The Stone Walls of Resthaven

Like most historic New England properties, Resthaven is laced with stone walls, intact and untouched by a developer's back-hoe. The walls' positioning on age-old property lines indicate that they have stood in place for well over 200 years. One of the most charming attributes of antique stone walls, which cannot be truly replicated by anything newly built, is the abundance of moss and lichen covering the surface of the stone. Years of exposure to extreme New England weather create the timeless blend of colors and textures; the bright springtime greens and deep greens of new and old moss, and the opalescent light grey-blues of lichen. A charming blueprint saved from 1912 shows Resthaven's 130 acres, delineated not by the straight lines of a ruler, but by drawings of stone walls, punctuated with landmarks such as The Red Oak, The Skating Pond, and Indian Rock. The blueprint is a link to the not-so-distant past, when our land was not just an antiseptic drawing of straight plot lines and numbers sitting at the assessor's office, but rather a living thing with many unique and special features which we knew by heart.

The Hunt for Red Oktober

One of most interesting things about owning an historic property is uncovering its many secrets. An antique house will inevitably keep some secrets tucked away, forever hidden in the past, and others will be revealed only with great effort, such as during a renovation. Many secrets, however, are in plain sight, like puzzles waiting to be pieced together. And so it is with the enormous galvanized steel tank secured with industrial sized rivets that lies in the far corner of our huge cellar at Resthaven. All who enter the cellar inquire about the tank, which I have affectionately named "Red Oktober" in honor of the Tom Clancy book. (It's fun to tweak my young son's imagination with stories about the Soviet era submarine in our basement.) Of course, the truth about Red Oktober is far less exciting. After wondering about it's purpose for years, I was informed that it is simply a huge water tank, a vestige of the Seabury era, when Resthaven served as a girl's boarding school. Water was pumped into the tank from Spring Brook, and then up to the main living areas for household use. Today, it is no longer hooked up the plumbing system, and is simply a reminder of a page in the history book of Resthaven.

Outings on the Lawn

Resthaven's expansive lawns provide the perfect venue for outdoor gatherings of all kinds. For at least the past 100 years, family reunions, weddings, graduation ceremonies, and huge outings to which the entire community is invited have been accommmodated under the shade of the myriad century-old maples, catalpa, and horse chestnut trees which adorn the grounds. Above is a photo of the brochure for an outing described in the local paper at which the Upton Historical Society enjoyed lunch, music, and guided tours of the Nathan C. Aldrich House and Resthaven Chapel, all provided by Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Ashkins .

Mysteries in the Attic

For the past 80 years, the third floor dorm rooms at Resthaven have been used primarily as storage space. I have often wondered what lies behind the walls of these rooms. Is there a box of letters from some homesick girl, books, or maybe some treasure inadvertantly forgotten and left behind during summer break? Modern blown-in insulation prevents me from exploring the crevices behind the walls, but I am certain that some vestiges from the Seabury era remain.

Above the third floor dormitory lies the attic, and I have precariously climbed up there and peeked around and under the floor boards in search of interesting remnants. So far only an empty box of chocolates and a note introducing the opening of the school in 1912 have turned up. At the far end of the attic, however, is an enormous double cabinet, almost like a file cabinet, lying on its side. I have tried to open the drawers, but do not have the strength to pull them upwards. I hope to eventually convince my husband to climb up to the attic and assist me in opening the drawers to reveal the mysterious contents of the cabinet. Perhaps one day you will see me on Antiques Roadshow or HGTV's "If These Walls Could Talk" with the answer to the puzzle!

National Park Service Features Resthaven for Women's History Month

www.nps.gov/history/nr/feature/wom/2007/aldrich.htm

The Amazing Dr. Ashkins and His Not-So-Magnificent Flying Machine

Of all of the people who have lived at Resthaven, Dr. Joseph Ashkins is tops on my list of those who I wish I had met. A prominent local surgeon, he and his family lived almost a life of celebrity in the small town of Mendon, in which their every vacation, personal achievement, and party held at their estate was documented in the local newspaper. Daring and adventurous, Dr. Ashkins was a man who knew what he wanted, and set out to get it. He purchased Resthaven in 1940 from the Resthaven Trust established after the death of C.R. Seabury in 1929, and took two years to painstakingly renovate the house back into a single family home. I met with his daughter, Sally, who kindly shared photos and memories of her father and their lives at Resthaven.

Dr. Ashkins was an avid pilot who owned several small airplanes throughout his lifetime. His last flight was a solo trip to Clearwater, FL at age 71, with his faithful dog, Bo III by his side. It was December, and as he flew off the coast of New Jersey, both engines on his Cessna-310 quit without warning. When he crash landed into the heavy surf about 250 yards off of the beach, he became trapped inside by the pressure of the mounting water as the plane sank. "I never thought I'd get out", he told his friends. "I wasn't so much afraid to die, but I thought to myself- what a way to go." He managed to get out, but was unable to save his labrador retriever, which was afraid of the water. He then swam the 250 yards to shore, where a local judge who had seen the plane go down was able to assist him.

It was the second time that Dr. Ashkins narrowly escaped death. More than 15 years before, while enroute to his home from Milford Hospital after operating until late at night, he dozed off and flipped his car into a gully, severing an artery. The doctor took off his belt and applied a tourniquet around his leg, and then dragged himself up the embankment to the highway, where a passing motorist found him. Despite Dr. Ashkins brushes with death, he lived well into his 90's, and is now buried near his beloved Resthaven.

A Little School for Little Girls

In 1912, Miss Catherine R. Seabury realized her dream of opening an Episcopal college preparatory boarding school for girls at her country estate, Resthaven, in Mendon, MA. Various artifacts from the era remain to this day, including nine small dormitory rooms on the third floor of the large granite house. Each room features beadboard paneling, 100 year old wallpaper, and a small closet or niche for storage of personal items. Although the dorm rooms have not been used as living space in almost 80 years, and are quite rustic by today's standards, one can feel a presence there, almost as if walking back in time. It is not hard to imagine the girls preparing for their school day, which consisted of a rigorous program meant to encourage the growth of body, mind, and soul.

The girls' day began with breakfast at 7:45 am, followed by Morning Prayer in the chapel, Swedish gymnastics, singing, lessons, and school duties, so that by 3:00, everyone was out of doors. Then some of the girls would drive down to the village to the tiny post office, play games, or walk the fields and woods, collecting whatever was in season, be it blueberries, grapes, or ferns with which to decorate the chapel. The academic schedule included typical subject matter such as Literature, English Composition, History, and Mathematics, as well as Latin and French, Biology or Physics, Music (including weekly forays to the Symphony in Boston, and occasionally to the Opera House), and Bible study. Meals were also a source of instruction, so that the girls would naturally develop a talent for polite and "earnest discussion of worthwhile things". Each day ended with an early supper, study time, and story-telling before bed. According to the brochure, the Resthaven School for Girls charged $1000 for tuition, room and board, and incidentals for the 1916-1917 school year.

Resthaven Chapel and the Tiffany's

In my efforts to document the history of Resthaven, aka the Nathan C. House, I have often stumbled upon some truly interesting connections. I treasure each and every bit of information I dig up, but some bits have obstensibly more WOW factor to the world at large than others. One such piece of history is the relationship of Resthaven Chapel to the iconic Tiffany family.

The Nathan C. Aldrich House was purchased in 1892 by Catherine Regina Seabury, a woman with a prominent family history in the Episcopal Church, whose goal was to create a country retreat for women factory workers from Boston. Her brother-in-law, The Rev. Henry A. Parker and his family, came to Mendon from Cambridge on Sundays to provide religious services. In 1899, Rev. Parker's sons designed and built Resthaven Chapel on the grounds from local field stone. The architect was Gurdon Saltonstall Parker, the eldest son, who was a student at Harvard Scientific School. Alas, Gurdon was called back to Harvard for football camp before the chapel could be completed, and so that first year the celebrants held services with only a roof of branches over their heads. Gurdon eventually went on to become an architect in Manhattan, and married Julia DeForest Tiffany, the daughter of Louis Comfort Tiffany. (A special thank you to George Parker for providing the above photo of C.R. Seabury and the Parker family. Gurdon is the young man sitting quite upright in the front row).