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Located off the Keeping Room, the
room seen on the left, is part of an addition built in the 1830s by Rev. Bidwell's
grandson, John Devotion Bidwell, the third and last Bidwell to own the
house. Today furnished as a bedroom, this room once contained a front and back door.
We speculate that this room served John Devotion Bidwell as an
office since he was the town's Justice of the Peace, a surveyor, tanner,
and farmer. |
1830's room, furnished as a bedroom in keeping with the period
Photo credit Shirley S. Chute |
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In addition to
this room, the 1830 wing contains a side entrance porch, carriage barn,
and attic space above. |
| The Best Bedchamber was
comparable to today’s master bedroom. We think the it may have been
used as an office and study for Rev. Bidwell. It is located upstairs
away from all the commotion of the public rooms on the first floor
and it has a fireplace for heat. There is also a small crane in the
fireplace to heat water for coffee or tea. The crewel work bed
hangings (reproduction of an 18th century pattern) and the original
18th century lindsey- woolsey
quilt
are indicative of the few artistic expressions for women of the time
period.
 A desk is
set by the south windows. It
features pages from Rev Bidwell’s sermons.
Desk photo credit Stanley
Kublin
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Best Bedchamber: 18th c quilt
& reproduction 18th c bed hangings.
Photo credit for images above & below Paul Rocheleau |
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Mirror and collection of small
objects in the Best Bedchamber |
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Upstairs hallway looking from
the Best Bedchamber towards Children's room. |
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Children’s Room has the original wood wall paneling, which was never
painted. There is no fireplace in this room – possibly for safety because this was the Children’s Room. The period
quilts represent part of the museum’s excellent
textile collection |
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Children's room showing quilts |
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