Opening Reception for Wilton's Neighbor, Mark Twain

Youngsters can step into the pages of a cherished childhood book as they transform into Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huckleberry Finn on Sunday, September 12 at the Wilton Historical Society at 224 Danbury Road.

At the opening reception of the Society's newest exhibit, "Wilton's Neighbor: Mark Twain" hours of activity and amusement will include many of the adventures drawn from Mark Twain's life, times and writing. From 1 to 3 p.m., children can try their hand at whitewashing a picket fence, making a toy paddleboat, taking the needle and thread test and churning their very own homemade ice cream in an authentic 1910 kitchen.

For the adults, a wine and cheese reception in the exhibit gallery begins at 3:30 p.m.

The day's activities will be accompanied by family friendly music from the ZuZazz String Orkestra, performing a variety of jazz, swing, blues and tin Pan Alley tunes on guitar, mandolin, keyboard, violin and double bass. The band takes the stage at 4 p.m.

The day's events are free to Society members and $10 per non-member family.

The exhibit, which runs from September 1 through October 31, brings together extensive collections from the Mark Twain Library in Redding and the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford and provides a window into the life and writing of the famous author on the 100th anniversary of his death.

Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in Missouri in 1835, he took the pen name Mark Twain in reference to his days as a steamboat pilot – a depth of two fathoms, 12 feet, was referred to as mark twain. With his wife and family, Samuel Clemens moved to Hartford in 1871. He died shy of his 75th birthday in his Redding home in 1910.

Comparing his life in Hartford and his final years at his Redding country home, the exhibit features selected volumes, photographs, scrapbooks, architectural plans and more. Guest curators Heather Morgan, director of the Mark Twain Library and Patti Philippon, chief curator of the Mark Twain House & Museum have assembled some of the best artifacts from their respective collections all under one roof.

The exhibit is open Tuesday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. on the following Sundays: Sept. 12 and 26, Oct. 10 and 24. The exhibit is free to members and children, $5 per non-member adult.

Information: www.wiltonhistorical.org or 203.762.7257.