Iconic Rocking Chairs Donated To Hammerstein Museum In Doylestown

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Two of the iconic rocking chairs used by famed lyricist Oscar Hammerstein on the porch of his Highland Farm in Doylestown have been donated to the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center.

The chairs are a gift from Ted Chapin, the former President and Chief Creative Officer of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization for 30 years and a member of the museum’s Honorary Advisory Board. They are also the first historically significant gift to the museum's collection.

Ted Chapin. (Photo by Joel Nace)

Oscar Hammerstein, on his rocking chair, typing on the porch of Highland Farm.

Chapin tells the story of how he came to own these two pieces of musical theatre history:

“Bill Hammerstein, oldest son of Oscar II, was my first Hammerstein boss at Rodgers & Hammerstein. He was wise, avuncular, caring, and devoted to his father’s legacy. He once asked my father if it was okay for him to consider me the son he never had. (He had only daughters - three.)

"His wife Jane-Howard had exquisite taste, and every house she had - three during my years - was designed magnificently. The last was a converted barn from Canada, taken apart and reassembled on a plot of land in Connecticut. One day after Bill died, she took me out to the garage where she had two of the chairs from Highland Farm, painted white - impeccably, I might add - and told me she wanted me to have them. I was floored.

"When the plans were in the works to turn Highland Farm into a museum, I decided the chairs belonged there. So, one at a time, I brought them down and gave them back to the place from whence they came.”

One of the rockers is pictured in an iconic photograph of Oscar, typewriter on his lap, at work on the porch overlooking the grounds of Highland Farm. The chair will be placed on display for house tours this month and throughout the holiday season.

By popular demand, the nonprofit has increased the number of scheduled tours of Oscar’s Doylestown home at Highland Farm to five times weekly in November and December: Fridays at 11 a.m., Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. From Thanksgiving on, visitors can enjoy crisp apple strudel and tea (“a drink with jam and bread”) or hot chocolate from a “bright copper kettle.”

Special Hammerstein Museum mementos will be available for purchase only by tour guests. One unique offering is a Hammerstein Museum commemorative Mercer tile, handmade at the Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown. Only 50 of these tiles were produced for this limited-edition run.

A Hammerstein Museum commemorative Mercer tile, handmade at the Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown.

Tours of Hammerstein’s historic Highland Farm have become increasingly popular among local residents and visitors alike. The 45-minute tours include riveting stories about Hammerstein’s musical family, how his groundbreaking musicals forever changed the modern-day book-musical, and additional insight into his contributions to society through his many humanitarian acts.

Highland Farm public tours will run through December 28. Due to weather uncertainty, public tours will not take place during the winter months. Private and group tours can be arranged by appointment.

Advance tickets are required for all tours. Information and tour tickets are available by clicking here.