HISTORY, ART & TECHNOLOGY

at the National Bottle Museum in the heart of Ballston Spa!

WRITTEN BY ANN HAUPRICH

Boasting a collection of more than 3,000 flasks dating as far back as the early 1700s, the National Bottle Museum, just south of Saratoga Springs, recently welcomed an effervescent director. Best of all Kayla Whitehouse’s archaeological background promises to help guests develop an even deeper appreciation for the fragile artifacts that often spent many moons as buried treasures before being unearthed and preserved as precious links to our past.

Having three decades ago journeyed to the remote ruins of what had in the mid-1800s been Oscar Granger’s thriving Glass Factory Mountain community at Mount Pleasant, this writer was thrilled when Whitehouse – who has been at the NBM’s helm since January – led me to a life-size portrait of him that was commissioned as part of an exquisite new exhibit titled Making Bottles and Making History.

In the spirit of bringing history to life, the display also features an artistic recreation of a furnace which was used at the high production glassworks that had employed multitudes of glassblowers when all bottles were manufactured with hand tools and lung power. Technological artifacts at the museum include some of the earliest tools used to skillfully craft individual bottles as well as samples of raw materials that were required to make the glass that was needed to bottle the waters from this region’s world-famous natural mineral springs.

Adding to the museum’s HAT trick experience is the Jan Rutland Memorial Artists’ Space on the second floor where an alluring Art of the Bottle show is now being showcased, To say Whitehouse bubbles with enthusiasm when asked about the long and winding road that led her back to her hometown and why she is so passionate about her responsibilities at the NBM would be an understatement. After graduating from Ballston Spa High School in 2007, Whitehouse pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. The year prior to earning this BA in 2011, she volunteered with the Mopan Valley Archaeological Project. Not long thereafter, she embarked upon learning adventures at the Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, where in 2014 she earned a Master of Arts (MA) in Anthropology, with a Focus on Archaeology. These experiences helped to prepare – and uniquely qualify – her for the position she landed six months ago at the National Bottle Museum.

Noteworthy innovations and renovations at the landmark destination include building upgrades that brought electricity up to the museum’s third-floor storage area. “Previously it didn't have any electricity or lighting, which really limited its usability as a workspace, so hopefully now we will be able to take advantage of that space. We received a grant from the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust which enabled us to repaint the façade of our building, keeping it in the Victorian style that Ballston Spa is famous for. We're also working on our reference library and research area, so if anyone is doing bottle research, they will be able to visit our library to use our reference materials,” says Whitehouse.

One of the oldest bottles in the museum dates to the 1720s. “It was on a trading ship named Princess Carolina, which was damaged in 1729 and ended up being used as fill material when they built up the land to expand Manhattan. When the ship was excavated in 1982, the bottle was discovered onboard, and eventually made its way to the museum!” beams Whitehouse.

Because the NBM also operates the Ballston Spa Visitor's Center, it houses a collection of village maps, flyers and brochures from local shops and restaurants. And while the gift shop mainly stocks NBM souvenirs, such as hats, T-shirts, and shot glasses it also partners with the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association (BSBPA) to provide some village-themed gifts, as well.

Whitehouse is eager to spread the word of museum internship programs, volunteer opportunities and the importance of memberships – which have been the backbone of the notfor-profit since it was established in 1978. Each year, the museum takes on an intern for the summer months through the Saratoga County Summer Youth Employment Program while year-round volunteer opportunities offer a broad spectrum of experiences. The museum’s all-volunteer Board of Trustees, for example, is extremely active with exhibits and events. “We would not be able to function without them,” insists Whitehouse. Membership perks, meanwhile, include free admission to the museum, a discount in the gift shop and a newsletter. Little wonder I signed up to become a member before heading home that day!

For those interested in learning more, visit www.nationalbottlemuseum.org, email info@nationalbottlemuseum.org or call at 518-885-7589.

To read this interview in its entirety and enjoy a richly illustrated feature about why Ballston Spa was chosen as the perfect setting for the National Bottle Museum, search National Bottle Museum on SimplySaratoga.com SS