Morris Chair Debut

When the Alvin Museum Society took possession of what is now the Marguerite Rogers House Museum at 113 E. Dumble, a dilapidated Morris Chair was found among the items left there. Thanks to the donated services of James Pierce, a restoration Master of antique furniture, and the Alvin Antique Guild for providing fabrice, the chair has now been restored and has a special place in the house museum.

A Morris Chair is an early type of reclining chair. The design was adapted by William Morris' firm from a prototype owned by E. Colman in England. It was first marketed around 1866. Based on what we know about William Morris and John G. Slover, it is reasonable to believe that the museum's Morris Chair is among the earliest ones made.

Come visit the Marguerite Rogers House Musuem and see this beautifully crafted piece of furniture. Tour days are Thursdays and Fridays, and the first Saturday of each month from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Admission $3.00

Cottage Repairs

Repairs and maintenance of The Cottage are still going on. The new fence is completed. Inside repairs due to Hurricane Ike are not finished. The Cottage is still closed for tours, but expects to re-open very soon. We look forward to your visit in the near future.

The Alvin Historical Museum and the museum gift shop are open and we hope you will visit soon. A new temporary exhibit will open this summer. The gift shop has a large selection of items for sale. Visit the other blog pages for more information.

Final Plans for Garden Tour

Final plans are being made for the 10th Annual Alvin Area Garden Tour set for Saturday, April 18. Three private Alvin gardens featured on the tour will be those of Troy and Pam Lewis on Towne Court, Terry and Jody Droege on Towne Court and Joel Trevino and Yvette Melchor on West Larkspur in Hillcrest Village.

Hurricane Ike repairs are being done on the Victorian cottage, so the inside of the house will not be part of the Garden Tour this year. However, the tour will include the cottage grounds and the popular plant sale in the garage of the cottage.

Advance $5.00 tickets are available during business hours at Alvin's Guaranty Bank drive-thru windows, Alvin-Manvel Area Chamber of Commerce, Alvin Historical Museum on Sealy Street and the Marguerite Rogers Cottage House Museum on Dumble Street. Tickets will be available at each site on event day. For more information call 281-393-1538.

Plant Sale at The Cottage

The 10th Annual Alvin Area Garden Tour is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Featured sites include the Marguerite Rogers House Museum tour and ever popular plant sale. Other private gardens include Troy and Pam Lewis, Terry and Jody Droege, and Joel Trevino and Yvette Melchor. Make plans now to tour these beautiful gardens.

Advance tickets are now on sale. For more information click on Home(AMS) page.

Cottage Update

The Cottage House Museum received some damage from Hurricane Ike. The wooden fence was blown down and we have some minor leaks in the roof. Closed during the month of September, The Cottage is open for tours. Although a Fall Exhibit was not planned, The Cottage is a "cozy" place to visit during the holiday season. Plan to come for a visit.

The Cottage is open on Thursdays, Fridays and the first Saturday of the month. We will close Friday, December 19, for the holidays and reopen after the first of the new year. We are working on a Spring Exhibit and will keep you posted.

Cottage Lillies

Exhibit Closes June 27

The Spring exhibit of wedding dresses and accessories at The Cottage House Museum will end on Friday, June 27, 2008. You still have time to see the display. The Cottage, located at 113 E. Dumble, Alvin, is opened on Thursdays, Fridays, and the first Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. For more information, call 281.585.2803.

Garden Tour 2008

This year's garden tour was a big success. The Cottage Museum was part of the tour and the location for the plant sale. It was a beautiful day and everyone enjoyed the tour and the variety of plants and seedlings available for sale.