American Textile History Museum Blog

This Monday saw the construction crew move rapidly through the second floor as they continue to open up the buildings structure making way for new exhibits. The first image below was the area sometimes known as the “mirror” room because of the mirrors placed on the side walls to give the impression of a greater machine installation. In the new configuration this area will house the second of two changing galleries.

"mirror" room

This second image takes a look to the left of the mirror room, the Hall of Fame was on the left and advertising and other ephemera were on the right.

Hall of fame was on the left

Finally to prove that the work is never really done, always being tweaked Doug Mund, Karen Herbaugh and Diane Fagan Affleck look over some last minute issues.

Doug Mund, Karen Herbaugh and Diane Fagan Affleck

YES IT’S TRUE . NEW THINGS are happening all around us, and we expect that will be the case in the exciting months to come. New affiliations, new canal walks, new mascots, new building buzz, and more!

EXCITING NEWS arrived on the day of our Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees. ATHM has become an Affiliate of the SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION , and this prestigious accord will allow us to collaborate on a number of different levels in association with the Smithsonian Institution. We are eager to expand our relationship with such an esteemed institution which, like us, holds a great collection of artifacts of great historical significance. America is a great country, and we are pleased to be telling stories of its history in association with the Smithsonian Institution.

At the Board meeting, the leaders of CAMPAIGN for the AMERICAN TEXTILE HISTORY MUSEUM were honored for their outstanding work in guiding the campaign to 97.5% of its goal. We have now raised $3.75 million of the $3.9 million ($4.75 million of $4.9 million when the Maine Community Foundation’s $1 million match is included). Pictured left to right are campaign co-chair Ruth Ward, Marisa Tescione Fagan of the Advancement Department, Linda Carpenter, Advancement Director, Campaign Co-chair and Board of Trustees Chairman Ken McAvoy, and yours truly, ATHM President Jim Coleman. Also recognized were honorary chairs Ed Stevens and Sam Rogers.

Pictured left to right are campaign co-chair Ruth Ward, Marisa Tescione Fagan of the Advancement Department, Linda Carpenter, Advancement Director, Campaign Co-chair and Board of Trustees Chairman Ken McAvoy, and yours truly, ATHM President Jim Coleman.

THE BIDS ARE IN! Yes, the bids are in from the 3 remaining general contractors who placed bids on the building phase of the construction for the renovated core exhibit, TEXTILE REVOLUTION – AN EXPLORATION THROUGH SPACE AND TIME . Bid due diligence is now underway, which will shortly lead to contractor selection and construction. I’m already practicing heaving my sledge hammer for the demo phase!

ATHM has been interviewing candidates for the position of Museum Mascot . I was so in awe of this happy go lucky sheep’s skills of persuasiveness, she won the job on the spot. The only problem is that since the sheep can only say baaaaaaaaaaaa, we don’t know her name. Consequently the search is underway to name our new best friend. If you’ve got an idea, e-mail me at jcoleman@athm.org.

Name our new best friend

ANOTHER NEW THING IS the construction taking place directly outside my window

My office overlooks the WESTERN CANAL looking to the South, and looking to the East the confluence of the WESTERN, PAWTUCKET, HAMILTON, and MIDDLESEX canals at the SWAMP LOCKS. The NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK and the CITY of LOWELL are building a new canal walk along the WESTERN CANAL. A few pictures follow, which show the work along the canal that travels into the ACRE neighborhood. The bridge being removed used to be part of WORTHEN St. which ran through what is now the parking lot of ATHM.

New canal walk along the western canal

Construction taking place

Construction taking place

I spent 30 years in the textile business and I thought I new a lot about textiles. I do. I did know that recycled plastic soda and water bottles were chopped up, cleaned and born anew as polyester fleece type garments and other textile products. Check it out at this link.

http://www.history.com/media.do?id=bone … ction=clip

Do you know what dollar bills are made from? 75% cotton and 25% linen. The funny thing is that until just a short while ago the 75% cotton came from the cutting scraps of the process to make denim jeans. The company that makes the paper for US currency (Crane & Co.in Dalton, MA) has to stop using the cuttings because of another miricle of the textile industry, SPANDEX! Now would’nt you think our governement would want a dollar bill that could be stretched in new ways? I guess not. Check it out at the following link. Scroll down to “Currency Production”

http://www.history.com/minisite.do?cont … i_id=52493

One of the most special events of the year at the American Textile History Museum took place Friday evening March 28th at the Museum’s Gazebo Cafe, the 2008 President’s Dinner.

The evening was a celebration to honor those special supporters of the Museum who give so much because they deeply believe in the importance of textile history and what ATHM represents.

These caring people unselfishly give their time, their money and their spirit to perpetuate what began more than 200 years ago with revolutionary Americans.

They are in many respects the hearts and the souls of textiles. The Museum would not exist without them. We thank them and celebrate them.

Bill Gannett, Karl Spilhaus and Les Regenbogen

Sue Bunker, Fred Ward and Jane Dumais

Chris Rogers and Mary Stevens

Peggy Regenbogen and Connie Spilhaus

David Kroneberg, Bill Gannett and Craig Huff

John and Catherine Goodwin

Patrick & Kathleen Connerty

Nancy & Mike Oldershaw with Ruth Ward

Barbara Thun and Larry Ardito

Kim and Ted Anderson

Marisa Fagan Tescione, Linda Carpenter and Karen Herbaugh

Peg Coleman, Sue Bunker and Franki Kelly

Jim Coleman and Leonard Smith share a story

Michael & Anne Putziger

Win and Pauline Duke

Ed and Andy Stevens

Richard and Jane Dumais

Ann Huff and Nancy Gannett

David and Barbara Thun

Sam Rogers receives the Presidents Award for his long and unwavering support to the Museum

Jim Coleman a lighter moment

Nina Rogers, Sam Rogers, Chris Rogers and Jim Coleman celebrate Sam's award

THANK YOU SAM FOR YOUR MORE THAN 39 YEARS OF ENTHUSIASM, LEADERSHIP AND GENEROSITY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT.