FEATHER IN YOUR CAP?

FEATHER IN YOUR CAP?

Feathers have been used as ornament for centuries. Marie Antoinette (last Queen of France) is quoted as saying, "It is true I am rather taken up with dress; but as to feathers, every one wears them, and it would seem extraordinary if I did not." I am sure she would loved the feather capelet and epaulets that we have discovered in our textile collection. Made of peacock feathers, it was brought to Hatfield Point on a sailing vessel by Captain Solomon Davis, which would make the latter part of the 19th century. We don't know if his wife ever wore the caplet, but if she did she must have felt very elegant in it. It will be part of summer display this year.

The First History of New Brunswick

The First History of New Brunswick

This book by Peter Fisher was first published in 1825 under the title Sketches of New Brunswick. Below is an excerpt from the section on Kings County. I was surprised at the population (2011 population 69,665):

"It contains seven thousand nine hundred and thirty inhabitants.

It comprehends the Long Reach, the Kennebeckasis (sic) and Belisle (sic), and is divided into the following parishes - Westfield, Greenwich, Kingston, Springfield, Norton, Sussex and Hampton. Kingston has a Township regularly laid out, which bears the name of the Parish. It has a neat Church, with a resident Minister, and a number of neat buildings, which make a fine appearance. The Court-House, however is a considerable distance from the Town. The settlers in most parts of this Parish have the appearance of comfort and affluence, although the land is inferior in fertility to most of the other Parishes.

. . . There are two quarries of excellent Plaster of Paris on the river Kennebeckasis. There is likewise a salt spring in this part of the country, from which small quantities of salt have been made by the Indians and the Inhabitants settled near the place, which has proved of an excellent quality for the table, and there can be no doubt of its possessing valuable medicinal qualities; but no attention has yet been paid to analyse it. Great quantities of sugar are extracted from the sugar maple in this county, upwards of ten thousand pounds have been made in a year, of that valuable article in the Parish."

1923 Spring Flood

1923 Spring Flood in Hampton

As each Spring arrives many of us are looking at the rivers and creeks around us and wondering what the water levels will be this year. In a newspaper account from 1923 it was reported: "This last week is one that will be remembered for many years to come on account of the severe freshet that has covered the bridges and railway tracks, surrounding and entered a number of dwellings at the village and station.This is the first time since 1887 that boats had to be used to get from the village to the station. The bridge over the creek is completely covered in water and partly washed away, and the road for several rods is covered by water [Note: a rod is approximately 16.5 feet]. The houses along Langstroth Terrace have to be reached by boats and several houses nearer the river bank are completely surrounded, one family having to live upstairs as the water had entered the downstairs. Several barns are washed away. The amount of damage done is great."

The 1923 flooding along the Saint John River and its tributaries resulted in estimated damages totaling $532 million in today's dollars.New Brunswick's River Watch Program for the 2018 freshet season started on March 12, 2018 and as of yesterday there are no flood risks reported.If you want the latest information on flooding this spring you can go the government website or access the mobile app at https://www.watercanada.net/new-brunswick-flood-forecast-d…/