Browse Items (71 total)

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After being destroyed by fire in 1868 the Music Vale Seminary was rebuilt. This drawing shows what the new building looked like.

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Here is a view of Music Vale Seminary, taken from a double-photograph used in a stereoscope, the forerunner of the modern day "view master"

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The Little Red Cottage, the home of Rev. John Whittlesey, was also known as the Methodist Tavern because of the great hospitality shown here. This is the oldest house in Salem, and is still standing.

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In the early 1830's, Oramel's reputation as a teacher was already growing. In 1835, two young women knocked at the door and invited themselves in, stating they had come to recieve instruction, and hence, Music Vale was born. Oramel was so well liked…

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The youngest son of Rev. John and Sally Whittlesey was Henry Packwood Whittlesey, born October 26, 1812. Henry was in partnership of manufacturing pianos with his older brothers, John Whittlesey, born January 27, 1806, and Oramel, who started to…

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Two pianos made by the Whittlesey brothers are seen here. The pianos were made of rosewood and mahogany with ivory piano keys that had been sawed by hand and mother-of-pearl inlay letters and ornamentation. On the inside of every Whittlesey piano was…

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Only the barn is left at the once thriving music school. A sign near Route 85 states rather unobtrusively: Music Vale Seminary. In the foreground is the cellar of Music Vale Seminary filled with water. -Cindy Lee Corriveau

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Charlotte Maconda Maginnis, daughter of Jeanette, was born March 12, 1863. She became known as the prima donna in New York, where she studied and performed in famous operas until she married William Wellington Walters of New York City. Pictured is…

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The youngest daughter of Oramel and Charlotte was Karolyn (Kate) Bradford Whittlesey, born April 2, 1843. She taught harp, piano, and guitar at Music Vale. Kate never married. She moved to Topeka, Kansas, to teach music. She became head of the…
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