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Arts & Entertainment

Civil War Era Brought To Life In New Exhibit

The new historical society show offers a rich portrait of the 200-year-old Gen. Mansfield House

An eager crowd gathered Thursday for the opening of the Middlesex County Historical Society’s much-anticipated new exhibit, “Within These Walls: One House, One Family, Two Centuries,” celebrating the rich history of Middletown’s Mansfield House on Main Street.  

An elegant cocktail reception marked the opening of the show, which features an impressive collection of paintings, drawings, photographs and letters, bringing to life the rich history of the stately brick Federal house and the remarkable family that produced Civil War hero, Gen. Joseph K.F. Mansfield, who died at the battle of Antietam. The Mansfield House has been the Society’s headquarters since 1959.  

“Within These Walls” was curated by Wesleyan University student Charlotte Cottier, Class of 2012, who said she was fascinated not only by the bold, dashing figure of Mansfield the soldier, but also by the stories of the women who shaped his outlook, principally his mother and his wife.

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“Behind every great man are countless great women,” said Cottier, who spent two years researching the exhibit with the assistance of Historical Society Director Debby Shapiro.

“It was a pleasure to work with Charlotte on this,” Shapiro said. “Her enthusiasm is just wonderful.”

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Shapiro also credited local graphic designer Dave Wolfram, the Society’s longtime exhibit designer, who produced the show’s striking panels. The exhibit runs for several years.

To read the WesLive article on Cottier, see here.

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