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Robert Louis Srevenson Memorial Cottage & Museum |
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Welcome Spring and Farewell to Winter!
It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s
hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from old
trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit. -- Robert Louis Stevenson
As many of us are still enduring sub-freezing temperatures and more than a foot of snow-cover on the ground it is difficult to envision Spring, but it has
arrived. At this time the board members of the Stevenson Society would like to wish our members and friends a 'spirit-renewing' Spring and to update you
on recent and future activities.
In February the Society participated for the first time in the famous Annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Parade and our float was awarded the First
Place Trophy for Civic/Volunteer groups. We also constructed a window display in downtown Saranac Lake which drew rave reviews. We have to
thank one of our very-talented members for donating all her hard work and artistic skills in the creation of the float and window display. In keeping with
the Carnival theme of "Medieval Times" both our float and window display were based on RL Stevenson's novel The Black Arrow for which he wrote the
prologue during his stay in Saranac Lake. To view some pictures of the float and display please click on the "Events" section.
At the end of April we will again be conducting our annual membership drive. We hope that all of you will decide either to become a new member or
renew your membership in the Stevenson Society. We depend greatly on membership dues to preserve our wonderful museum and the "world's finest
collection of Stevenson lore" for all to enjoy and to keep the spirit of Stevenson alive in Saranac Lake.
On Sunday, June 26th, the Society will be holding its Annual Open House to kick-off our summer tour season. This afternoon event will feature live
music, a bagpiper, refreshments, the popular formal presentation of the Haggis and the always great tours of the museum by our curator, Mike
Delahant. As usual the event will be free, with donations gratefully accepted. We hope to see many of you there and that by then we will have some warm
and sunny weather.
In closing here are some joyful words of Springtime from RL Stevenson's poem Over the Land is April.
By highway, love, and byway
The snows succeed the rose.
Over the high, brown mountain
The wind of winter blows.
Say, love, do you hear me,
Hear my sonnets ring?
Over the high, brown mountain
I sound the song of Spring
I throw the flowers of Spring.
Do you hear the song of Spring?
Hear you the songs of Spring?
Note: Questions? email us at: pennypiper@verizon.net or call (518) 891-1462 or 891-0805. If you haven't been to our website before, see www.robertlouisstevensonmemorialcottage.org. Year-end donations can be sent to: The Stevenson Society, PO Box 607, Saranac Lake, NY 12983.
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Historic Stevenson Society The Stevenson Society was first called the Stevenson Memorial Committee and fulfilled its original purpose on October 30, 1915, when,at the Saranac Lake cottage occupied in 1887-1888 by Robert Louis Stevenson, it unveiled a bronze bas-relief memorial tablet designed by Gutzon Borglum. On that occasion the committee was resolved into a permanent organization, renamed as the Stevenson Society, its "membership open to anyone interested in the author and his works and who desire to spread his brave philosophy of living." THE STEVENSON MEMORIAL COMMSTTEE-Under whose direction plans were made for the unveiling of the tablet. Front row from left: Dr. Hugh M. Kinghorn, Stephen Chalmers, Gutzon Borglum, Dr. Alien K. Kraus, C.M. Palmer, M.M. Feustmann, C.S. Thurston. Back row from left: Ernest H. Baldwin, Robert H. Davis, Dr. Lawrason Brown .... |
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Founding Purposes:
According to its original charter, the purposes of the Stevenson Society are:
(1) The collection and preservation of relics of Robert Louis Stevenson;
(2) The collection and preservation of original manuscripts and first editions of his works;
(3) The collection and preservation of books relating to Stevenson, and
(4) The ultimate acquiring of a permanent home for proper housing of the collection.
The Society achieved its principal objectives in 1915, purchasing the Baker Cottage as a permanent home for the collection.
Illustrious Founders
Many leading figures of American Arts & Letters became founding members of the Stevenson Society. Among the early members were the editor/publisher Sam McClure of McClure's Magazine, painter Will H. Low, an intimate friend of Stevenson in their days together at Barbizon, the sculptor Gutzon Borglum, New York Sun writer Robert H. Davis and author Stephen Chalmers. Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau, the renowned TB researcher and physician who treated Stevenson during the author's stay in Saranac Lake was also a founding member, as were other important local figures like Colonel Waiter Scott.
A PowerPoint overview about the current Stevenson Society, its memorial cottage, collection and purposes can be dowloaded here.
New Members Are Always Welcome!
The Stevenson Society of America is always looking for new members, both national and international.
If you would like to become a member of the Stevenson Society, please print out the .pdf format form provided here, or the Word document provided here (When prompted, Save the file to your desk top and open it on your computer) and mail to:
The Stevenson Society of America
P.O. Box 607
Saranac Lake, N.Y. 12983
With membership you are entitled to a free tour of the museum by our extremely knowledgable curator and if you provide an email address, updates on any upcoming events, additions to our collection, etc. Donations are always needed as we strive to keep alive the spirit and memory of Robert Louis Stevenson.