Lizzie Borden: Warps and Wefts

It’s been a very busy Lizzie Summer and Autumn with plays, lectures, re-enactments, house tours, cemetery tours, and much anticipation about the upcoming Parallel Lives.  Warps & Wefts will be on vacation until October 18th in Victorian Cape May- a place where Lizzie would feel right at home.  Victorian week is an annual Cape May attraction and is rated in the top 100 American events not to miss.  http://www.capemaymac.org/content/subpage_main.aspx?id=820

W&W will return on the 18th with photos of all the Victorian fun, fashions and amazing Painted Ladies!

Good things happening in the city. Read the article here: http://www.heraldnews.com/entertainment/x2141119034/Fall-River-featured-in-photo-exhibit

One charming and friendly eatery not to miss when visiting Fall River is the New Boston Bakery on New Boston Road.  Breakfast and lunch feature home made pasteries, soups, and sandwiches, prepared fresh on the spot in a cozy decor of lace, teapots and Victoriana.

The owners, who are preservation- minded, have retained all the old charm of the building and even saved an original stained glass panel.  New Boston Bakery is closed on Sundays.

Also be sure not to miss the gingerbread gem next door, the former 1890 Leanna Barker Grocery Store which has been beautifully restored.

It’s no wonder Lizzie Borden wanted to belong to the stylish Central Congregational Church  at 100 Rock Street.  Many of the fine mill owner families from The Hill were congregants there. Listed today on the National Register, the granite, Nova Scotia freestone and red brick edifice was designed by Hartwell and Swazey (also architects of the Academy Building) in the Ruskinian Gothic Style, in 1872. It is the only church in Fall River which features gargoyles on its exterior facades.

Just a little late in finding this feature!  The city paper has added a blog with YouTube footage of the recent Victorian Christmas tour. This one features the Historical Society gift shop and recreation of McWhirr’s Department Store.  Hopefully there will be more.

The link below should take you to the video and article by staff reporter, Debbie Allard.

http://www.heraldnews.com/blogs/x224443104

It was a red letter day when Victoria magazine returned to the shelves this month.  There are very few publications on the market at present which feature articles on Victorian homes and Victoriana, Victorian Homes and Country Victorian were the last two after the Hearst Company cancelled Victoria a few years ago.  Fans of the glorious magazine, filled with lavish photography went into mourning. Now under a new company management, Victoria has returned as beautiful as ever with features covering all aspects of Victorian life and style. Instead of monthly, the magazine will come out only 6 times a year as it did when it debuted.  There is also a website and forum and a free online newsletter and magazine excerpts-what a great Christmas gift!

http://magazine-directory.com/Victoria.htm

Also visit Victorian Homes  http://www.victorianhomesmag.com/

    Once again the Fall River Preservation Society will be presenting a holiday house stroll featuring the beautiful “Painted Ladies” of The Hill section of the city and the Borden home on Second Street.  Last year was such a success with hayrides, carollers, refreshments and the Historical Society’s annual Christmas display at the Rock and Maple Street corner, this year’s tour of the stately homes, filled with antiques and holiday decorations, promises to exceed all expectations. The Second Street Irregulars will be attending, as many as can in costume, for a glimpse of the Past, history, architecture, good company and great food.  http://www.fallriverpreservation.org/events.php

 After a wet start to the weekend, the sun burst forth Saturday about 2 p.m. and left the Painted Ladies of Rock Street refreshed and ready for their close-ups.  The Victorian garden of the Fall River Historical Society was glistening with raindrops, the heavy pink heads of late summer roses bending low.  Already the holly hedge is thick with ruby berries, portent of Christmas to come.  Who can blame Lizzie for wanting to live up on The Hill?