SHGAPE Blog

Minding the GAPE – August 2026

September 9, 2026

Minding the GAPE – August 2026

By Andrew Varsanyi and Dr. Laura Crossley

Black feminist thought in 1893, marble games, magic lantern art, 100 years of Route 66, New York anti-disguise laws and crossdressing, the possibilities of digital scholarly editing, and much more.

Field Notes: Leslie B. Jones and the Preservation Society of Newport County

August 11, 2026

Field Notes: Leslie B. Jones and the Preservation Society of Newport County

By Emily Parrow

In the third installment of “Field Notes: Public History in the GAPE,” Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator Leslie B. Jones speaks to her work at the Preservation Society of Newport County, also known as the Newport Mansions. Located in Rhode Island, the Preservation Society stewards eleven historic properties, including iconic Gilded Age properties like The Breakers and the oldest and northernmost topiary garden in the country. The Newport Mansions are among the top visited arts and cultural institutions in New England, educating hundreds of thousands of guests annually.

Field Notes: The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums

July 14, 2026

Field Notes: The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums

By Emily Parrow

In the second installment of “Field Notes: Public History in the GAPE,” Historian Joshua Dubbert, with support from Communications and Marketing Manager Kristina Smith, discusses the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums. Located in Fremont, Ohio, the organization interprets the life, career, legacy, and times of America’s 19th president, Rutherford B. Hayes. The site offers a variety of public tours and programming throughout the historic Spiegel Grove estate, including special offerings for America’s Semiquincentennial. Dubbert and Smith speak to the site’s unique history and scope, as well as how ongoing research is continuously building a fuller portrait of the Hayes family.