Events
Holiday Open House
Saturday December 7, 11 AM – 2 PM
Gov. George S. Boutwell House, 172 Main Street, Groton
In the spirit of GrotonFest Winter, on Saturday, December 7th, the Groton History Center’s elegant and gracious Boutwell House, at 172 Main Street, will be open from 11 am to 2 pm. All are invited to partake in a sweet encounter with the past including historic dances brought to life by the Footwork & Frolick Society, tours of the 1851 home of former Governor George S. Boutwell, a last chance to savor the Impressionist works of Edmund C. Tarbell, and splendid refreshments.
Footwork & Frolick is a nonprofit dedicated to bringing 18th– and 19th-century dances and amusements into our 21st century lives. Authentic, graceful, and mesmerizing to watch, dancers will show off a holiday sampling – a quadrille, a Schottische, Gothic Dance, and waltzes. All dances likely enjoyed at the Boutwell House in its heyday, and in the Town Hall’s upstairs ballroom, says Catherine Dignam. She and her husband James Sabin, two of the six founding members of Footwork & Frolick Society, live in Groton.
It was the age when women wore hoops and crinolines under softly flowing or full-skirted dresses, and the men sported black pants, vests, cravats, and top hats. Professionals with day jobs, many of the troop make their own lavish, historically correct garments. Inspiration comes from an array of sources including pattern companies specializing in vintage designs, magazine fashion plates, paintings, and extant garments in museum collections.
This is also the last chance to see Edmund Tarbell: Artist & Teacher, an exhibit featuring paintings, drawings, and studies by American Impressionist (and Groton native). Thanks to the Tarbell Charitable Trust and the Groton & Massachusetts Cultural Councils.
So join us for good cheer and holiday spirit! Free and Open to the Public. Universal first floor access.