A Personal, Romantic History with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Boyhood Home
From time to time, our volunteers get letters, and this one stood out to volunteer Margaret. The McCleery family was active at the former Camp Hawthorne. Jack was the assistant director there and he married Deb Lord, who grew up on Cape Rd., across from the Manning house. Over the years Jack and Deb were best friends with the Taylors on Hawthorne Rd, across from the Hawthorne House. Recently, Deb wrote this charming letter about her memories of Raymond and the ol’ neighborhood: Please enjoy her letter and the photos from June, 1968.
Hello,
I don’t know exactly who I am writing to, only that this is the address listed for all the board members for the Hawthorne Association.
I grew up nearby, across the brook in the old farmhouse, which is directly across the street from the Richard Manning home…..my name is Deb Lord McCleery. I really enjoyed reading the above article and learning what has been happening over the years to the Hawthorne House as we always called it.
In 1968, I got married at the Raymond Church and we held our wedding reception there at the Hawthorne House. 93The caterers got permission to use the kitchen of Hugh and Jean Taylor, who lived across the street, and they ran long extension cords from the Taylor’s house to the inside of the Hawthorne house. I remember it as a lovely reception, fairly small, fairly simple, but I loved the space and was thrilled to be married in such an historic location right near my own home.
25 years later, my husband and I renewed our vows at the Raymond Church and held another reception/luncheon with family and wedding party members. It had changed a good bit in those 25 years.