Weekly Update

​Christmas greetings, one and all!  Waking up to a covering of snow was an added bonus as final Christmas preparations begin today.


We had a very good December beginning with the annual Holiday Festival and Village Stroll sponsored by the Easton Lions Club and a fun filled day spent with our friends from the Easton Garden Club and their annual Holiday Greens Sale.  Many of you have visited the Museum to get ornaments, books, puzzles, and other gift ideas, and your support is very much appreciated.  It is great to see so many smiling faces again!

Today I have a little Christmas treat for you, compliments of my good friend and member Ron Somerville.  When McMenamy's Hamburgers closed, he was able to purchase a photo that hung in the restaurant for many years, and he presented that photo to us last month.  That photo is a timely one, as it records an early appearance of good ol' St. Nick!  Taken with a group of children in front of the former Ames Store that once stood opposite the Ames Free Library on Main Street, it features a large group of children, store clerks, and Frank McMenamy near the doorway.  One fellow stands out from the crowd though, and a quick look at those white whiskers and hat immediately reveals his identity.  What a thrill this must have been for the children!  Do you suppose they had their Christmas lists ready for Santa?

The photo is undated, but a few clues lead me to believe it was taken right around 1930.  The clothes and hats worn by the children look to be 1920's / 1930's, and the sign over the entry that notes Frank McMenamy running the business also ties the time to the end of the 1920's.  If that is correct, then Santa's appearance at the beginning of the Great Depression probably instilled some hope into these young children at a difficult time.  That is my wish for you - that you will find carefully placed under your tree, or observe in the faces of children as you gather your families, or reflect during a quiet time, the Hope of Christmas.

Christmas blessings, stay well, and remain hopeful,
Frank