The historic Locust Lawn property recently invited the crew at Visit Gardiner along for a living experience of pre-cinema technology - a Magic Lantern Show, held at the Terwilliger House. The mechanical and "slip" magic lantern slides and sets of story and fairy tale slides, accompanied by the music of a spring-wound Victrola, shared tales from the 1800’s. We enjoyed a rare chance to see Victorian entertainment as it was used in parlors and theaters with original slides and vintage projectors on a property more than 200 years old. The following pictures are a chronicle of our visit.
The backwoods deck at the Terwilliger House
Vintage Victorian cupware was on display beside homemade ‘queen cakes’ and other refreshments
The spring-wound Victrola and Victorian projector worked together for the historical show
A show in action
A sneak peak of a ‘slip’ magic lantern slide as part of a series of hand painted ‘slip’ slides
Onlookers view the ‘slip’ magic lantern slide outside of the Victorian projector