History

Red Chair Visits Yankee Magazine

On a late September day, the Red Chair made its way to the small town of Dublin, New Hampshire, population less than 2,000. In the shadow of Mount Monadnock, the second most-climbed mountain in the world, tiny Dublin is one of those places  where the town hall, the fire station, the library and the police […]

By Heather Atwell|Oct 12 2012| Print icon

Red Chair Visits Yankee Magazine

The Red Chair visits Yankee Publishing in Dublin, New Hampshire.

Credit: Heather Atwell
On a late September day, the Red Chair made its way to the small town of Dublin, New Hampshire, population less than 2,000. In the shadow of Mount Monadnock, the second most-climbed mountain in the world, tiny Dublin is one of those places  where the town hall, the fire station, the library and the police station are all within a literal stone’s throw from one another. However, due to the police station’s vantage point,  no one would actually be stupid enough to try throwing a stone at another building. Well, except that one time, but that’s a whole other story.
A historical marker in front of a building in Dublin, New Hampshire, with a red chair placed next to the marker. The area is landscaped with sparse ground cover and bushes.

In the foreground you see the guest of honor, the Red Chair, in front of Dublin’s Town Hall with the Dublin Public Library in the background. With a wider camera lens, you would see Dublin’s Police Station on the left of the Town Hall.

Credit: Heather Atwell
In the foreground you see the guest of honor, the Red Chair, in front of Dublin’s Town Hall with the Dublin Public Library in the background. With a wider camera lens, you would see Dublin’s Police Station on the left of the Town Hall.
Credit: Heather Atwell Also clustered in this tiny area  is Yankee Publishing, Inc. (YPI), home of Yankee Magazine and The Old Farmer’s Almanac, and the reason for the Red Chair’s visit to Dublin.
Red Chair Visits Yankee Magazine

The Red Chair visits Yankee Publishing in Dublin, New Hampshire.

Credit: Heather Atwell
The Red Chair visits Yankee Publishing in Dublin, New Hampshire.
Credit: Heather Atwell Upon its arrival, Yankee Magazine‘s editor Mel Allen bounced downstairs from his office to greet the Red Chair and learn more about its travels from the keepers of the chair, the very lovely Beth and her husband. One little behind-the-scenes tidbit about Mel is that he was called “Bouncy” as a nickname when he was a young kid. You see he has very strong calf muscles–so strong that to this day he cannot stroll at an even gait. He actually bounces along. But, I digress. Mel wrote notes on his small pad as he learned how the chair he was sitting on went from being a red chair to the Red Chair. Here’s Mel taking notes. As you can see, the editor of Yankee Magazine is so classic New England that he sports the iconic Nantucket Reds.
Three people are seated indoors, two on rocking chairs. The room has windows, bright posters on the walls, and a countertop with various items, including small American flags and decorative objects.

Yankee’s editor sporting Nantucket Reds, a New England classic.

Credit: Heather Atwell
Yankee’s editor sporting Nantucket Reds, a New England classic.
Credit: Heather Atwell Well, not really. Actually, because of the Red Chair’s visit he wore his favorite fire engine red pants. He really wanted his pants to match with the Red Chair.

Three people sitting in a brightly lit room with various posters, boxes, certificates, and a bookshelf. One person is seated on the left in red pants, and the other two are on rocking chairs.

Yankee’s editor sporting fire engine red pants.

Credit: Heather Atwell
Yankee’s editor sporting fire engine red pants.
Credit: Heather Atwell Okay, not really. Actually, he was wearing his L.L. Bean khakis.
Three people sitting in a cozy room with various framed items and decorations on the walls, including American flags and a yellow vintage poster.

Yankee’s editor looking very L.L. Beanish in his khakis.

Credit: Heather Atwell
Yankee’s editor looking very L.L. Beanish in his khakis.
Credit: Heather Atwell
Not true. Here’s the truth. Such a talented editor and writer, Mel is much more comfortable telling a story rather than being part of the story. Or in this case, he was very uncomfortable as I started snapping pictures of him sitting in the Red Chair. You see, it was a Friday. And like some offices, YPI celebrates “Casual Friday.” And on this particular late-September Friday, New England was enjoying temperatures in the 80s, so Mel wore his favorite shorts to work. As the camera snapped away, Mel muttered, “Please try not to get my shorts in the picture.” He went on to tell Beth and her husband about YPI’s tradition of “Casual Friday” in his attempt to explain why he was wearing shorts at the office.  But not getting his shorts in the picture while trying to get a photo of Mel in the chair was impossible, so I promised him that we would Photoshop some pants on him. You see how he looks like he is really smiling in the picture. What he was thinking was, “I am going to kill Heather,” while I continued to snap away with my camera. So, here he is in his Eastern Mountain Sports shorts.
Three people sitting inside a room with various memorabilia, posters, and decorations on the walls. Two of them are seated on wooden rocking chairs while one is seated on a stool.

Yankee’s editor wearing his Eastern Mountain Sports shorts on YPI’s “Casual Friday.”

Credit: Heather Atwell
Yankee’s editor wearing his Eastern Mountain Sports shorts on YPI’s “Casual Friday.”
Credit: Heather Atwell
Moments later, Judson D. Hale, Sr., Yankee’s editor-in-chief, strolled in wearing his own “Casual Friday” attire. It was great timing because Jud is such an important part of Yankee’s history–and he really enjoys striking a pose for the camera, unlike some other editors.
A man with white hair and sunglasses stands with one foot on a red chair in front of a red and white building that has a sign for Yankee Publishing.

Jud Hale striking a pose with the Red Chair.

Credit: Heather Atwell
Jud Hale striking a pose with the Red Chair.
Credit: Heather Atwell
He’s the nephew of Robb Sagendorph, Yankee’s founder, and has worked here for over 50 years. I also wanted to get some pictures of the Red Chair in Jud’s world famous museum, Jud’s Museum–built on faith, hope and charity, and he happily offered to give his official one and a half minute tour. He usually also offers another option, an all-day tour which includes lunch, but it was 4 p.m. on a Friday and he had better things to do so he didn’t even mention that. Jud told us how he acquired Napoleon’s hanky. He showed us the stuffed chicken he brought on the “Today Show” and tried to convince Katie Couric that it was hypnotized. “We’d had an article in the Almanac about how to hypnotize a chicken,” Jud explained. “She didn’t buy it, but she realized it was stuffed.” He showed us a splinter from the battleship Maine. Spikes made by Paul Revere. Einstein’s brain. The first safety pin to ever fly over the North Pole.
Collage of four images: a red chair in a room with wall decor, a partial view of a sign with "YANKE" and "PUBLISHING", a red chair in front of a wall sign, and two green stadium seats in a room with wooden walls.

Clockwise from left: Red Chair with oil painting of Robb Sagendorph; Red Chair with old Yankee Publishing sign; Red Chair with green Red Sox chairs .

Credit: Heather Atwell
Clockwise from left: Red Chair with oil painting of Robb Sagendorph; Red Chair with old Yankee Publishing sign; Red Chair with green Red Sox chairs .
Credit: Heather Atwell
We were about 65 seconds into our minute and a half tour when Jud started looking at the Red Chair somewhat quizzically. He said, “Gosh, all of sudden, this seems like déjà vu.” He scratched his head and reminisced about a publicity tour he did in Switzerland a few years ago for The Old Farmer’s Almanac. He explained that there just happened to be a red chair when he needed to sit down so he could change into a pair of lederhosen on the street. He had promised the publisher, Sherin Pierce, that he would get a picture of himself wearing lederhosen and holding a copy of the Almanac. Then he questioned his recollection and started digging through a pile of pictures. “Maybe the chair was green. It was a few years ago. Perhaps, no I am sure it was red.” And before we knew it, he found the picture in question. And sure enough, it wasn’t just any red chair in Switzerland that he sat on. It was the Red Chair. Jud had proof. We must have gotten a little excited and loud at that point because  Mel, whose office is right next door to Jud’s Museum, poked his head in the door and asked what we were talking about.
A man in traditional attire holds a booklet while standing on a path next to a sign and a red chair in a scenic outdoor setting.

Jud Hale holding a copy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac while sporting a pair of lederhosen with Red Chair in foreground.

Credit: Heather Atwell
Jud Hale holding a copy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac while sporting a pair of lederhosen with Red Chair in foreground.
Credit: Heather Atwell
So Jud showed the picture of himself sporting lederhosen to Mel. In turn, Mel smiled flexing his calf muscles and said, “Well, I am glad today is ‘Casual Friday.’ Now I have proof that my calves are nicer than Jud’s.” And that is pretty much how our minute and a half tour of Jud’s Museum ended as well as our time with the Red Chair. So, we bid farewell to the Red Chair, wishing it the best and inviting it to return again anytime. Jud’s saving a spot for the Red Chair at his table.
A cluttered round table with books, papers, and a decorative rooster centerpiece. A red chair is pushed against the table. Office supplies and framed pictures are visible in the background.

Jud is saving this spot at his table for the Red Chair.

Credit: Heather Atwell
Jud is saving this spot at his table for the Red Chair.
Credit: Heather Atwell
Postscript:  Please learn more about the Red Chair and its journey by visiting RedChairTravels.com.  For more on Jud’s Museum, click here.  And yes, four photos in this blog have been “slightly” retouched using Photoshop.
A collage of three photos featuring a red chair placed in various outdoor settings: by a shrub near a white fence, beside a stone sculpture, and in front of a red building labeled "YANKEE.

The Red Chair, 2012

Credit: Heather Atwell
The Red Chair, 2012
Credit: Heather Atwell

Heather Atwell

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  1. Pingback: Jud’s Museum | Woods Hole Inn

  2. I love the Red Chair, and hope to see it here in Manchester, NH, soon. It would surely love to visit another red institute, the Red Arrow Diner. The Currier Museum could build an exhibit theme around a Red Chair. I’m available to paint a red chair in whatever scene catches its fancy, and it would look a darn sight better than that photoshopped photo with the lederhosen. Then just to the north of Manchester is the Red River Theater. And in the North Country, in North Conway alone, we have the Red Parka, the Red Fox, the Red Jacket, probably a Red Roof somewhere but that’s not of the high caliber of those other institutions. Red Chair against a snowy background–’tis to die for! Top of Mt. WAshington in the snow?

    Reply

  3. Aline — I love all your great ideas for the Red Chair! Check out the continuing travels at RedChairTravels.com, and email me there so we can hook you two up! best — Beth, travel coordinator for the Red Chair:)

    Reply

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