Southern Vermont Arts Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Yester House
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| Location | 860 Southern Vermont Arts Center Dr., Manchester, Vermont |
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| Area | 118 acres (48 ha) |
| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | Murphy & Dana |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88002051 |
| Added to NRHP | November 10, 1988 |
The Southern Vermont Arts Center is a cool place in Manchester, Vermont. It's where you can explore many different types of art! You'll find it on the old Yester House estate. This center has art galleries with amazing art that changes often. It also has the biggest sculpture park in the area. Plus, there's a place for shows and classes where you can learn about art. You can even visit the grounds for fun activities like hiking or cross-country skiing. The whole area is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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What You Can See and Do
The Southern Vermont Arts Center has a special collection of art that stays there all the time. They also have new art shows that change with each season. The art that's always there often features artists who helped start the Southern Vermont Artists, Inc. This group was made up of artists and business people. They worked together to support art and culture in Southern Vermont a long time ago.
Famous Artists in the Collection
Many well-known artists from the last century have their work here. Some of these artists include Ogden Pleissner, Jay Hall Conaway, Reginald Marsh, Guy Pene du Bois, Lorenzo Hatch, Luigi Lucioni, Arthur Gibbs Burton, and Robert Strong Woodward. It's like a history book of art!
History of the Arts Center Campus
The land where the arts center is now was first used as a farm. It belonged to the Orvis family. In 1916, a couple named William and Gertrude Divine Ritter bought it. They were from Columbus, Ohio, and wanted to build a summer home there.
Building the Yester House
The Ritters hired a famous architecture company from New York City, Murphy and Dana. They designed the main buildings for the estate. This included the big, 28-room main house. It was built in the Colonial Revival style. Today, this house is known as the Yester House Gallery.
Sadly, the Ritters separated while the estate was being built. Gertrude Divine Ritter kept the property. She later married Hugh Webster. Mrs. Webster loved to use the estate for parties and to show off her art collection. She had more than 6,000 pieces of beautiful hand-blown glass!
From Private Home to Art Center
Mrs. Webster hoped her house would become a museum for her collections. But after she passed away in 1947, her art was sold. The property was then put up for sale. In 1950, the Southern Vermont Artists, Inc. group bought it. They started turning it into the arts center you see today, with summer art shows.
Since then, the campus has grown a lot. It now has a modern art gallery, an outdoor stage for performances, and a special building for art classes.
See also
