Melita [Blume], ^^{[1, 2]}

1867 - 1950  (~ 83 years)

• Name	Melita [Blume]
  Suffix	^
  Born	Feb 1867	Halle, Germany   [3, 4]
  Gender	Female
  Emigration	1890	Germany   [5]
  Census	1900	Bronx, Bronx, NY   [3]
  	Address: 166 Beach avenue
  	She was living with her husband and daughter Katie.
  Census	1910	Bronx, Bronx, NY   [6]
  	Address: 2297 Sedgewick avenue
  	She was living with her husband and daughter.
  Misc	1912	Brookhaven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [7]
  	a founding member of the Fireplace Literary Club
  	The Fireplace Literary Club was an organization of women originally established with a goal of forming a public library in Brookhaven hamlet. In 1926, a building was erected on land donated by James H. Post. In 1930, the library became the Brookhaven Free Library under the requirements of the New York State Board of Regents. The library and the Fireplace Literary Club are still in existence.
  Census	1920	New York, New York, NY   [5]
  	Address: 18 West 75th street
  	She was living with her husband. She was an artist.
  Census	1930	Brookhaven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [8]
  	Address: Beaver Dam Road
  	She was living with her husband and daughter's family.
  Occupation	artist  [2, 5, 9, 10]
  Died	29 Nov 1950	Babylon, Suffolk, NY   [4]
  	Address: 905 Araca Road
  Person ID	I14219	Brookhaven & South Haven Hamlets
  Last Modified	5 Dec 2011

  
  

  Family	Louis Blume, ^,   b. 4 Feb 1866, Germany ,   d. 1954  (Age 87 years)
  Married	Abt 1890	{Germany}   [3]
  	In 1900, they had had one child which was still living.
  Residence	Bef Oct 1941	Brookhaven, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [11]
  	Address: 381 Beaver Dam Rd. (modern address)
  	The residence was known as "The Oaks." It has Brookhaven/South Haven Historic Site ID Br26. Although the 1920 census records the family as living in New York City, there is evidence that the family may have lived (or perhaps vacationed) in Brookhaven hamlet as early as 1912 as Melita was a founding member of the Fireplace Literary Club.
  Residence	Aft Oct 1941	Bellport, Brookhaven, Suffolk, NY   [12]
  	They moved from Beaver Dam road, Brookhaven hamlet, to Bellport.
  Children	1. Katrina Blume, ^,   b. Jun 1891, NY ,   d. 1971  (Age ~ 79 years)
  Photos		The Oaks .. Br26. From the early 20th century century until 1941, the Oaks was the Brookhaven residence of Louis and Melita Blume. During at least part of their residency, Melita may have been the proprietor of a small Guest House.
  Documents		The Blume Residence in Brookhaven - The Oaks .. this is the Brookhaven/South Haven Data Sheet on this site, and includes links to a photo album.
  Family ID	F5198	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Painting: "House with Flower Garden," .. painted by Melita Blume, 1914. It is of the Miller house at 9 Fire Place Neck road, Brookhaven/South Haven Historic Site ID Br30C Picture shown here has been significantly cropped at edges when compared to the original painting; it is the best and only image in color so far found of Melita Blume's work.

  
  

• Sources

  [S127] Advance, Long Island, 22 Nov 1929, p. 14. [S542] New York Times, 30 Nov 1950, p. 32. MRS. MELITA BLUME Babylon, L.I., Nov. 29—Mrs. Melita Blume, member of the National Association of Women Painters and sculptors, whose works were on display im many principal cities of the country, died today at the age of 82 at her home, 95 Araca Road, Babylon. A native of Halle, Germany, Mrs. Blume was noted in particular for her Long Island shore landscapes. She studied at the National Academy in Munich, and was an art teacher for many years. She was an organizer of the Associated Artists of Long Island. Surviving are her husband, Louis, and a daughter, Mrs. Catrina Walter of Babylon. [S191] 1900 Census, Census Place: Bronx, New York, New York; Roll: T623_1125; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 1006. [S542] New York Times, 30 Nov 1950, p. 32. MRS. MELITA BLUME Babylon, L.I., Nov. 29—Mrs. Melita Blume, member of the National Association of Women Painters and sculptors, whose works were on display im many principal cities of the country, died today at the age of 82 at her home, 95 Araca Road, Babylon. A native of Halle, Germany, Mrs. Blume was noted in particular for her Long Island shore landscapes. She studied at the National Academy in Munich, and was an art teacher for many years. She was an organizer of the Associated Artists of Long Island. Surviving are her husband, Louis, and a daughter, Mrs. Katrina Walter of Babylon. [S107] 1920 Census (Heritage), Ancestry.com., Census Place: Manhattan Assembly District 7, New York, New York; Roll: T625_1197; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 559; Image: 1003. [S104] 1910 Census, Census Place: Bronx Assembly District 35, New York, New York; Roll: T624_1003; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 1618; Image: 487; FHL Number: 1375016. [S932] 75th Anniversary of the Fireplace Literary Club. [S129] 1930 Census, Census Place: Brookhaven, Suffolk, New York; Roll: 1650; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 39; Image: 420.0. [S127] Advance, Long Island, 22 Nov 1929, p. 14. OLD CORN CRIB IS TRANSFORMED INTO ART CENTER Brookhaven Has Oddity in Shop Where Melita Blume, Painter and Novelty Maker, Holds Forth. Few corn cribs enjoy the distinction of sheltering works of art, yet that is the happy fate of an ancient corn crib in Brookhaven which has been converted into a small modern art shop by Melita Blume, popular Long Island artist, for the exhibition and display of her paintings and handicraft productions. The shop now stands on Beaver Dam Road, next to the Brookhaven Public Library, at one corner of the Oaks, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Blume, where it presents a familiar landmark. Originally it was a corn crib and feed shed at the rear of the Clinton Miller farm, which was bought 10 years ago by Mr. Blume. The painter had it moved to its present site and remodeled in order to fill the need for a place to exhibit her hand-painted woodcraft products. She has given it the name "Fireplace Gift Shop," because the village of Brookhaven in the Indian days was known as Fireplace. In an interview with Mrs. Blume, originator of this unique little art center, the Patchogue Advance correspondent has learned how the painter came to turn her hand to woodcraft. "In spare moments taken from my painting of Long Island landscapes," said Mrs. Blume, "I used to amuse myself by decorating wooden gifts in oil paints—usually with floral designs, because I love flowers. Several of my friends, for whom most of my woodcraft was at first made, used to urge me to produce more of these articles, and offer them on public sale. Of course, I needed a place in which to display them, and that is how Mr. Blume and I thought of putting the old corn crib to a new and modern purpose. "I believe works of art take more kindly to simple surroundings with an old and unspoiled atmosphere. Have you never noticed that a painting of rural scenery—or perhaps a bit of antique furniture, or some other usefule artistic production—seems to fit in an old home more easily than it would in a brand new house." Mrs. Blume is perhaps best known for her work as founder of the Associated Artists of Long Island, in which are enrolled many well-known artists who exhibit in New York and elsewhere, including Raymond Perry, Dorothy Rea, Caroline M. Bell and Julia M. Wickham. Exhibitions for this organization have been hung under Mrs. Blume's direction in Patchogue, Southold, Riverhead, Montauk Manor, Babylon and Amityville. Many paintings signed by Melita Blume have depicted scenes in Gloucester, Mass., New York city and environs, Patchogue, Brookhaven, and various stretches of Great South Beach. But the Long Island sand dunes are her favorite subject for landscape painting, rendered with a sensitive appreciation of the subtle tints and exquisite fidelity to the gentle lines characteristic of the Long Island shore. "Of the different subjects I've painted," said Mrs. Blume, "I love the dunes themselves best of all." Friend of the late Frederick Kost, N.A., and other Brookhaven artists, Mrs. Blume has shared her energies in the community of interest which has so vividly marked this colony; and she has applied herself to her painting since the early days of the century. She studied in Munich under the famous teacher, Hans von Haiyeck, and painted also as a student in Paris and Florence. Both in New York and Brookhaven, Mrs. Blume was for several years a student of Malcolm Fraser, a distinguished painter whose work is well known to residents of the vicinity. Selections of Mrs. Blume's work have been exhibited in New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Chicago. She is a member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors and while active in the Pen and Brush club Mrs. Blume always attended the "Pen" as well as the "Brush" meetings, since her interest in literature is equal to her interest in painting. Modern readers familiar with the neighborhood may be confused by the location description of the corn crib gallery found in this article. The article indicates that the gallery "stands on Beaver Dam Road next to the Brookhaven Public Library, at one corner of The Oaks." Today, there is another house between "The Oaks" and the Library, and a new street, Library lane, extends north. In 1929, The Oaks property extended westward essentially to modern Library lane. Subsequent to 1929, the westerly portion of the site was sold off, and a house erected there; and Library lane built. [S127] Advance, Long Island, 9 Aug 1940, p. 1. ART SHOW FOR RED CROSS Mrs. Melita Blume and Miss Beatrice Wilcox will hold a reception and exhibition of paintings at the Presbyterian parish hall in Brookhaven next Friday afternoon from 2 to 5 o'clock for the benefit of the Red Cross. Mrs. Blume has donated a picture, which will be awarded to a guest. Mrs. Gardner Rae will exhibit a decorative panel and will also be one of the patronesses. The other patronesses are Mrs. Wheaton Walter [Melita Blume's daughter], Mrs. Norman Nelson, Mrs. Odgen Nelson, Mrs. Frank Champlain, Mrs. Alexander Main, Mrs. Alan Baker, Mrs. Vernon Tiger and Mrs. Walter Corrigan. Mrs. Harold Ballard and Mrs. George Borthwick will be in charge of refreshments. [S127] Advance, Long Island, 23 Sep 1938, p. 5. During the 1938 hurricane, the Oak Grove around their house was destroyed. [S127] Advance, Long Island, 3 Oct 1941, p. 10.