HarpieLyn

A New Series: The Midcentury Housewife as an Icon of Empowerment

Posted on April 30, 2018 by HarpieLyn

When most people think about the 1950s housewife, the first idea is of a well-dressed, poised woman whose smile beams as bright as the sun against her spotless kitchen floor. For a good percentage of the same people, the second image of the housewife in Midcentury America is sad, oppressed, and suppressed of her sense of self. In many ways, both are accurate and both are inaccurate. The media has remained consistent in its methods of displaying only what’s pretty and idealistic in pop culture and has only recently opened up more fully to the idea of exploiting oppression in exchange for the feminist movement. So this segment will focus on concepts and attributes of the social darling, the icon, and the controversy: the Midcentury Housewife.

Despite rampant sexism, systemic oppression, stringent gender roles, and excruciating social expectations, the housewives of the 1950s were very powerful. I’d never minimize the fact that the conditions surrounding their perceived perfection were emotionally deplorable; but this is the value of revivalism: we can take what positive tidbits we find and use them to inspire a retro future. However, when we use the term ‘midcentury housewife’ we should probably give the date range of around 1929-1970s because of the gradual evolution of the role as it experienced different eras of history to mold itself around. The 1950s is perhaps the most visually iconic, however.

So let’s talk about it! There are several major empowerment components of the housewife. In fact, the capabilities of a housewife were capitalized on for mainstream propaganda, pop culture art, and advertisement back in the day. People did, despite the often sexist behaviors and remarks, identify with the potential of these women. This miniseries will analyze a midcentury madre for her pursuit of perfection, memorable mothering techniques, influence on good housekeeping, as a self-made, home-taught, vocational genius, and for her sophistication in style. Amid all the duties of making a picturesque home and contributing to the greater image of their communities, these women managed multifaceted lives that deserve to be observed as models of powerful work ethic, remarkable grace, and timeless (tireless) tightrope walkers in balancing their lives’ most cherished facets.

Be sure to check back with us in 5 days to get started into the Pursuit of Perfection! Stay curious, darlings~

Op Orchid: Reflections on Doris

Posted on April 12, 2018April 12, 2018 by HarpieLyn

Apparently three years later we still must be reminded that the actions of the Hillsborough Township Historic Preservation Commission were ‘justified’ on the night of the vote to demolish Duke Mansion. I woke up to such a post today and wished I could just fall aslseep and start over. Of course, the internet captures the best and worst of people, and no amount of sleep can change that.

So let’s jitterbug into this junk. Retro revivalism, just as a recap, is centralized onto the idea that what is old can be integrated into what is new- and here lies Duke Estate in Hillsborough NJ, whose historic signfiicance (though debated) is a prime (and continuously missed) opportunity to create new ideas upon while honoring those roots. With the post occuring nearly three years later, this raises serious eyebrows regardless of what our readers’ positions are on the matter. Here is the quote as it appeared, as sharp as a razor. We have respectfully omitted the name of the post writer.

“Life’s little ironies”, indeed. This house has been sold. The new owner has handed over the restoration to an architect and a general contractor who have each won awards for their work restoring and preserving historic buildings. They have said that they NEVER see a brick house from this time period (1803) in such beautiful condition. I am predicting this restoration will win a preservation award from Somerset County when it is complete.

By the way, if you read to the end of the article please make note, Doris Duke had several mansions, not one, two of which she specifically wished to be preserved – Newport and Hawaii.”

First of all, credit is given where credit is due; honesty is a cornerstone of our retro life. Yes, Miss Duke did have several mansions. Specification to ‘preserve’ is too ambitious of a claim for this person to make because the will of Miss Duke was arbitrary according to testimony, which is most likely due to modifications made when Doris was incapacitated and left her care to her seedy butler. This too, was dismissed many years ago. The problem we have here is that Duke only had one estate! There were two other structures that she maintained in her will (Hawaii and Newport), but only one location was all-encompassing. While Shangri La of Honolulu and Rough Point of Newport both boast architectural significance and historic designation as individual residence structures, Duke Farms of Hillsborough boasts dozens of significant, contributing structures that created New Jersey’s last intact estate.

To compare the estate, (which was residence to two significant figures, hosted guests of significance routinely, and offered a fascinating model for estate life that included private residences, staffing, public programs and access, as well as commerce), to a single-family residence from almost 80 years prior in its time of construction is liek comparing the talent of a singer to the talent of a needlepointer. They are similar, but their compositions are simply different.

Seeking validation in this manner is not exactly what we would expect, particularly if something wasn’t weighing heavily on someone’s mind. Especially after so much time has passed, it becomes a curiosity that these committeemen still attach to the topic. The good news is that it remains clear that the actions that were made clearly won’t be forgotten any time soon.

Maybe someday the Duke Estate will find its way to its former glory. Until then, the memories of its demise still taste like vinegar to us all.

Operation ORCHID

Op. Orchid: Using What You’ve Got

Posted on April 2, 2018 by HarpieLyn

When we say that not all hope is lost, it isn’t out of chronic optimism. There are cases of historic houses and structures being scrupulously salvaged and freshened up in far worse conditions than what is illustrated through the Duke Estate. In fact, there are pieces of the past that, although they go without any substantial camaraderie, have been included in today’s management of this magnificent property. Additionally, there are abundant opportunities for the current trustees and executives to capitalize on their historic significance with. In a burst of positivity, we at the RRBlog have decided to shed light on what’s still lingering like a ghost of decades bygone and what chances at preservation have not yet passed us by.

Let’s start our journey with one of the oldest structures on the property, whose identity was recently rediscovered to the public with the opening of the mansion’s acres: The Boathouse. While there has been some dialogue about having this structure house public restrooms, there’s much to do with this project piece. From a generalist perspective, this boathouse is perhaps the most at-risk for flooding and likely has years of prior damages from mold and stormy seasons following 1993. Due to it having the lowest elevation of any building on the property in conjunction with its being in closest proximity to the Raritan River on the northern border, this structure can probably pass for next year’s Top 10 Most Endangered at this rate! Preservation NJ already is observing the treatment that Duke Farm’s executives handle the Trumbauer-Abele Greenhouse since 2017’s nomination was finalized. The boathouse, much like anything else on the estate, boasts a unique design that features the thematic motif of the landscape, the boulder style foundation, with some Victorian roof ornaments and wood siding. There is an excellent view of two sets of east-facing double doors to Boathouse Lake from the vantage point above. I’m not sure public restrooms would serve this building true justice. Perhaps there’s more merit in using Boathouse Lake (currently scented of rancid, rotting fish or the like) to teach outdoorsy folk about sustainable and environmentally-responsible water activities, like how to kayak with the welfare of the environment in mind.

Another stop on our tour of hopefuls is the Visitor’s Lodge. For those of you who fondly remember the Greenhouses on display (1961-2008), you probably also remember a low-slung Dutch-esque building with a magnificent stone fireplace inside. This building, perching the western edge of the greenhouses’ esplanade, was the check-in point for all incoming tourists to the gardens. The Visitor’s Lodge housed a variety of seasonal goodies, office spaces, archival materials, and even a residence at one point. Today it stands frequently empty with the exception of the visitor with a full bladder or a rare conference for the executives. In our most recent travel to the property, this building was under extravagant interior remodeling. What was once a room full to the brim with files and shelving, desks and paperwork is now covered generously in plastic tarp and a scaffold. We can only hope that this becomes a restorative initiative that welcomes the public to enjoy the warmth of a hearth and seating in a room intended for guests year-round. This particular development is interesting because it makes us at the RRBlog curious about what this spells out for the near future of the greenhouses since these two structures back in Duke days worked together for guests to embrace the area.

With the observant eye of a former employee, we did get a chance to highlight what elements of the property are, in fact, being reused. Perhaps most obvious to him was the thatched siding of the Orchid Range, which turned out to be none other than the same siding used in the Colonial American Garden display from the larger structure. Additional materials removed from the larger Trumbauer-Abele structure included benches from the Italian garden, a mirror from the Chinese garden, two magnificent statues from the Italian garden (now incorporated into the Hay Barn exposed to the raw elements and again in the orchid display), and even structural landscape elements were identified as being original to the greenhouses! Despite the high merits of reusing and recycling these priceless pieces, there remains little to no information or publicity generated from the Farms about these practices.

Operation ORCHID

Op. Orchid: Embracing Old Scars

Posted on March 11, 2018 by HarpieLyn

I had the distinct pleasure of beginning a photography initiative at the Duke Estate alongside wonderful people this week. In an effort to spread awareness of the management of historic properties in America and what it takes to save them- one timeless place at a time.

As a very brief background, the USA is one of a very small number of countries in the modernized world that still treats its historic buildings and homes like outdated garbage. In other established countries like France, England, Belize, and Japan, the demolition of historic or contributing historic/antiquated properties is far less frequent in comparison. Why is this?

America prides itself partly on being bigger, more modernized, and improved- which means cleaning up ‘blemishes’ or ‘unsightly’ reminders that we participated in less-sophisticated times. It’s a silly thing, really. We do the same thing with scars by putting all kinds of expensive creams on them to make them go away- to erase any physical reminders that we experienced something in the past. Why does it all have relevance to Duke’s Estate? It appears as though they have attempted to put vanishing cream of their own on several of the artifacts from this week’s voyages.

Let’s take for instance (1) the heron statues at the site of the mansion, (2) the original south gate gatehouse being completely revised and (3) the rusty original iron gates that now sit behind the coach barn. It seems like new and not-comperable changes are considered ‘necessary modifications’. While they are well-intended, these particularly strike the RRBlog staff as short-changing the historic integrity of this magnificent property. Author’s note: the featured banner image in this post also includes

The twin herons are actually part of a much larger structure- a double circle fountain- that once flanked a beautiful glass-paned room of Duke Mansion. For the greater part of the recorded local history, these herons were colored green with a naturally-occuring patina of sorts. In propaganda photos for the demolition (2015-2016), these herons are noted for their wingless nature- but even then- they were aqua green like the Statue of Liberty. Today, they stand restored, wings clearly attached, but repainted to resemble real herons but somehow standing out against the rest of the property’s natural aging. While it’s not the worst thing by far, it’s clearly not blended with the property’s flow.

The south gate gatehouse is actually news to me, despite it making perfect sense. Likely in attempt to accommodate larger numbers of guests for 2012’s restructuring, the original gate house at this location was taken out in exchange for a pedestrian gate to supplement its wider automatic counterpart. Once again, I have to ask what was so wrong with what was there before. …Probably nothing, but restoration is a scarce commodity.
Finally I was particularly disturbed when I sought refuge in the women’s restroom behind the coach barn. When I went up the stairs, something made me turn to the right, where my eyes locked on a bright orange rust color. It wasn’t just the color, but the shape that made me stop paying attention to my needs. Within a small fenced-in area, a set of beautifully-crafted gates leaned sideways in a lonesome, tired fashion. There was something familiar about them, although no one in my walking party could place them. From the thorough rust, it was only evident that they were definitely original to the estate. Once again, this begs the question of why, when a nonprofit is as financially loaded as Duke’s, doesn’t it spend the money on restoring these and reusing them to maintain originality and design? If we slowly replace or redesign the elements that make a property unique, we will be left with no original fabric of it’s intricately-woven tapestry of landscape features and components.

What is the real point of using these vanishing cream method if it is such a compromise of individuality? Arguably, this is one of the methods of historic ‘preservation’ that simply isn’t preservation, it’s modernist replacement.

Manny's Music Column, The Publications

Swingin’ it with Dandy Wellington

Posted on February 26, 2018 by HarpieLyn

This guy is the real deal when it comes to the authentic Jazz experience. Dandy Wellington takes New York’s jazz scene by storm- arguably, he exponentially grows it. The Retro Revival had a fantastic opportunity to get to know Dandy as an artist and up-and-coming revivalist recently through his majestique Facebook page: Dandy on Facebook.

What I think really does it for us at RRBlog is Dandy’s commitment to his role as a jazz band leader and an authentic image of the 30s and 40s, which was the height of jazz music and its culture. Adorned with formal hats, well-pressed suits and remarkable swingin’ moves in his performances, Dandy’s ability to convey the Jazz Age is second to none. Perhaps in the likeness and image of icons like Cab Calloway, Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, and of course, Duke Ellington, Dandy’s style is one that captivates the class in all his audience members.

According to his most undated biography page, Dandy hails from Harlem, one of history’s epicenters of culture, particularly noted for African American music, jazz, and the Harlem Renaissance. What makes Dandy so successful against the grain of an increasingly-streamlined lifetyle is “the classic aesthetic and modern perspective that is Dandy, has, and will continue to be a fixture of NYC and beyond” (http://www.dandywellington.com/about.html).

If you are a fan of Jazz, its modern comtemporaries, or the good old classics like Duke Ellington, Dandy is a sure-to-please performer with the right attitude toward his craft. His events are available via: http://band.dandywellington.com/dandy-live

Operation ORCHID

Operation ORCHID: Footnote #98

Posted on February 9, 2018 by HarpieLyn

Recently the world has been made a smaller place for those in the grassroots. Despite the challenges and road block-esque situation that we face in attempting to preserve a legacy here in South Somerville, there has been resonance across our allies. Most recently, Philanthropy Daily’s writer, Martin Morse Wooster published his latest work titled, How Great Philanthropists Failed & How you Can Succeed at Protecting Your Legacy. We do not find it ironic or coincidental that this book has been published after Wooster’s input was given to the tragic case of the Duke Mansion’s demolition, which began its trials in Summer 2015. His article from March 31st, 2016 sheds a clear light on his position toward the proprietors of the estate as he asks in rhetoric, “How do you honor your founder’s memory by tearing down her house? That’s a question the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has to answer.” Wooster continues his monologue to include what can be learned from Duke Farms’ shameful example citing that, “the case of Doris Duke’s house reminds donors to put all restrictions in writing. ” (Wooster, 2016).

The answer to his rhetoric is simple. Tearing down the childhood home and countryside endeavor of the benefactors of Duke Farms is not any appropriate way of honoring the Dukes themselves. If anything, it translates to a rude, shameless ‘screw you’. The mission statement of Duke Farms can arguably have been lost in translation as well. Anyone can observe its modifications since established around 2003.

Fast forward to January 16th, 2018: Wooster takes to the press again in a small press run of his most recent book. In its pages he cites articulately how the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has succeeded in failing its benefactors. He cites DORIS and how the public attempted to remedy the issues that plague the foundation through their attack on Duke Mansion. He even honors The Duchess of South Somerville, a memoir collection and brief history of Duke’s recent past in footnote 98.

Despite the narrow outreach that ORCHID currently has, the message is heard loud and clear across a spectrum of different audiences: the removal of Duke Mansion and the systemic neglect across the property is not acceptable.

So let’s get educated and share in the historic revolution that has begun to erupt in New Jersey. For purchasing information on either piece of literature, please visit the following links:
Click Here for Martin Wooster’s Book

Click Here for The Duchess Book

Revival Style Guide

Revival Style: Giving Snoods a Second Chance

Posted on January 22, 2018 by HarpieLyn

It is no secret that Harpie Lyn never liked snoods. Nothing screams ‘bombshell’ to me quite like an alternative-fabric hair net. Can you taste the sarcasm yet? In every effort to stay classy, I was very dismissive toward the idea of a hair snood. This month, it was time to challenge my own predetermined assumptions of the dreaded snood. “Snood”…What an odd word. It sticks to my tongue like a rogue piece of yarn in a frenzy of knitting.

The first stage of snoodwearing was denial. This isn’t a hairpiece. It’s not an accessory. It’s just a beanie worn awkwardly at some sophisticated angle. I refused it. The second stage was experimentation. If it’s knit by me, it can be taken apart by me if it’s dreadful. Maybe that’s a fair trade. So there’s a resolution if I wore the snood and thought it was the worst thing since Herbert Hoover’s economy. I ended up knitting a generic snood of snuggly brown yarn. The third stage of snood was knitting it and dumbfoundedly becoming attached to it.

I started wearing my snood around the house in an attempt to build some sense of confidence in my latest mushroom-esque addition. Eventually I realized that even while banging away at my keyboard (completely sedentary activity, mind you), the stupid thing would slip off my tiny head. Flustered, I tried stringing it with an elastic piece. It looked even worse. Giving up, I resorted to those little snap-clips that every little girl uses to keep her bangs out of her eyes. With one on each side by my ears, the snood finally stayed put. Then I realized that the reason a snood wasn’t prudent for me all this time was because it isn’t a simple garment, despite its appearance. Topvintage.net (which has quickly become one of my favorite sites on the internet) had several illustrations of snoods and how to wear them- 100% of the time, the models had their hair rolled and done up. Here lies my problem. So I began rolling my hair before wearing the snood using a hair tie and one oversized bobby pin that matched the color of my [natural] hair. I wore it out the first time to run errands (what a conservative lady stereotype) and got no feedback, which I interpreted as a good thing. So I wore it again. In the brittle misery of this particularly frigid winter, my little snood experiment did well to fit into my own style and appeal to women who don’t want to wear hats but also don’t want to have a bare noggin to the temperatures.

Let’s talk history: Recollections Blog (another excellent new resource) posted this snapshot of snoods emerging in the Middle Ages: Click Here. In the earlier part of the 20th century, snoods seemed to re-emerge as a means of function before style, and shortly becoming a staple of both. WeHeartVintage.co also illustrated excellently what different forms the modernized snood took. Click Here.

The snood, in many ways, shapes up to be something between a fascinator piece and a hat; one that is perfect for both indoors and outside in the cooler-but-not-frozen months. Aesthetically, once the positioning of the -er- headpiece is correct, the snood is rather complimentary. Particularly with a warm coat or sweater, the snood adds a certain 1930s-40s vintage look to any woman’s apparel. Despite my previous mentions of the nonsensical nogginwear, I must admit that through experimenting, my mind has been changed (if only for the season) about snoods.

Revival Style Guide

Revial Style: The Victorian Details (Winter 2018)

Posted on January 6, 2018 by HarpieLyn

This year in winter, it seems like there has been a slight shift in seasonal affects. Usually when a therapist says this, they’re talking about seasonal depression, but thankfully, this time it’s a better case. Just in time for the ushering in of a new year, everyone seems to have committed to having a better time than in its predecessor year, 2017.

2018 is bound to be a year of practicality, artistry, embracing of uniquenesses, and a more open forum and expression of the retro liveliness in us all. That sense of nostalgia and warmth is exactly the type of method we have immediately adopted to survive these icy conditions. Whereas we usually have a focus on the midcentury, postwar trends that swept the Americas in the 20th century, this winter has forced us to pull all the stops from Pre- WW2 era aesthetics and potent Victorian vamp to stay toasty.

It is an excellent start to the New Retro of 2018 in that it brings us back to the ornate, highly-handcrafted, and often practical means of Victorian times with some modern twists. We found it unintentional yet interesting that the foreshadowing of the RRBlog’s Revival Style column on Clozy Coats from each decade that we published last year. This year, the desire to make layers sophsticated and elegant comes from a need rather than an adornment. Here in New Jersey, we have experienced nearly two weeks of profound cold weather; some of our nights have reached temperatures of -20 (F). As of right now, our climate rivals that of Alaska and the northern regions of Canada. The farmer’s almanac is one source we live by through its unique analysis through 250+ years of meteorological trend-tracking. In the retro spirit, to our dismay, this winter is anticipated to be one frosty, freezing experience. Thank heavens for the old-world references that are finding their way back to our culture- these revived notions may save you some frostbite!

Faux fur lined coats, thermal long socks, thick boots, heavy gloves and elaborate hats of knitted materials or weatherproof felts all have become commonplace following the crippling cold temperatures of Times Square on New Year’s Eve. It isn’t strange to see a businesswoman sporting a 3/4 or full length coat this winter. The gents have readopted work-appropriate boots and thick wool socks, shamelessly including warm (faux) fur hats, leather thermal gloves, and even hefty scarves to add to their woolen vests and suits tailored for these extreme temperatures.

Ladies, don’t even think about wearing your Sunday best heels out in this. What I think is the very best about the slight Victorian revival is how well it fits itself into wintertime. We found these puppies at Modcloth (Click Here) that epitomize the shapes of Victorian style footwear without the potential cracked ankles of high heels. Worried about the transition from slim jackets and puffy winter coats to hefty vintage counterparts? Fall in love with one of these darling demures and surely, your mind will be changed. After all, darlings, life is an occasion- we all can dress for it as we like: Click for Victorian Style Winter Gear, or perhaps you prefer the earlier years of the 20th century as your go-to for garb: Click for Era Themed Ensembles!

Gents, you have it a little easier- many of your well-loved name carriers already stock most of what you need to get your retro on this season. For instance, Macy’s carries a plethora of simple, timeless wool silhouettes for any dapper fellow to challenge the snow with. To no surprise of ours at the Retro Revival, men’s boots have found a middle ground between timeless and sophisticated, masculine yet elegant, & formal yet functional in our marketplace. DSW nailed this one: Men’s Warm Winter Footwear.

As the snow spends another few days before melting down in Jersey, we will be learning more about how to heat the home and hearth with a Victorian twist that is sure to keep everyone thawed through this intense winter ahead. Cheers, Darlings!

The Publications

Why ‘A Christmas Story’ Live is Exactly What We Need

Posted on December 17, 2017December 17, 2017 by HarpieLyn

“Gee whiz, mom! Do I really have to put it on?” “On the double, Ralphie!” Whether you celebrate Christmas or another holiday this season, there’s a good chance that you’ve watched the tale of a young Cleveland, Ohio lad, Ralphie, whose dream to own a Red Rider BB gun was the staple of “A Christmas Story’. He embarks on a mundane adventure made classic with its relatable entertainment, from the Bumpus Hounds to the infamous Leg Lamp- which of course, was a major award for Ralphie’s dad to win. Tonight on December 17th, the holiday traditional movie takes a new form of (you guessed it) revivalism in a live remake.

Laden with celebrities, the live ACS aires tonight on Fox. Why exactly is this timing so perfect? Between the current political climate asking for greatness again paired with the latent or deliberate desire that the American public has for nostalgic traditions (sans the violence and prejudice obviously), we at the Retro Revival believe that these incidences of mainstreaming retro culture are the media’s attempt to stand and deliver. Realistically, only the privileged in America got to experience that stereotype of (estimated) 1910-1970ish lifestyle due to de-facto and de-jure effects. Today, while we rightfully recognize all persons as being equal and deserving, we also crave that slower-paced, more meaningful lifestyle that is often attributed to ‘the good old days’. Particularly appealing to the emotions is the holiday season, making the intersection of vintage and nostalgia more powerful than ever.

So, ACS is situated in a modest 1940s home, complete with accurate furnishings and set, costumes and relative language. It an attempt to bring all Americans (and really, all people) closer to that warm and fuzzy feeling, ACS Live offers the chance for that nostalgic inspiration to seep into every home this Christmas season. It encourages all the best facets of ‘back in the day’- like ankle length coats for mom, durable snow gear, walking home from school, haggling a price for Christmas trees, waiting for the mail, comfortable living without excess, and (a personal favorite) teaching school-age children good penmanship. Perhaps what makes this movie an excellent revival is an-absence of any prejudice within the film, likely due to its release date being in 1983 as opposed to being produced any earlier in the 20th century.

Still not convinced? Tune into Fox tonight at 7 PM EST and let’s see how this remake satisfies the sweet tooth in us all for the swell of retro living. And to all those who celebrate, we will be signing off until New Year’s Eve. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Manny’s notes:

Another benefit to this format for a television program is that it puts Hollywood/film & television actors into a stage performance style performance where there is no reshooting, only rehearsal and performance. This kind of programing if done more often offers stage actors an in with television shows and also challenges seasoned television actors to keep their live performance skills sharp.

The Trials of Doris

The Trials of Doris: Operation Orchid

Posted on December 11, 2017 by HarpieLyn

On December 11th, the flavor of the Duke legacy shifted under our feet. It has been a year since the permission was granted to demolish Doris Duke’s beautiful and unique mansion on her New Jersey property. Doris herself was celebrated at Rough Point in Rhode Island during her 105th birthday this past month. Members of the Hillsborough and Somerset County communities still feel the palpable wounds left behind in place where her home- the principle domicile of the richest girl in the world, the main residence of the billionaire baroness Doris Duke- once stood empty and waiting for its fate to be determined.

In Hillsborough, once known as South Somerville, changes and empowerment are brewing into a flavorful stew. Instead of observing the property as it experiences crumbling balustrades and pets’ headstones, a rapidly-decaying glass house, and other seemingly forgotten artifacts; I decided that it was time to incite new determination to the public to demand a greater exhibition of the fullest known Duke legacy at Duke Farms. With the help of a great book, The Duchess of South Somerville, we brought the discussion into public forum for the first time since the court hearings over two years ago. No taboo, no beating around the bush. December 11th was a night of total transparency and awareness- it already felt like I had done the right thing.

In reflecting back on the evening’s discussions, I have to thank the attendees and patrons of the library for making it such a great success. There was so much fascination with the estate, the Dukes, and how much they belong in our darling central Jersey story. It seemed like everyone left with some inspiration, some direction, and some hope for the future visions for the property. Going forward, the public has interest in seeing the greenhouses awarded their status as a preserved structure with an appropriate title: The Trumbauer-Abele Greenhouses. The plant life inside was dearly beloved by all, and we are all staggered by the decision to end their display (myself included).

Despite the harshly-felt absence of the Duke Mansion, it felt like people still cared deeply for the rest of the property, which was uplifting. Operation ORCHID kicked off on a high note with guests attaching to the idea of greater education available to the public, with interest to creating meaningful dialogue with staff and executives. The ORCHID (Organized Reform Coalition to Honor the Intent of Doris) wants to start seeing a more deliberate presence of the Dukes on their property and potentially into the community outside the estate. For a nonprofit with the net worth of the DDCF, this seems relatively feasible with some thrifty new concepts and innovative ideas. The question of how to get to this point with diplomacy and reciprocal regard is the next journey.

And so the story continues into another year as it evolves from a story of demolition and salvage into a revitalized legacy of preservation, integration of ideas, and strong new concepts with all the greatest people coming forward to share their stories and offer their alliances to Operation ORCHID. At this time, RetroRevivalBlog will be recognizing the new articles under OpOrchid instead of the Trials of Doris, which seem to have concluded as of earlier this year. We look forward to a new year full of excellence in public relations and outreach, history education and research, as well as amazing advances as we are able to share! Stay tuned!