Historic New England presents a free illustrated lecture by University of Southern Maine Professor Elizabeth Bischof on Thursday, September 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the Hamilton House garden cottage.
Dr. Bischof will talk about “Writing Friendships and the Founding of the Women’s Rest Tour Association of Boston,” an organization founded by two women, a poet and a teacher, interested in promoting independent travel abroad among American women at the end of the 19th century. After a walking tour of England, the two friends published the book “A Summer in England” which recounted their trip but also served as a handbook for other women travelers offering advice on places to stay, sights to see, and other practical matters. The book, published in 1890, became the founding document of the Women’s Rest Tour Association established the following year.
Dr. Bischof will share her research on the fascinating, but little known, organization and the prominent New England women —authors, artists, teachers and social activists— who belonged to it. Dr. Bischof will also talk about the association’s newsletter, The Pilgrim Script, in which members were encouraged to contribute short prose pieces recounting their own travels. This rare publication contains some lovely reminiscences by Sarah Orne Jewett among others.
Hamilton House is located at 40 Vaughan’s Lane in South Berwick. It is one of 36 properties owned and operated by Historic New England, the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive regional heritage organization in the country. For more information call the South Berwick office of Historic New England at 207-384-2454 or visit www.HistoricNewEngland.org.
