This September marks the 75th anniversary of the hurricane of 1938, a terrible disaster that devastated much of the Tri-Town community. In remembrance of those affected, the Mattapoisett Historical Society Museum and Carriage House will be displaying a new exhibit throughout the month. Curator Elizabeth Hutchison says the exhibit will include old photographs, newspapers and letters from the time of the hurricane. The museum has also collected books on the hurricane, published in the 1930s.
A prominent part of the exhibit will be personal stories, collected throughout various interviews of Tri-Town senior citizens. These interviews are being conducted by Old Rochester Regional High School student volunteers. Hutchison says the interviews are still in progress, but have been going well.
Elizabeth MacLellan is one of the ORR students who volunteered as an interviewer. Having already completed one interview, MacLellan said, “It’s coming along well and it looks like the exhibit in September will have some amazing stories.” As the citizens remember details of their experiences with the hurricane, they provide interesting glimpses into the past.
Organizers and volunteers hope the exhibit will be a great educational addition to the Tri-Town community. Brianna Perry, another of the ORR student interviewers, says the exhibit “is to inform the public of their past, enlighten those younger, and bring back the memories of those older.”
The exhibit will be on display at the Mattapoisett Historical Society Museum and Carriage House at 5 Church Street. It kicks off on Sunday, September 1 at 5:00 pm with a lecture by Seth Mendell of the Mattapoisett Historical Society. The event will take place at the Gazebo in Shipyard Park. This program is free, and donations are welcome. In case of inclement weather, the lecture will take place at the Museum. For more information, please call 508-758-2844 or email mattapoisett.museum@verizon.net.
By Renae Reints
