The program for the family-gathering is getting closer to final form. It will provide a mix of options to get to know each other and to learn more about the family’s history, particularly during a very turbulent period in our nation’s history: 1783-1830.
The programme look as follows:
Friday July 25th
Night dinner (starting at 7 pm): Philadelphia Waterworks
First opportunity for family members to get to know each other. A beautiful private dining room inside the amazing Philadelphia Waterworks will be available to us, where we can enjoy dinner in the former engine room of the landmark facility designed by our famous relative Frederick Graff.
Optional activity on Friday afternoon, preceding dinner
5 to 6 private tour of the waterworks
Saturday July 26th
Morning Gathering at Philadelphia Museum of Art (9.30 am to 1 pm)
We will gather in a private room where we can have breakfast, share family memorabilia, view the largest Dutilh family tree ever created and finally receive a special family book with stories on the family-history, as well as an almost complete and informative booklet on the descendants of Etienne and Jean Dutilh.
There will be short talks to the group by the Museum’s chief of photography and the lead portrait curators to view and discuss family portraits. Further invited guests include area historians.
Afternoon program (starting around 1.00 p.m.):
Walking across Philadelphia First of all we will walk across the old Philadelphia from river to river, like our ancestors would have done around 1800. Then we will have a Walking Tour of Old Philadelphia with our guide, historian Ron Shaffer, during which we will visit two classic houses, the Powell House and the Physick House.
Finally we will end up at the Old Pine Church to discuss a significant family mystery.
Formal Family Portrait (4:30 to 5 p.m.) in front of historic Old Pine Church.
Evening dinner (starting around 5.15 p.m.):
Cocktails, dinner and speeches in the garden at Philadelphia’s famous City Tavern with Emmy award winning Chef Staib. Introducing the “Missing Corpse” Cocktail made especially for our event. For a flavor of the restaurant where Washington and Jefferson visited, see:
atasteofhistory.org to learn more.
Sunday July 27th
Church service (10.00-11.00 am):
We will attend a service in the First Presbyterian Church, 35 W. Chelten Avenue. In this church the children of Etienne and Catherine Madeleine were baptized.
Visit Vernon park (11.30 am):
Tree planting ceremony in the Vernon Park, next to the church, in order to commemorate the visit, and the historic link with the Dutilh-family.
Walk around Historic Germantown (noon-3.00 pm):
From Vernon Park we will walk to the nearby Germantown Historic Society, to have drinks and refreshments in the garden, and to look at their collection
Furthermore we will walk along St Luke’s Church where several family-members have been buried in the cemetery, and on to Hood Cemetery, just opposite the house where the family of Etienne has been living (corner Germantown Av and Logan Street, see engraving). We will be welcomed by Gene Stackhouse, a board member of Hood Cemetery.
End of Programme (3.00 pm):
After this visit, the program will be ended. Individual continuations are of course encouraged.
Hotel reservations:
For hotel reservations: We have a room block for $149 night at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District which is walking distance from our dinner spot Saturday night. Parking $15/day. Free internet. 400 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19106, 1-215-923-8660, http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/47153
When you call, tell them you are with the Dutilh Family Reunion.
Payments:
To defray reunion expenses, adults are asked to contribute $150 per person and those under 21 $75 each. (Very young children may come for free.) This will cover dinners Friday and Saturday night as well as Saturday night reception, admission to the Museum of Art and other event expenses.
Checks to be made out to “Dutilh1751”, and mailed to: Christian C. Dutilh, 3208 Valley Lane, Falls Church, Virginia 22044
For further inquiries, please contact:
Alex Agnew, 207-450-5363, aagnew@navigatorpublishing.com
Chris Dutilh, chris@dutilh.com