Tim Farrell & Thom Bresh(R)
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
by Tim Farrell
In a departure from Guitar Sessions tradition, my article will not be about a single city but instead will focus on Bucks County, PA where I live. Bucks County is the location of George Washington's famous Crossing of the Delaware during the Revolutionary War, Ben Franklin's lightning experiment with a kite and a key, several of M. Night Shyamalan's films, etc…and of course, it's the home of my Stretched Strings Concert and Workshop Series.
Bucks County is bordered by the city of Philadelphia, the Delaware River (New Jersey is across the river), Montgomery County, the Lehigh Valley and is an hour-and-a-half from New York City. Bucks County has easy access to all of those areas via road and rail as evidenced by the fact that many people who live in Bucks County commute to work in Philly, Princeton, New York City, etc...
Bucks County is part of the original King's charter given to William Penn and named Pennsylvania or Penn's Woods, by King Charles II in 1681. Penn dreamed that he and his fellow Quakers could establish a new society with a government based on religious freedom, ethnic diversity, and fairness for all people. He called this venture his "Holy Experiment". William Penn had a country home on the Delaware River upstream from Philadelphia in Bucks County called Pennsbury. Pennsbury Manor, like so many historic sites, was lost to posterity through neglect; but, unlike many others, it has been recreated for our permanent pleasure and inspiration as a hands-on living history museum. Throughout Bucks County, Quaker and agricultural origins are still evident today in the beautifully simple and sturdy stone farmhouses that are symbolic of the people and the area.
After William Penn had laid out Philadelphia in 1682, he traveled north through a vast tract of land he had purchased from the local Indians. Two years later, Penn devised a plan for a new settlement called Newtown which became one of Bucks County's preeminent communities with the construction of many substantial colonial residences and taverns. The Newtown Historic District was established in 1969 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Newtown still retains the character of this important period of history even as it has continued to grow and prosper, first as the hub of the surrounding farming communities and now as the central locale of several prosperous bedroom communities. In addition to beautifully maintained homes from the colonial era Newtown features architecture from every subsequent period in history. These buildings are continuously occupied by families, businesses and community organizations. The Quaker origins of Newtown are evident in its character and in the influence of primitive painter Edward Hicks whose images and style are still utilized today.
A bit further north is the picturesque town of New Hope where the Pennsylvania Impressionist artists lived and immortalized the area's natural beauty on canvas. You can still see some of the sites that inspired paintings by Daniel Garber, Edward Redfield, and others. The James A. Michener Art Museum has a branch right in the heart of New Hope that houses some of these works.
The movie industry discovered the New Hope area very early in its existence. Those fair damsel-in-distress movies The Perils of Pauline, where Pauline was tied to the railroad tracks in the way of an oncoming train were filmed on the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad, which is now an excursion line. Big band leader Paul Whiteman had a farm in the New Hope area where he and his friend Les Paul used to hunt. George S. Kaufmann- who wrote or co-wrote some of the most memorable scripts for the Marx Brothers [Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, A Night at the Opera, etc.] lived in nearby Lahaska. Kaufmann's farm survives today as Barley Sheaf Farm Estate & Spa.
Minguren Museum built by George Nakashima.
George Nakashima moved to New Hope upon his sponsored release from a WWII internment camp and established his world renowned furniture studio- George Nakashima, Woodworker. George created some of the most beautiful solid-wood furniture the world has ever known with the wood itself suggesting how the piece should be designed, shaped and worked. George's family still operates the business and continues to create beautiful works of art to this day. His daughter Mira oversees the work and has her own line of designs called the Keisho Collection.
Mira also helped design the George Nakashima Commemorative Edition Guitar in collaboration with the Martin Guitar Company which honored George's life and his work. I had the great pleasure of being the person who road-tested the prototype of this guitar. It has a very rich warm sound due to the use of George's favorite wood Claro Walnut for the back and sides. Martin Guitars built only 100 of these guitars which sold out quickly. I also had the great pleasure of recording a CD with this guitar which was a benefit album for the Nakashima Foundation for Peace which George founded. The CD is called Songs From Clarowood and is available through my website.
Tim Farrell playing the benefit concert for Nakashima Foundation for Peace at the Minguren Museum.
New Hope is the home of The Bucks County Playhouse a national landmark rich in theatrical history. Some of the biggest and brightest names in show business first got their start on its stage. Opening in 1938 the Bucks County Playhouse became known as "America's Most Famous Summer Theatre". Today the Bucks County Playhouse continues its tradition of performing quality musicals and dramas.
New Hope thrives today as a tourist destination, featuring galleries, boutiques, antique shops and live music venues. Located on Main Street is John and Peter's, the oldest continually-operated music club on the East Coast; this venerable nightclub features live performances 7days a week. Since its inception in 1972, John & Peter's has been home to some of the most talented musicians playing today. The club is committed to bands that play original music and to patrons who come to listen. Just down Main Street is Havana New Hope which attracts music buffs from five states with its wide variety of local, regional and national acts featuring blues, Rock-a-Billy, R&B, funk and jazz.
The county seat of Bucks County is Doylestown which is the hometown of James A. Michener, Henry Chapman Mercer and Margaret Mead and is the home of the James A. Michener Art Museum, Mercer Museum, Moravian Tile works, and the Stretched Strings Concert and Workshop Series. Doylestown is another picturesque town in Bucks County that is beautifully maintained and features architecture from all periods of American history.
One of the most interesting people to add to the architecture and history of Doylestown was Henry Chapman Mercer. He was a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete in construction and created three of the most unique buildings in the country, all of which are National Landmarks. The first is Mercer's home called Fonthill, built between 1908 and 1912. The concrete castle boasts 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces and more than 200 windows of varying size and shape. The interior walls, floors and ceilings are elaborately adorned with an incredible array of Mercer's original handcrafted tiles.
The Mercer Museum is a towering castle constructed in 1916 that houses dramatic displays of the implements, folk art and furnishings of early America before mechanization. Walk into the Central Court and see a Conestoga wagon, whaling boat, carriages and an antique fire engine suspended overhead. There are 40,000 tools of more than 60 early American crafts and trades displayed.
Henry Chapman Mercer was a major proponent of the Arts & Crafts Movement in America. He established and directed the work at the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, a National Historic Landmark, which is still maintained as a "working history" museum. Handmade tiles are still produced in a manner similar to that developed by the pottery's founder and builder.
Doylestown is the hometown of James A. Michener, author of novels, short fiction, and nonfiction, much of which was based on his extensive research and travel. He sold more than 75 million books and is considered one of the most prolific and popular writers of the 20 century. Michener was also actively involved in public service. He ran for Congress from Bucks County in 1962, served as Secretary of the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention from 1967 to 1968, and advised the government on issues ranging from the space program to postage stamps. Michener gave away more than $100 million to museums, schools, libraries and other institutions, including the James A. Michener Art Museum.
Tim Farrell & Stephen Bennett(R) at a Stretched Strings concert.
In 1988 the James A. Michener Art Museum opened as an independent, non-profit cultural institution dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting the art and cultural heritage of the Bucks County region. In 1999 Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest gave the museum an extensive collection of 59 paintings by important regional artists of the Pennsylvania Impressionist School. The museum is now home to a world-class collection of Pennsylvania Impressionist paintings. The museum also features an exhibit called "Creative Bucks County" dedicated to some of the many artists that have called Bucks County home. One of my favorite exhibits in the museum is the Nakashima Reading Room, an installation of classic furniture from the studio of Bucks County's internationally known woodworker, George Nakashima (1905-1990). The traditional Japanese-style room was designed by his daughter, Mira Nakashima-Yarnall, and includes several important furniture pieces in the Nakashima tradition.
Mark Hanson teaching a Stretched Strings workshop.
Doylestown is home to various types of music venues from commercial ventures to teen- oriented venues to some that are less traditional and support the less mainstream musical endeavors such as my Stretched Strings Concert and Workshop Series. As the founder and Resident Artist of Stretched Strings, I have had the pleasure to host and work with a wonderful array of fine artists such as Thom Bresh, Ernie Hawkins, Robin Bullock, Mark Hanson, Stephen Bennett and more. Our workshops have been very well attended and are held at the Doylestown School of Music and the Arts where I am on the faculty.
Our concerts have been presented at St. Paul's Church but if all goes well, we may move to a very cool new live music venue called Puck located on Printers Alley. Puck is a 21+ venue that has been open for about a year and has featured performers like Jake Shimabukuro, Al Stewart and Alejandro Escovedo. Puck's motto is "studio quality music, live" and is regarded by many as Bucks County's #1 listening room.
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