The Thomas Paine Cottage Museum Reopens

After a year-long public absence, the Thomas Paine Cottage Museum will reopen on June 8th starting at 11am with a ribbon cutting ceremony conducted by Jennifer Lanser of the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce.

Festivities will include their popular Colonial Fair featuring

• Robert Buccheri holding class in a 19th century schoolhouse including quill pen lessons.
• Scott MacScott brings 18th century children’s games.
• The Hearts Oak Militia Company will portray Hamilton's first military experience including drills and hands on of artifacts. Enlisting visitors into the Continental Army and training to be proper soldiers in the fight for freedom.
• The New Jersey Field Music Group includes middle and high school students recreating fife and drum music of the Revolutionary War.
• Erik Lichack on harpsichord with singer Eliza Vincz. Eliza will also display Revolutionary war era dresses, hair, and makeup, demonstrating the ladies toilet and how fashion and feminism related to social change in the late 18th century
• Cheryl Dixon presenting on colonial food preservation
• Erik Paul demonstrates 18th century woodworking techniques using period tools
• Paul Malcolm will explain 18th century tailoring
• American style BBQ will be available for purchase

Local nonprofits, such as the Humane Society of Westchester in New Rochelle, will also be in attendance.

Many areas of the museum have been redesigned. The Thomas Paine room is in period display as it was when this founding father lived in the Cottage and wrote his final pamphlets. On loan from the Thomas Paine National Historical Assn Collection at Iona College, Thomas Paine's 1809 gravestone. This rarely seen artifact will be displayed only for this grand reopening event. Historian and Paine expert, Gary Berton, will be available for Q & A's throughout the day.

Their new Revolutionary era room includes exhibits and video presentations and the second floor will once again have a member’s only research library equipped with internet access and in house research books on the Huguenots, Thomas Paine and New Rochelle history.

A temporary exhibit commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-day includes a newly donated Sailor’s uniform of former New Rochelle resident, Robert Harrison, German artifacts on loan from the Bush-Veres family, Army uniform and equipment on loan from the Tanswell family and live footage of the invasion restored and recompiled by the researchers at the Eisenhower Library in 2014.

William G. Pomeroy Foundation ambassador, John Newkirk joins in the unveiling of the NYS Historic Marker the Association received through the Pomeroy grant program. Assisted by New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson.

Rounding out the day, an adult Colonial Tavern immediately following the Colonial Fair. A Colonial Tavern themed happy hour includes live broadcast of the Belmont Stakes, BBQ food and period dressed servers.

Their website DiscoverNewRochelleHistory.org has additional details. New Rochelle grade students and their teachers can contact the Association at contactus@thomaspainecottage.org for available ticket discounts.