What’s New This Month At the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum

From the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum:

July 27, 2020

Everyday Living at WDS

Did you know one of the most beloved education programs at WDS relates to the book, “The Witch of Blackbird Pond?” Elizabeth George Speare, a resident of Wethersfield, used the decidedly medieval-looking Buttolph-Williams House (c. 1711) as the setting for this 1959 Newbery Medal winner. Every year hundreds of school children who have read the book take this memorable tour.

This timeless classic explores ignorance, slavery, prejudice, and superstition and resonates with any child ever been bullied or singled out for being “different.” It tells the story of Kit, a newly orphaned young woman from Barbados, who arrives unannounced to live with relatives in Wethersfield. Considered an outsider, and different from other girls, she befriends the kind, elderly Hannah Tupper, who had been outlawed from the Massachusetts Colony for being a Quaker. As fellow outcasts, Kit and Hannah develop a deep bond, even after her uncle forbids the friendship. When a mob gathers to kill Hannah, the book becomes a tale of witchcraft and adventure, with honor, and the heroine, winning in the end.

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This press release was produced by the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum. The views expressed are the author's own.