 | The Keeps were among the
first settlers in Monson
 | They farmed this land.
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| They were strong supporters
of the Congregational Church
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| They took active parts
 | in Education
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| in Town Government
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| They were savers and
collectors
| of family history
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| family documents
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| and the artifacts of changing
ways of daily living over a span of 150 years
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|
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| The property has about 75
acres of farmland, a pond, and a small granite quarry
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| The house has sixteen rooms,
three attics and two cellars
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| Among the collections are
| Diaries from the 1860's to
the 1940's detailing daily life
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| Extensive records of income
produced on the farm and purchases made
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| In 1893, Myra's father,
Charles Chapin Keep, brought his bride, Pearl Beckwith, to live in this home that he was
occupying with his parents, Edward and Mary Keep
| The addition to the house to
accommodate the newlyweds and their purchases of all new bedroom and kitchen furniture and
dishes are documented and form the basis for several exhibits
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| Ten-year-old Myra would feel
right at home in the kitchen:
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Antique Household Utensils
Exhibit
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| There is a story that when
Charles married Pearl, she said, "I'll move into your family's home with you, but I
won't share a kitchen with your mother." True or not, there are two kitchens in the
house.
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!890's Kitchen on left & 1950's Pink &
Gray on right
| Charles and Pearl's bedroom on the southeast
corner is ready for the newlyweds to move into:
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| Another bedroom represents
Myra and (her sister) Marion's room with their brass beds, handmade quilts and their toys:
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| The dining room closet
contains their parents' 144 piece set of Haviland Limoges china with its original bill.
The furniture reflects the 1930's.
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This cruet set sits on the
marble topped chest in the dining room.
It held vinegar and other condiments used at meals.
| Myra, a school teacher,
married her first husband, Charles Lovell, in 1929
| Lovell was a Congregational
Minister. He served the First Church in Monson from 1919 - 1925. They returned to Monson
in 1941 to care for Myra's parents.
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| In the "Minister's
Corner" on the 2nd floor are Bibles and religious books owned by Charles.
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| On display are items with
Charles' own handwriting (sermons, hymns, even his notes on the pages of his Bible).
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| This period of Myra's life is
represented with her 1930's bedroom furniture, accessorized with several examples of
Myra's needlework, including the patriotic crocheted bedspread.
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| Also represented is a
miniature classroom with her teaching tools, books, and an exam on the blackboard.
| There are copies of some of
her student's work that have been laminated so that visitors can look through them
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| And in the 1930's bedroom are
some of the perfume bottles - Christmas gifts to a favorite teacher
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| Myra was an accomplished
needleworker and extensive examples of her work are distributed throughout the house.
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| Both Myra and her father were
"rock hounds" and many examples are displayed along with an extensive shell
collection.
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