[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 118 (Tuesday, September 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S9027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO THE SHELBURNE MUSEUM

 Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Vermont's Shelburne Museum on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. The 
museum, sometimes referred to as New England's Smithsonian, will 
celebrate its anniversary on September 27, 1997 with a myriad of 
activities for people young and old.
  The museum's founder, Electra Havemeyer Webb, was a pioneer collector 
of Americana and American folk art. Today, the museum collects, 
preserves, and studies art as well as history with an emphasis on the 
New England area. Thirty-seven exhibit buildings spanning across 45 
scenic acres include three galleries, 7 furnished historic homes and 
over 80,000 objects. The historic buildings and collections reflect our 
transition from an agricultural to an industrial nation.
  The Shelburne Museum has become an important cultural resource for 
Vermont and the Nation. In a rapidly changing world its collections as 
well as its programs provide the public and scholars alike with an 
opportunity to reflect on and explore the central themes of ingenuity, 
craftsmanship and creativity.
  The museum embodies a spirit of celebration which provides visitors 
from across the country and around the world with a unique perspective 
into the region's history. As a learning tool, it plays a significant 
role in reminding patrons that the past can often provide a key to the 
future.
  Mr. President, I wish the Shelburne Museum many more years of 
continued success in service to our community.

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