7/15/08
On Thursday, July 24, the Westport Historical Society will host a “Birthday Bash” from 6 to 8 p.m. to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Westport Library and the WHS special exhibit tracing the library’s history. Titled “Remember-Celebrate-Imagine,” the exhibit in the Betty and Ralph Shaffer Gallery invites visitors to take a step back in time through photos, articles and memorabilia. A charming vignette set in 1908 features a librarian of that vintage with a little girl having her library books hand-stamped — a reminder of how far we’ve come with new technology. Also included are selections of illustrations from the pen of Howard Munce, whose creative artwork promoting library events spans 27 years, and a look back at Westport’s 1976 Bicentennial Celebration showcasing the scratchboard illustrations by Leonard Everett Fisher.
A second exhibit, “A Town’s Treasures: Spaces & Places, Seen & Unseen,” displays photographs by Tom Kretsch in the Little Gallery. His work reflects his love for Westport and his ability to capture visual images that evoke a soothing calming moment in time.
Both exhibits will be on view at the Historical Society, 25 Avery Place, through September 1.
Westport Library Director Maxine Bleiweis is pictured with a much earlier predecessor from 1908, part of the Historical Society exhibit tracing the Library’s 100-year history.
