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Emma Lewis Coleman
1853-1942
© Courtesy of Historic Deerfield, Inc.
Emma Lewis Coleman at C. Alice Baker's ball, Deerfield, 1892.
Photographer and author Emma Lewis Coleman spent summers living in Deerfield's historic Frary House in the early twentieth century. She was an avid supporter of the town, and found myriad ways to promote the village as both an Arts and Crafts center and an ideal place to visit. The first edition of Coleman's tourist guide A Historic and Present Day Guide to Old Deerfield was published in 1907. In addition to particulars about travel and accommodations, the guide included information about the town's history, its flora and fauna, recommended day trips and Deerfield's Arts and Crafts shops.
At the turn of the 20th century, Emma Coleman exhibited her photographs alongside those of the Allen Sisters at the two of the town's summer Arts and Crafts exhibits. Coleman also arranged for the braiding bee, held at the Frary House, which led to the founding of the Deerfield Baskets Makers.
Interested as well in furthering understanding of Deerfield's history, Emma Coleman published the two volume New England Captives Carried to Canada between 1677 and 1769 during the French and Indian Wars in 1925.