Help the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum Turn This….

Into This….

Imagine a space where visitors young and old can learn – in a supportive and “hands on” way – early arts, crafts, and trades using traditional tools, methods, and materials. Now imagine that space as one that is open, airy, light, and inviting. You are picturing what the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum has envisioned as our next project!

We’d love to count on you to help participate in the experience of creating this much needed educational space. We have opportunities to participate in this experience through financial support – your donation in any amount via our secure checkout will not only be greatly appreciated, but will be used to create a new space for hands-on classes on early arts, crafts and trades. We also will be offering opportunities to participate in our pop up volunteer events held periodically throughout 2023. Sign-up here to join, and receive periodic emails detailing upcoming volunteer experiences.

I’m biased, but the Eric Sloane Museum has to be one of the most charming museum buildings/campus in the Northeast (and that is saying something!).
Here is a photo, taken c. 1980, of the museum building. Notice that the “shed” on the north side of the museum has yet to be constructed, the very structure we are going to transform into a well-lit and welcoming hands-on classroom in 2023. Photo used by permission, from Wil Mauch’s Aware: A Retrospective of the Life and Work of Eric Sloane..
To learn more about the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum and our mission to assist in the preservation and interpretation of the Eric Sloane Museum and its collection, see www.friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org. While you’re there, please consider making a donation online to our new hands-on classroom project.

Looking out towards the Kent iron furnace from within the always charming Noah Blake cabin.

Thinking over this evening all I have to take to the Eric Sloane Museum to do some spring maintenance on the recently rebuilt Noah Blake cabin. If you haven’t read Eric Sloane’s Diary of an Early American Boy, may I humbly suggest that it is time that you did.

The Silo – Have you been?

From an original pen and ink illustration by Eric Sloane, N.A. Original pen and ink illustration by Eric Sloane, N.A. Learn more about this most fascinating of American artists by visiting www.friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org

Pleased to announce that The Eric Sloane Museum opens on April 30th for the 2022 season. Here is a throwback photo of Eric Sloane and his dog “Spooky” on the very first opening day of the museum, 28 May, 1969. From Wil Mauch’s Symbols of American Spirit: 50 Years of the Eric Sloane Museum. Image used by permission of the author.
Learn more about how the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum supports and promotes the legacy of Eric Sloane through a robust partnership with the Eric Sloane Museum by visiting us at www.friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org.

An early photograph of the interior of the original Noah Blake cabin on the grounds of the Eric Sloane Museum. We rebuilt that cabin after it was determined to be structurally unsound by the state of Connecticut. We hewed (pun intended) to Eric’s vision of the cabin as he illustrated it in his 1962 classic Diary of an Early American Boy: Noah Blake 1805.
Learn more about the reconstruction of the Noah Blake cabin at https://friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org/cabin/.

A view of the Noah Blake cabin on the grounds of the Eric Sloane Museum shortly after completion. Read more about the cabin, and the book that inspired it here: www.friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org/cabin

Two of the nicest gentlemen you would care to meet. On the left is Andrew Rowand, who has done an incredible amount of work as the Site Manager for the museum. Andrew is incredibly hard working, has fantastic ideas, and is very knowledgeable about Eric Sloane, the museum, and many, many historic crafts and trades. He has been a great partner!
On the right is John Pennings, my successor in every meaning of the word. John is a natural leader, and is very skilled and knowledgeable in more things than I can even remember. Thank you, John, for serving as our board president.
We’re surveying the lean-to shed and listening to Andrew’s needs for an enclosed space dedicated to education…it looks as if this will be the next major project that the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum will undertake in support of our mission to assist the museum. We will keep you posted!

Author and artist Eric Sloane (1905-1985) photographed outside of the newly built Noah Blake cabin, probably late summer of 1974. It appears that Eric has in his right hand several riven wooden shingles.
After a period of about a decade of being shuttered to public visitation, the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum undertook a 4 year project of completely rebuilding the cabin, using as a template the cabin as drawn by Eric in his 1962 “Dairy of an Early American Boy: Noah Blake 1805”. You can read more about the cabin, and the book that inspired it here: www.friendsoftheericsloanemuseum.org/cabin