Art & Culture in the Village Square

By Matt Powers

You’re probably wondering, where is the Village Square? The Village Square refers to the space at the intersection of Elm and Central Streets in the village. It was called this at least as far back as the 1850s. Historically, it was a place where people came together for firewood, water, auctions, and other local events.

We also hear the terms “dummy” and “Town Crier” in reference to this area. The “dummy” refers specifically to the place/island in the middle of the intersection. There has been a light post and signage in this location since the early 1900s. The Town Crier is the chalkboard which was maintained for many years by community member Frank Teagle for the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. It was used to inform our community of local events and happenings. It has now taken on a new life as the Woodstock Town “Smiler” in which chalk pastel images are created by Adrian Tans depicting holidays, seasonal, and local historical events. On the back of the Town Crier, the Woodstock History Center has a search-and-find architectural activity that is available free of charge if you wish to stroll through the village and learn a bit about architecture.

The Woodstock History Center owns the property on which the Town Crier rests. We host businesses, musicians, the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce, and other educational experiences in this small area. It’s our little gem on Elm Street.

We are excited to highlight another event and project at this space that will be starting on May 30 and running through October 10. Sunday Jazz on “The Porch” is a reoccurring event created by Jayne and Dan Webb, owners of Encore: Design Consignment and Gear Traders at 1 The Green. This small and intimate music venue allows you to enjoy the sounds of jazz provided by the Fred Hass Trio, Artistrio, and the Mad Hazard Band. All of the performances, starting at the end of May, are on Sundays from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

There will also be a new art project at the Town Crier. This project, sponsored by the LISWHIT Foundation, will showcase reproduced artwork from the collection of the Woodstock History Center. This “share and keep” exhibit will allow people to select a piece of art from the case to take home with them. Donations are greatly appreciated. If you would like to donate to this project, go to Give.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TOPICS MENTIONED IN THIS BLOG POST

To read more about the history of the town “dummy,” click here.

To learn more about Adrian Tans’ artwork on the Town Smiler, click here.

For a free search-and-find architectural activity or to purchase a walking tour booklet of the Green, click here.