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Many of the letters were written with tenderness. But it's sometimes hard to sustain ardor. One of the typewritten notes, from February 16, 1945, starts out sweetly, addressed to the “Light of my heart.” But it quickly descends from such lofty sentiment.

The very next line gets right to business: “First of all, here is a money order...[that] should help with that old...income tax,” writes Captain to his wife Wilma Moreland while stationed overseas during WWII. 

Bassett's letter was one of several laid out in the front room of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House on Valentine's Day. Community members, students, and faculty were invited to come by to read them, and to write their own with supplies on hand. Guests could actually seal their handwritten missives with wax.

Another room held heaps of cupcakes and cookies. Heart-shaped garlands and pink balloons filled the historical house throughout.

The love letters event was led by Associate Professor of Africana Studies and English Tess Chakkalakal and Special Collections Education and Engagement Librarian . Christine Burns Rudalevige, chef and food writer, baked “mahogany cake” cupcakes from one of America’s for chocolate cake. She found the recipe in the Esta Kramer Collection of American Cookery, housed in Special Collections.

Van Der Steenhoven found some of the letters doing research for class visits to the archives; some she unearthed by keyword searching for “Valentine’s.” She also credited her teammates Meagan Doyle and Jamey Tanzer for a few of the finds.

What is now called Stowe House was the former home of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. She lived there from 1850 to 1852. It is now owned by the College and is the site of events like this one, which celebrate its historical significance and create a gathering place for the community.

This was the first time the Stowe House was open to the public in five years since its closing in 2020 during the pandemic. Leaders of the event were excited to invite newcomers into the space, and maybe forge new bonds between Brunswick residents and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ students.

“It’s a way of showcasing Special Collections and the Stowe House,” Chakkalakal said.

“And the way that you can interact with them both, and their creative uses,” Van Der Steenhoven added. “Sometimes, too, when you’re in the archives, you’re doing solitary work. But when you look at a handwritten letter with a group of people, it becomes more fun, and you also have more eyes decoding [it].”

Each letter began with a different salutation: my heart, my darling one, rascal, etc., providing inspiration for those who wanted to write their own letters.

“Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate,” Chakkalakal said. “If you want to take a risk with someone you’ve had a crush on, today is the day!”