Enjoy an old-fashioned phonograph party at Greenfield History Day
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Enjoy an old-fashioned phonograph party at Greenfield History Day
In our technology driven world it’s hard to imagine a time when recording and playing back the human voice seemed like “magic,” but the
Edison’s Music Makers Museum provides a doorway to this past. The exhibit will premiere as part of the activities for the Greenfield Historical Society annual History Day on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. The exhibit will be held at 243 South Street, Greenfield, at the Konneker Education Museum in the Old Stone Schoolhouse Museum and explores the history of sound recording from the invention of the phonograph in 1877 to the modern day iPod.
“A lot of young people do not know about this early technology. This is a rare opportunity to for them to hear and see the start of the recording industry,” said
Charlotte Pack, co-curator.
Featured artists from some of the first commercial sound recordings will include the rural humor of “Aunt Nancy” and “Uncle Josh,” early country recording artist
Vernon Dalhart and the popular Military Band Music of John Philip Sousa from the early 20th century.
The exhibit will include over twenty playable phonographs and other recording devices like the rarely seen recording wire machine, a detailed timeline of sound
recording media from brown wax cylinder records to the iPod and activities for children.
Anyone who has a phonograph and would like to learn more information, such as the date and maker, may bring the phonograph or a detailed picture.
The traveling museum is owned and operated by Charlotte and Rodney Pack of Rainsboro. Rodney is known as the “Phonograph Man” because he has been collecting, repairing and restoring phonographs for over 15 years. “I enjoy the phonographs because it’s a moment of vocal history frozen in time. You can hear the music and voices of
people who lived over 100 years ago.”
The phonograph collection started with restoring a Brunswick Phonograph to sell in the couple’s former antique shop, Antique Heaven, but Rodney got “hooked.” He
started collecting for himself and now his passion has expanded to the various stages of sound recording history and related memorabilia. When Rodney is not working on the collection, he operates D & P Electric Service, an electrical contracting business he has operated in Highland County for over 25 years.
Charlotte is the author of the popular book “Time Travels: 200 Years of Highland County History Told Through Dairies, Letters, Stories and Photos” and “Finding the
Friendship Dolls: A True Story.” Charlotte’s experiences as assistant curator and coordinator for Wilmington College helped her to develop the phonograph collection into a
professional exhibit.
“We have been working on the exhibit for two years. The opening of our exhibit in Greenfield is ideal because the Waddell Company played a role in the
phonograph industry and received patents for their unique designs,” said Charlotte Pack.
In our technology driven world it’s hard to imagine a time when recording and playing back the human voice seemed like “magic,” but the Edison’s Music Makers Museum provides a doorway to this past. The exhibit will premiere as part of the activities for the Greenfield Historical Society annual History Day on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. The exhibit will be held at 243 South Street, Greenfield, at the Konneker Education Museum in the Old Stone Schoolhouse Museum and explores the history of sound recording from the invention of the phonograph in 1877 to the modern day iPod.
“A lot of young people do not know about this early technology. This is a rare opportunity to for them to hear and see the start of the recording industry,” said
Charlotte Pack, co-curator.
Featured artists from some of the first commercial sound recordings will include the rural humor of “Aunt Nancy” and “Uncle Josh,” early country recording artist Vernon Dalhart and the popular Military Band Music of John Philip Sousa from the early 20th century.
The exhibit will include over twenty playable phonographs and other recording devices like the rarely seen recording wire machine, a detailed timeline of sound
recording media from brown wax cylinder records to the iPod and activities for children.
Anyone who has a phonograph and would like to learn more information, such as the date and maker, may bring the phonograph or a detailed picture.
The traveling museum is owned and operated by Charlotte and Rodney Pack of Rainsboro. Rodney is known as the “Phonograph Man” because he has been collecting, repairing and restoring phonographs for over 15 years. “I enjoy the phonographs because it’s a moment of vocal history frozen in time. You can hear the music and voices of people who lived over 100 years ago.”
The phonograph collection started with restoring a Brunswick Phonograph to sell in the couple’s former antique shop, Antique Heaven, but Rodney got “hooked.” He started collecting for himself and now his passion has expanded to the various stages of sound recording history and related memorabilia. When Rodney is not working on the collection, he operates D & P Electric Service, an electrical contracting business he has operated in Highland County for over 25 years.
Charlotte is the author of the popular book “Time Travels: 200 Years of Highland County History Told Through Dairies, Letters, Stories and Photos” and “Finding the Friendship Dolls: A True Story.” Charlotte’s experiences as assistant curator and coordinator for Wilmington College helped her to develop the phonograph collection into a professional exhibit.
“We have been working on the exhibit for two years. The opening of our exhibit in Greenfield is ideal because the Waddell Company played a role in the
phonograph industry and received patents for their unique designs,” said Charlotte Pack.
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