faria)
click on link to view video : Lizzie Borden, Girl Detective
Dr. Handy’s cottage, Lizzie’s Marion fishing destination (courtesy of Sippican Historical Society).
If you were busy elsewhere on August 4th and missed the Lizzie tizzy of activities in Fall River, you can still catch a program on the famous case in Marion, MA. on August 19th at 7 p.m. Marion, the charming little fishing town where Lizzie had planned to try her famous line and sinkers, has a program in the old music hall which should keep the case followers delighted in August. http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100805/PUB01/8050377
Many folks in town are less than pleased with the monstrosity that passes for a court house across the street from the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum but recently something new has appeared which is generating puzzled looks and outrage from passers-by. On the Spring St. corner at Second, the yellow “Kelly House” complex which consists of a house rental and a few retail businesses, is now sporting huge black and grey portraits of Albert Einstein and Marilyn Monroe. The big question mark has raised some speculation- who next?- Lizzie Borden?
St. Mary’s church has the corner lot where a large statue of the Virgin Mary is located. Einstein seems to be sticking his tongue out in that direction. But the big question is- WHY? Does the city have any regulation in place about public mural art? There’s bound to be further developments on this one.
Some of the cast will be appearing at the Fall River Public Library on Tuesday, August 3rd at 6:30 for a special reading by Richard Behrens from the new Lizzie Borden: Girl Detective! Tickets are presently on sale at the museum 508-675-7333. Advanced ticket purchase is suggested to avoid disappointment on the 4th. Tickets are usually sold out by noon. First performance at 10: 30 a.m.
Cast interviews and photos may be found at http://pearessentialproductions.org/
Lizzie Borden: Lorraine Gregoire
Detective Seaver Ben Rose
Abby Borden: Shelley Dziedzic
Andrew Borden: Logan Livesey
Bridget Sullivan Kathleen Troost-Cramer
Emma Borden: Barbara Morrissey
Addie Churchill: JoAnne Giovino
Alice Russell: Kristin Pepe
Uncle John: Joe Radza
Officer Medley: Justin Dunne
Miss Manning from the Herald: Molly O’Brien
“Cub reporter and Girl Detective” from the Herald, and Miss Manning’s assistant: Kathryn Woods
The Distinguished Undertaker Winward: Michael Brooks
Officer Harrington: Will Clawson
Marshal Hilliard; Ray Mitchell
This week will mark the end of criminal cases tried at the historic New Bedford Superior Court House at 441 County Street, the venue for the famous 1893 trial of Lizzie Borden. Only civil cases will be heard now at the New Bedford site. Amazingly the old court room where the Borden trial took place has remained, for the most part, the same as it looked in 1893.
The new Fall River Justice Center on Second Street, will assume the task of trying criminal cases. One wonders if the 1892 crime happened today- might Lizzie try for “house arrest” and remain in her house across the street from the new court house wearing an ankle device!
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100622/NEWS/6220308
It was a charming June afternoon at the Fall River Historical Society when author Richard Behrens’s treated an appreciative audience to selections from his new book, Lizzie Borden: Girl Detective. The gardens were in bloom, lemonade and gingersnaps were on the sideboard, and spellbound fans of the latest Lizzie Borden fictional incarnation were held in rapt attention for a delightful interlude. Copies of the book may be found at the historical society or may be ordered through the website (link in right hand column). Thanks to Mondo Lizzie and Youtube for the following videos from this afternoon.
Today’s Fall River Herald News has a wonderful article about New Jersey author Richard Behren’s book, Lizzie Borden: Girl Detective and the upcoming Saturday reading and booksigning http://www.heraldnews.com/newsnow/x1834540560/Historical-fantasy-novel-features-Lizzie-Borden-as-a-detective
photo credit: LeeAnn Wilber
Popular indy actress and fashion trend-setter, Chloe Sevigny strikes a familiar pose on the black sofa. Ms. Sevigny has family ties to Fall River and a great interest in the Borden case. Tuesday marked her second overnight visit to the house on Second Street.
Painting on #92 has come to a halt due to the weather. More scraping and primer touch -ups are in the future before color can be applied, hopefully next week. Costuming and casting have begun for the upcoming August 4th re-enactments. Busy days on Second Street.
On May 27th papers in the United Kingdom posted news that Stephen Griffiths of Bradford, North Yorkshire would be charged with the homicides of three women. ” ‘I have decided that there is sufficient evidence to charge Stephen Griffiths with their murders, and that it is in the public interest to do so,” ’ said Peter Mann, head of the Crown Prosecution Service complex casework unit in the West Yorkshire. ” Body parts recently found in a local river are being examined to try and establish if they are from the bodies of the three women.
For the last six years Griffiths had been studying at Bradford University for a doctorate in criminology. His thesis was to have been about 19th-century murders. On his Amazon.com wishlist was Goodbye Lizzie Borden: the Story of the Trial of America’s Most Famous Murderess. For more on the story http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/may/27/bradford-murders-man-charged
For those who remember the film, could That House made so famous be a candidate for a B&B? Read all about what the Lizzie Borden B&B has to say about it. http://www.flashnews.com/news/wfn03100527fn19014.html
The new court house across the street is preparing to open in June, #92 should get its new Rhino Shield paint color applied this week, and rumor has it that the house on Second Street may receive a call from a very special guest soon.
New England Bites bloggers Laura and Diane ( a Mom and Daughter team) paid a visit to Second Street and had a great write-up with photos on their visit. The Fall River natives also give great tips on where to eat in the Fall River area. http://www.newenglandbites.com/2010/05/may-2010-vacation-goin-out-with-bang.html
For a to-die-for photo of Nance O’Neil and some interesting back story on The Legend of Lizzie Borden with Elizabeth Montgomery check this out http://www.filmsinreview.com/2010/05/18/camp-david-may-2010-gettin-lizzie-with-it/
And of course the month started with a bang with the publicizing of that Lizzie note found in a Massachusetts museum in Brighton -http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x2084248292/Local-historian-deciphers-letter-penned-by-Lizzie-Borden And it isn’t even AUGUST yet!!
Graphology, the “pseudo-science” of deciphering personality attributes by analyzing handwriting samples provokes mixed opinions as to the validity of these observations. The formation of letters, the slant of the writing, the way a “t” is crossed- and many other points come under the lens in formulating possible characteristics of the writer.
Janice Warren, master certified handwriting analyst, will present “You Are What You Write,” on Friday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Christ Church, 57 Main St. in Swansea. The owner of “Different Strokes” in Fall River, Ms. Warren gives workshops for teachers and lectures for civic groups and cruise ships.
The program will feature discussion on various traits revealed in handwriting, samples of the rich, famous and infamous, including Lizzie Borden, and will include audience participation by helping to analyze their personal handwriting samples. This is far from the first time that Lizzie’s handwriting has been examined. It will be interesting to see if Ms. Warren agrees with other graphologists.
Refreshments will be served after the program, and tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling Marsha at 508-678-6486. The fundraiser will benefit Christ Church outreach projects.
Q. Can you tell of the killing of any animal? Or any other operation that would lead to their being cast there, with blood on them?
A. No sir. He killed some pigeons in the barn last May or June.
Q. What with?
A. I don't know, but I thought he wrung their necks.
Q. What made you think so?
A. I think he said so.
Q. Did anything else make you think so?
A. All but three or four had their heads on. That is what made me think so.
Q. Did all of them come into the house?
A. I think so.
Q. Those that came into the house were all headless?
A. Two or three had them on.
Q. Were any with their heads off?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Cut off or twisted off?
A. I don't know which.
Q. How did they look?
A. I don't know, their heads were gone, that is all.
Q. Did you tell anybody they looked as though they were twisted off?
A. I don't remember whether I did or not. The skin, I think, was very tender. I said, "Why are these heads off?" I think I remember of telling somebody that he said they twisted off.
Q. Did they look as if they were cut off?
A. I don't know. I did not look at that particularly.
Q. Is there anything else besides that that would lead, in your opinion so far as you can remember, to the finding of instruments in the cellar with blood on them?
A. I know of nothing else that was done.
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