Mar-2022
Painting of the Town of Wenham
Wenham in All Seasons
by Valerie Weigand McCaffrey
Contemporary Folk Artist from Beverly Farms, Massachusetts
In August 2015, the Wenham Museum commissioned an oil painting of the Town of Wenham created by local contemporary folk artist, Valerie McCaffrey, of Beverly Farms, Massachusetts. This vibrant work, titled Wenham in All Seasons, weaves together the people, places, and spaces from past and present that have shaped life in Wenham. It also evokes the seasonality that has guided New England life since the first colonists founded Wenham in 1636.
The painting contains the following landmarks or places of past or present note within the Town:
- Wenham Museum;
- Wenham Tea House and Hobbs House:
- The First Church;
- The shops on Main Street, with the Post Office, Police Station, and Fire Station;
- Town Hall;
- Tendercrop Farm (formerly Canaan Farm), with “purple pumpkins” by its sign;
- Wenham Country Club and Lakeview Golf Course;
- Wenham Cemetery;
- Hugh Peter’s Rock;
- Wenham Lake, with its historic ice houses and a steam locomotive;
- Beverly-Salem Canal; and,
- Angellini Farm.
Only three figures appear in the painting. They are:
- Adeline Cole, the “Mother of Wenham,” whose service to the Town created a lasting legacy at the Wenham Village Improvement Society and the Wenham Museum.
- Eleanor (“Elly”) Thompson, the long-time Executive Director of the Wenham Museum and a Wenham resident.
- Albert Winslow (“Albie”) Dodge, Sr., former Tree Warden in Wenham, author, and local history enthusiast.
The painting was unveiled at the Wenham Museum’s spring fundraiser on Friday, May 6, 2016. The first print created from the original work was presented to Cathy Ebling, Honorary Trustee, of Wenham, in recognition of her many years of service to the Wenham Museum.
Order a print via mail by downloading this form: Order Form-Wenham in All Seasons
Mail your completed order form and payment to:
Wenham Museum
Attn: Museum Shop
132 Main Street
Wenham, MA 01984