Tag: Charles and George King

PHOTOS FROM THE GLOUCESTER HISTORICAL COMMISSION AWARDS

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

An outstanding group of citizens were recognized today by the Gloucester Historical Commission for their achievements in restoration, preservation, shipbuilding, education, outreach, stewardship, and documentation. Opening remarks were made by Mayor Romeo Theken. Co-chair Mary Ellen Lepoinka introduced the awardees. Congratulations to all the recipients for their great work, with an extra huge shout out to King brothers George and Charles.

The Gloucester Historical Commission are mayoral appointees. Commission members include co-chairs Bob Whitmarsh and Mary Ellen Lepoinka, Jeff Crawford, David Rhinelander (who is recovering from heart surgery and was unable to attend), Sandy Barry, Holly Clay, and Jude Seminara.

The recipients awarded for their stellar contributions to the beautiful community of Gloucester and Cape Ann are as follows:

Joseph Napolitano: Lifetime Achievement as a preservation contractor.

Sarah Dunlap: Lifetime Achievement as volunteer City archivist.

Harold Burnham: Local Preservationist, for his achievements in historic shipbuilding. Harold was unable to attend. His father Charles accepted the award for Harold.

Marietta Delahunt: Stewardship of the historic Sargent-Robinson House.

: Local preservationists, for their work on the Civil War coat.

Mariana Vaida: Rehabilitation and Restoration of 567 Essex Ave. by a preservation architect.

Gloucester Writers Center: Stewardship of the Maud/Olson Library in E. Gloucester.

Bing McGilvray: Education and Outreach, for his work on Cape Ann art history.

Captain Ray Bates: Education and Outreach, for his book on Cape Ann shipwrecks.

Christine & Paul Lundberg: Rehabilitation and Restoration of their Annisquam historic home.

Melanie & Mark Murray-Brown: Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Amos-Rackliffe House. Melanie was unable to attend and daughter Iona took her place.

John & Betty Erkkila: Documentation of Gloucester History, for their book on Lanesville.

George and Charles with friend Robert

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTw8h1MFhmO/

The Civil War Coat Won an Awesome Gloucester Grant!

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awesome-gloucester-fb-thanksCharles and George King write:

Let’s help Awesome Gloucester, please visit their Facebook page and like and share it. The coat is on their front page TODAY as well as The Awesome Foundation worldwide page. They gave an amazing $1000 kick off for the display case! It’s going to happen! Here are the Facebook links

Awesome Foundation: Gloucester Facebook page

The Awesome Foundation worldwide facebook page

Two other great projects went last night: repairing headstones at Clark cemetery and composting at Veterans. Be on the lookout for them.

Every month the Awesome Gloucester members listen to hopeful project ideas and try to make a difference. They do! The presentation nights are downtown in different spots. Last night was at the Pilot House. We thought we were too nervous to eat but then we saw the menus! We did that when it was at Gloucester House, too. If you haven’t yet, go see the Awesome Gloucester nights. They’re for the community.
Sincerely
Charles King + George Kingimg_20170116_182751-1

Catherine Ryan Shares More About the Bachelor Coat

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Catherine writes that the story about her sons Charles and George King’s successful fundraising effort to preserve the Albert Bacheler Civil War coat was number five amongst readers for the Cape Ann Beacon. cape-ann-beacon-top-5-stories-2016

CIVIL WAR COAT UPDATE FROM CHARLES AND GEORGE KING

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Charles and George King write:

Hi Civil War coat peeps

Today we piled into the car and drove to Museum Textile Services to meet Camille and see the coat. The mood was exciting because we’ve never actually seen it! The last time we wrote was almost a month ago to the day—you can read that Cape Ann Beacon update below our sign off. A business on Main Street asked us to stop by because of that article which we’ll update next.

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The coat is looking pretty good! It needs finishing touches but the conservator has done an excellent job. A lot of her work will be invisible but will keep it safe. We saw some cool things close up like the form, conservator sculpting tools, original patches and buttons. We inspected the back and saw some threads that give evidence that buttons were once there. She told us originally the coat fabric was a linsey-woolsey which means a linen and wool mix. Anyway we had a great time—see some photos here https://goo.gl/photos/K9ywkvRXLEMUFrFa7. The stand in the photo is not the final stand, but it is the same color/wood. unnamed

The newest Smithsonian museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is opening September 24th. Black veterans of the Civil War had the idea for a museum in 1915. We wrote them last year and will be excited to see what the museum thinks about Gloucester’s Bacheler Civil War coat.

Sincerely

Charles and George

https://www.youcaring.com/the-gloucester-fund-467104

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Charge King

Reporter Alyse Diamantides met us on July 12 at the Gloucester High School. She was interested in writing an article about the coat for the Cape Ann Beacon. She was in Gloucester and next she was going to write about Pastaio. We talked about the poll (Sorry the poll expired. We didn’t realize it would only last three days. Please still e-mail any vote you have to gloucestercoatkids@gmail.com.) Alyse wrote a fantastic article about the coat display possibilities. Alyse sent us a link. The paper came out last Friday August 12 and you can pick it up around town. http://gloucester.wickedlocal.com/news/20160812/gloucester-twins-work-to-restore-civil-war-coat. We will continue to raise money here after we all make a decision on the display. 

Bacheler Civil War coat : a case for a case?

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Charles and George King write,

“Hey everybody,

The coat is with the textile conservator and they’re working on it and it’s going great! A magazine about the Civil War is publishing some news about this special Gloucester coat and restoration. We will share that as soon as it’s published.  In the meantime, we have a display case to decide on!
As a reminder, we hope that the coat will be shown 3D which poses some problems. For instance it makes any display case bigger and therefore more expensive. Before we make a decision we’d like the public to weigh in.
We have three options. All of them include the coat standing up on a special form from the restorer, a secure Gloucester High School location, and a stand design big enough to support the coat and show it off.Case002
1)We can place the coat in the huge, already made display case in the Gloucester High School currently filled with trophies and an old poster. The JROTC case needs to be de-cluttered and rearranged and the lighting switched out.
Pros: inexpensive and easy
Cons: You can not walk around the coat. (However we could install a mirror behind it.) 20160414_152350
2)We can put the coat in a 5 sided display case (1/4″ plexi) on a pedestal out in the open in the Gloucester High School. The wood shop could also make a cabinet for underneath the pedestal Pros: you can walk around the coat  Cons: more expensive than option 1 (estimates from a museum and gallery supplier start at $2000) Case006

3)Same as option (2), with some first class benefits that may offer more climate control
Pros: Special access door, special linen wrapped aluminum base, 3/8″ plexi
Cons: Pricey as estimates (from a museum and gallery supplier) with crating and shipping were more than $5000.

Case003

Conservation vs. good enough?
Because some of the estimates are as much money as the restoration, we are considering all the pros and cons and want to hear from the supporters.
On the one hand, we think it’s a shame to repair the coat and chance going through this for nothing. On the other hand, these estimates are more than it costs for kids to go to camp this summer.
We ask: is there a case for such a case?
Please email us your vote for  1), 2), or 3) or  any comments or questions you have.
We hope to reach as many residents as possible, especially kids.
We wish nd Jane Enos will ask the Cape Ann Beacon readers, Mr. Lamont will ask the Gloucester Daily Times readers, and Kim will ask Good Morning Gloucester, and Caroline will ask in the High School,and Jule will ask Bay State Banner readers –even though we’ve asked so much already. “
Sincerely
Charles and George King

CHARLES AND GEORGE KING’S CIVIL WAR COAT FUNDRAISER PROJECT FEAUTURED IN GLOUCESTER DAILY TIMES!

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See today’s Gloucester Daily Times for more information and a superb story by Ray Lamont on GMG contributor Catherine Ryan’s son’s efforts to raise money to restore the Civil War coat worn by veteran Alfred Bachelor, who served for 20 years as the Gloucester High School principal during the turn of the previous century (1884-1914).

To donate to help rehabilitate Gloucester’s historic Civil War coat:

Visit YouCaring.com, and search for “Civil War Bacheler coat caper” and follow instructions on how to contribute.

Send a check with “Civil War coat” written in the check’s memo field to The Gloucester Fund, 45 Middle St., Gloucester, MA 01930, or Committee for the Arts, c/o Gloucester City Hall, 9 Dale Ave., Gloucester MA 01930.

Charles and George King ©Kim Smith 2015

Please donate to these super civic-minded brothers Charles and George. Here they are helping with spring cleaning and planting at the Harbor Walk Gardens, where they have lent a hand and many Sunday mornings. They are truly awesome kids!

To date the boys have raised approximately $1,000.00 of the goal of $3,500.00 needed to restore the coat.