Wonderful Exhibit on Old Houses

Are you one of those people who drives slowly along New England country roads to get a glimpse of beautiful old homes? I know I am. I always joke that if you ever hear that I was in a car accident it's because I was looking at an antique house.

If you are interested in learning more about old homes instead of just appreciating their beauty then the current exhibit at the Westport, MA Historical Society is just for you. It's called

"Behind the Shingles: 17th and 18th Century Houses of Southern Massachusetts:

An exhibition on reading the secrets of old houses through the clues that they leave"

I had the pleasure of viewing this exhibit the day it opened on July 11th. Curated by architectural historian and author, Anne W. Baker, the exhibit visually demonstrates the changes in an old home that reveal the secret of its age. For example, different styles of window frames and door frames are shown with a discussion on when they would have been used. There is a particularly interesting nail display that shows original nails that were used through the centuries. Some are hand made nails from the 17th and 18th century.

So if you would like to learn more about your own old house or are interested in living in one in the future stop by this exhibit. It won't dissapoint. The scenery in beautiful, ocean-side Westport is well worth the drive. And on your way home stop by the Westport Rivers winery.

The exhibit runs through Sepember 7, 2009. Hours are Monday and Wednesday 9am-3:00pm

For more information see http://www.westporthistory.com/news/archives/000459.html