I had an opportunity to spend some time at Rock Hall Museum in Lawrence recently and enjoyed looking around the grounds and touring the house. The stories of the Martin family and their British West Indian plantation heritage was fascinating. As I wandered through the house I had a real feeing for the history and the English influence in this Georgian style house. Beautiful high ceilings and spacious rooms give a feeling of elegance. A lovely portrait of granddaughter Mary Elizabeth, painted by John Singleton Copely, the leading American portrait painter of the day, can be seen in the main parlor. The cellars of the house have been interpreted as they may have been used in the 1700's, with a warming kitchen and storage areas for wine and food. They are believed to have been an important aspect of rural life, providing appropriate conditions for cool temperature food activities and long term storage. The Friends of Rock Hall offer many programs for children and adults throughout the year. There will be a Wine and Cheese tasting on September 25th in the garden, a Country Fair October 22nd and 23rd and Holiday decorations will adorn the house from November 30th through January 10th. The Nanny Rose School of Etiquette on November 20th sounds like a fine way to demonstrate proper table etiquette for children while having fun and pretending. The Museum is open throughout the year, Wednesday though Saturday from 10:a.m. to 4:00 p.m., opening at noon on Sundays. Call Rock Hall Museum at
516-239-1157.
