Quilt Exhibit at Wyman Tavern

June 2008

An exhibit of quilts that represent a variety of quilting techniques and historical periods will be on display at the Wyman Tavern Museum, 338 Main Street in Keene, from June 21 through August 31, 2008. The exhibit, entitled "Piecing Together Our Quilting Past and Present," is collaboration between the Historical Society of Cheshire County and the Cheshire Quilters' Guild. Some of the quilts have been made by Guild members and others have been drawn for the Historical Society's archives. Each Room of the Tavern will feature a different quilting technique, and each technique will be explained through use of displays and posters and examples of both historic and contemporary quilts.

The Wyman Tavern Museum, one of Keene's most historic structures, will be open to the public through August 30th on Thursdays through Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and by appointment. The Tavern, built by Captain Isaac Wyman in 1762, operated as a tavern by the Wyman family for 40 years, It was a stopping point for coaches and carriages and travelers on horseback, and it was an place where influential and ordinary members of the community gathered to socialize and share information. The first meeting of the trustees of Dartmouth College under President Eleazar Wheelock was held here on October 22, 1770. It was also from this tavern that 29 minutemen started their march to Lexington and Concord in April of 1775 under the command of Captain Wyman, a veteran of the Indian Wars. The Historical Society of Cheshire County operates the Tavern as a period museum and offers guided tours. Admission to the Tavern is $3 for non-members and free for Society members.

The Cheshire Quilters' Guild has been serving quilters in the region for 20 years. In addition to monthly meetings, programs, and workshops, Guild members undertake community service projects, such as quilts for young patients at Cheshire Medical and quilts to decorate the Kingsbury Cancer Center.