January 2012 – Historical Society of Riverton

Following are two descriptions of upcoming events that HSR Board member Mrs. Pat Brunker passes along.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SEEKS OBJECT FOR NEW TV SERIES
AMERICA’S LOST TREASURES,
the week of January 29, 2012.
at Winterthur Museum, Wilmington, DE

If you have something that relates to a person, place, or event that you think may have historical significance contact us ASAP as space is limited! Email us today to find out if you have one of America’s Lost Treasures!
AmericasNationalTreasures@gmail.com

Or, submit an item today via: www.natgeotv.com/losttreasures

America’s Lost Treasures, a new television series from National Geographic, is searching the country for objects that tell the story of our History! We are coming to Delaware the week of January 29, 2012. Do you have a Civil War era musket? Letters or documents from the founding fathers? Ancient Native American artifacts, antique musical instruments, or pop-culture collectibles?
If you’ve got a prized family heirloom, or found object, with a connection to history and a great story to tell, National Geographic may offer up to $10,000 to display your piece in a special year-long exhibit of America’s National Treasures.
Not sure if your item is the real deal? You’ll have the opportunity to bring it down to the Winterthur Museum, one of the country’s best museums, and have it examined by experts to find out how your piece fits in to the rich tapestry of American History.

THE ECONOMICS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, HOME AND ABROAD
a lecture by Donovan Rypkema:
Monday, January 30, 2012, 8:00 pm
The Ethical Society of Philadelphia
1906 S. Rittenhouse Square
The event is free but a modest, tax deductible donation to Save Our Sites would be appreciated.
Please RSVP to 215.232.2344/ 215.990.7832 or davidstraub@verizon.net
Or Just Come!

Donovan D. Rypkema is principal of PlaceEconomics, a Washington, DC based real estate and economic development consulting firm that specializes in services to public and non-profit sector clients who are dealing with downtown and neighborhood commercial district revitalization and the reuse of historic structures. Rypkema has worked with communities in 49 States and 40 countries. He holds a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University and teaches at the University of Pennsylvania where he received the 2008 G. Holmes Perkins Award for Distinguished Teaching.

The National Geographic event has a Facebook page with more information. If you have some free time on your hands the week of January 23, they still need extras for a shoot at the Franklin Institute. – JMc

One of the more out of the ordinary requests we have received for help came from Jeffrey J. Kirchner, AIA, of RLPS Architects in Lancaster, PA in November who wanted some old postcard images of the Flanders Hotel in Ocean City so that his firm could build a gingerbread model of it for its annual holiday gingerbread display. Here’s a better late than never update on the progress of that group effort.

After Mr. Kirchner explained his project I sent him high-res images of at least four different Ocean City beachfront hotels. He sent me these photos of the completed project on Jan. 5 with the explanation that the “background buildings are “very loose” interpretations of the Flanders and the Bellvue.”

Santa Bell Beach is complete with a boardwalk, carousel, ferris wheel, souvenir store, first-aid station, eateries, and shops, and is populated by snowpeople. There are lifeguards, volleyball players, vendors, sunbathers, boardwalkers, and one guy has a metal detector.

There’s probably way more to the story of why this company has done these elaborate panoramic scenes for the last 20 years, so I invite comments of participants or visitors to the displays.

Sorry that it took so long to follow-up on that development. In fairness, Jeff did invite me to Lancaster to see the display, but I was content to have helped from a distance.

Please let us know if there is ever anything about history with which we can help you. – John McCormick, Gaslight News editor