Lincoln County Historical Association’s Chapman-Hall House Stewardship Committee offers a unique opportunity to observe fashion styles for women and men from 1750 to the late 1820s in “Dressing for Tea with Mrs. Chapman.” The Zoom program at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 5 will provide historical insights to taking tea along with details about evolving fashions of the day.

By around 1840, when England’s 7th Duchess of Bedford elevated it to a more formal afternoon tea time, stopping for tea with friends or family had already become a well established tradition. In 1754, Miriam Chapman, with her husband Nathaniel, braved the wilds of unsettled midcoast Maine to establish a new home. Miriam was 47 years old, but the Damariscotta settlement was much younger. One can imagine the pleasures and comforts Miriam left behind in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Despite the lack of a bustling town in her new surroundings, chances are Miriam found a friend with whom to take tea and discuss the fashion of the day.

Registrants for the online event will receive recipes for traditional tea fare, a list of tea varieties popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, and a list of foods suitable for any early American tea – all delivered by email. Dressing for Tea with Mrs. Chapman is a benefit for the Chapman-Hall House Historic Site in Damariscotta. Registration is $15.

The Chapman-Hall House is one of three historic sites maintained by Lincoln County Historical Association, a nonprofit organization that provides stewardship for the 1754 Chapman-Hall House, the 1761 Pownalborough Court House in Dresden, and the 1811 Old Jail and Museum in Wiscasset. 

For registration and more information, please visit the LCHA website and click on “Upcoming Events.” One may also email: lchamaine1954@gmail or call 207 882-6817.

For more information about the Lincoln County Historical Association visit www.lincolncountyhistory.com or Facebook - Lincoln County Historical Association (Maine)