From Washerst to Amherst

Dwell in Possibility:
From Washerst to Amherst
and back.

Stories and photographs from Dickinson scholar Jim Asher's 2013 trip to Boston and Amherst, Massachusetts.

There are many mysteries in the world of poetry, lyrics, and literature:

· Who wrote Beowulf?

· Did Shakespeare really write all of those plays?

· What did Edgar Allan Poe die of – and why was he wearing someone else’s clothes?

· To whom was Carly Simon referring when she wrote“You’re So Vain”? (Most experts, music critics and conspiracy theorists believe it was Al Roker.)

· Did Burgess Gelett ever see a purple cow?

But perhaps the greatest mystery of all time:

· Why was Emmett Lee Dickinson – Emily Dickinson’s third cousin – twice removed at her request?

To delve into this unsolved enigma, the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum (above the coin-op Laundromat on Dickinson Boulevard in Washerst), the Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts (DOPE), the American Library Association, and the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council sent Jim Asher, the world’s leading authority on the life and poetry of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) to Boston and Amherst to research this mystery of the ages.

Asher and his wife traveled to Massachusetts from July 1 to 10, 2013.

News of Asher's pending visit swept through Massachusetts, the Boston Metropolitan Statistical Area (BOS MSA), and the world of poetry like a double-crunch Taco Bell chapula goes through someone with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract.

Click on any of the news blurbs at the left and below to enlarge.

The Ashers stayed at the Omni Parker House Hotel while in Boston and at the Lord Jeffery Inn while in Amherst. Only for a short time during a trip to the beaches of New Hampshire did they move from the lap of luxury to the crotch (more on that later).

Pictured above and below on the left: the Omni Parker House Hotel. Pictured above and below on the right: the Lord Jeffery Inn in Amherst, MA.

Pictured at the right: On their first full day in Boston, the Ashers followed the city's red brick Freedom Trail, from the Boston Common to Bunker Hill. Along the way, they came across a statue of Emmett Lee Dickinson (far right).

Arrival in Boston

The Ashers arrived in Boston aboard Amtrak's "Dickinson" train, aptly named after poet Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request.

Pictured at the left: Amtrak's "Dickinson" (shown as the blue dot) pulls into South Station in Boston on July 1, 2013.

In an unprecedented move, the city of Boston moved their Fourth of July fireworks display to the 1st to welcome the Dickinson scholar.

Click the picture of the Boston Globe at the left to enlarge.

At a Red Sox game on July 2nd, Wally the Green Monster (pictured at the right) stopped by the stands to greet the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson.

Fenway Park's organist Josh Kantor (pictured at the left) also played the Red Sox's crowd favorite "Sweet Caroline," by Neil Diamond, a song based on an earlier classic called "Sweet Qwerty O' Mine" about Emmett Lee Dickinson's daughter, Qwerty Jean Dickinson.

A vintage piece of sheet music of "Sweet Qwerty O' Mine" (pictured on the right) is on display at Fenway Park.

On The Road To Amherst

On July 3rd, the Ashers left Boston to head for Amherst, and along the way they stopped in Lexington and Concord. In addition to the Revoluationary War sites, they saw the homes and final resting spots of many famous writers.

Pictured below, left to right: Orchard House, the home where Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women; Henry David Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond; the Old Manse (within sight of the Old North Bridge in Concord) where Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Emmett Lee Dickinson spent time to write.

Pictured below, from the nearby Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, are the graves from "Authors' Ridge." From left ot right: Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The Ashers were unable to view the gravesite of Emmett Lee Dickinson for several reasons, including the fact that he is not buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and that all reports of Dickinson's death remain unconfirmed.

"Ich Bin Ein Amherster"

Upon arrival in Amherst, Asher and his wife were met by a throng of passers-by. Asher declared, "Ich bin ein Amerherster," and then proceeded to poll those strolling along N. Pleasant Street to find out just what it is that people from Amherst call themselves. The results of Asher's poll are below:

Above: Reporter Klondyke Barr covered Asher's visit for the Amherst Bulletin.
Click the picture to enlarge.

Below: On their first night in Amherst, the Ashers dined at Judie's, "the home of the popover" -- invented by Emmett Lee Dickinson, Emily Dickinson's third cousin twice removed (at her request) -- and both Ashers report that they dream (and continue to dream)about their meal of Drunken Scallops and Bacon!

Pictured above left to right: Judie's; a Judie's popover; the menu description of "Drunken Scallops & Bacon."

Signs of Dickinson

There were signs of Emmett Lee Dickinson all over town.

Pictured at the left: A Window display at Amherst Typewriter and Computer.

Although Dickinson did not invent the typewriter, he is the one who named it. Dickinson's father-in-law Eliphalet Remington invented the machine to be used "for the impressing or transcribing of letters singly or progressively one after another on a piece of paper." Remington was going to call his invention the “inked letter thumper,” but Dickinson suggested that he call it the “typo-writer.” The top row of keys included the word "Qwerty," the name of Dickinson's daughter and Mr. Remington's grand-aughter, Qwerty Jean Dickinson.

Pictured at the right: The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Information
and "No Pestering" Booth

The AACC Information Booth is a combination of TWO of Emmett Lee Dickinson's inventions, both shown below. On the left, Dickinson invented the "No Pestering Bed" in the mid-1800s. On the right, Dickinson invented the "You are here" notation on maps and floor plans (originally called "You are in this location"). The AACC information booth seems to combine the best of both inventions.

A First Glimpse

After dinner at Judie's the Ashers strolled down Main Street to get a first glimpse of the historic homes of the Dickinson Museum. Pictured on the left is the Evergreens, home of Austin Dickinson and his family. On the right is the Homestead, home of Edward Dickinson and Emily Norcross Dickinson, and their daughters Emily and Lavinia.

Both houses are on Main Street, although Main Street is not the main street of activity in the town. That distinction rests instead with Pleasant Street, which is lined with the bright signs and windows of restaurants and shops. The Homestead and the Evergreens are a quiet walk away, where the yellow porchlights glow in the shadow of the town to shed light on Amherst's past.

A Day of Pomp and Circumstance

The Fourth of July began with sweet rolls and delicious mochas from Amherst Coffee. Unlike the cheerful, bright decor and friendly service of Judie's from the night before, the coffee shop is darker and more serious -- in both decor and service. Smiles weren't seen until final coffees were ordered for the road two days later.

It turns out that "baristas" at Amherst Coffee are actually "servitrons," and the afternoon staff who had smiled indicated that they had not yet completed their training at the Amherst Servitron Training Center (pictured at the right).

Pictured at the left: Homer Simpson (Jim Asher's flash drive for his Dickinson research) adds a bit of levity at the staid Amherst Coffee.

The rest of the day ended up being a day of pomp and circumstance for the Ashers. The morning began when President Martin of Amherst College met with the Ashers and local DOPEs (Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts to dedicate a statue of Dickinson on the Amherst campus.

Pictured above left to right: 1) The statue of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) dedicated by President Martin; 2) President Martin also established a reserved parking space on campus for Jim Asher;
3) President Martin accepted a donation from the Washerst Reproductive Health Council for the Hooker Auditorium and Clap Laboratory; 4) Andreas Tzineris, special assistant to the Dean of Students, dedicated a dormitory to Asher by naming it "James Hall"; 5) President Martin hosted a fried pickle social at her home (using one of her favorite recipes of Dickinson's for fried pickles).

Pictured above left to right: 1) Following the ceremonies and events at Amherst College, the Ashers took the Northampton/Amherst Orange Line to Mount Holyoke College. 2) President Pasquerella welcomed the Ashers with traditional Mount Holyoke margaritas for Cuarto de Julio. "On the rocks with salt," remarked President Pasquerella. "Is there any other way?" 3) Conversation at President Pasquerella's outdoor reception centered on the atypical New England weather. 4) In the evening, the Ashers sat outside McGuirk Stadium at UMass for fireworks in their honor.

Tour De Force

On July 5th, Susan Snively, the former director of the Writing Center at Amherst College and author of several books of poetry including From This Distance, Voices in the House, The Undertow, and Skeptic Traveler, gave the Ashers a tour of the Homestead and the Evergreens.

Snively is also the author of the film script, “Seeing New Englandly,” produced by Ernest Urvater, as part 2 of the series "Angles of a Landscape," for the Dickinson Museum. She has recently completed a novel, Jumbo and Little Phil, about Emily Dickinson's love affair with her father's friend, Judge Otis Phillips Lord."

Pictured at the right: Susan Snively and Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson.

Pictured above from left to right (click images to enlarge): 1) The Homestead, home of Edward Dickinson and Emily Norcross Dickinson and their daughters Emily and Lavinia Dickinson 2) The windows to the corner bedroom of Emily Dicksinson. 3) The shaded path from the Homestead to the Evergreens. 4) The Evergreens, the home of Austin Dickinson and Susan Gilbert Dickinson and their children. 5) Daisies in the garden behind the Homestead. Family and close friends sometimes called Emily Dickinson by her nickname, "Daisy."

Pictured above from left to right (click on images to enlarge): 1) Mabel Loomis Todd, the editor of posthumously published editions of Emily Dickinson 2) David Peck Todd and Mabel Loomis Todd. David Todd came to Amherst to work at the college; his wife Mabel later had an affair with Austin Dickinson. 3) The Dell, home to the Todds. 4) Ren's Mobil Station -- on a site on N. Pleasant Street where Emily Dickinson once lived as a child. 5) Emily Dickinson's tombstone. In her final letter written to her cousins Louise and Fanny Norcross, Emily Dickinson said only, "Little Cousins, Called Back, Emily."

Pictured at the left: Press coverage of the Ashers' tour of the Dickinson Museum.

Pictured below: Two coffees for the road, as the Ashers departed for a few days on the New England coast.

Before heading back to Boston, the Ashers enjoyed several sites along the New England coast. Pictured below from left to right (click on images to enlarge): 1) A rocky beach in New Hampshire. 2) There was a sand castle building competition on a sandy beach in New Hampshire. A likeness of Emmett Lee Dickinson -- in the bottom right corner of the picture -- won 1st place. 3) The Ashers enjoyed several meals of lobster -- including steamed lobster, lobster stew, lobster roll and lobster bisque. There were also suprised to find lobster sliders and lobster quesadilla -- and from the picture below -- lobster tacos and lobster mac and cheese. 4) On a beach in New Hampshire, they also discovered "coffee pizza" -- though they weren't able to sample a slice! 5) They also drove to Sohier Park in Maine to see the Nubble Light.

Return to Boston

Upon their return to Boston, the staff of the Omni Parker House presented the Ashers with ""Parker House: A Brief History of America's Longest Continuously Operating Hotel" -- and there on page 1 (pictured at the right) was a connection to Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). He used to meet with Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Throeau and others at the hotel.

Click the image to enlarge.

The Ashers then toured the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston which included tributes to Emmett Lee Dickinson at every turn.

Pictured below from left to right: 1 & 2) Two different busts of Dickinson. 3) A folk art carving of Emmett Lee Dickinson. 4) Edward Hopper's painting of Dickinson's daughter, Qwerty Jean Dickinson. 5) Even the cafeteria at the MFA paid tribute to Dickinson with a tasty bowl of corn & chile chowder. Dickinson invented corn chowder.

Click the images to enlarge.

The MFA collection includes Alexander Calder's wire sculpture of a cow. Calder stated that the inspiration for the sculpture was the cow poetry of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request).

For information on Dickinson's cow poetry, click HERE.

Hahvahd Yahd & Houghton

The next day the Ashers were guests of President Faust at Harvard University. President Faust arranged for a guided tour of the university. Ian, the student tour guide, is pictured on the far right.

Pictured below: The Ashers were treated to a private showing of the Emily Dickinson room at the Houghton Library

Note: The pictures on the right were not taken in the library as photography is not allowed; these are pictures found on the internet.

There Interposed A Blue Man Group

On their final night in Boston, the Ashers enjoyed a performance of Blue Man Group, a trio that draws their inspiration directly from Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request).

If you don't know about the Dickinson/Blue Man Group connection, information is included HERE.

After a dessert of a Boston Cream Pie at the Parker House Hotel (shown at the left) and then one last elevator ride to the 9th floor (shown at the right), the Ashers concluded their trip to Boston and Amherst.

Return to DC

The Obamas welcomed the Ashers back to Washinton DC shortly after their train pulled into Union Station.

Click the picture at the right to enlarge.

Below: Pictures from some of our daytrips in New England!
First up: Hampton Beach, NH

Pictured at the left: When we left Amherst and traveled to New Hampshire, we were a bit suprised by our welcome to the Granite State -- a bombardment of lottery ticket and liquor store signs!

Pictured at the right: When we pulled into the NH Welcome Center, we were greeted by this sign, which -- as you canl see from the picture below -- publicizes a law that residents of the state take very seriously.

Pictured above: We were completely appalled at how trashy Hampton Beach, NH, was. Trash was EVERYWHERE!

Pictured at the right: The world's most ineffective sign -- in Hampton Beach, NH.

Pictured at the left: The "fun" in Hampton Beach wasn't limited to the trash -- we had to put up wiht black flies too!

Pictured below: Some of the popular tourist sites in Hampton Beach, NH. Left to right: the Chat, Chew & Play; Blink's Fry Doe; the Hampton Beach Lubritorium.