A Museum Visit With Something For Everyone

Visitors of all ages enjoy posing for pictures with The Simpsons. Photo courtesy of the Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum
The gang’s all there: Shirley Temple, Popeye, Batman, the Simpsons and Betty Boop. Also, The Hulk, Barbie, Wall-E, Harry Potter, G.I. Joe, Charlie McCarthy and Howdy Doody. Visitors will also encounter Mickey and Minnie, the Three Stooges, the California Raisins, the Pillsbury Doughboy and too many other childhood characters, superheroes and legends to name.
From the moment you walk past the life-size statue of Po from the movie “Kung-Fu Panda” as you enter the Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum in Cheshire, Conn., you’re in for a trip down memory lane — or a flashback to the beloved Saturday afternoon cartoons of your childhood. It’s a sure cure for cabin fever and a fun spring break outing for the entire family.
Nostalgia on steroids is a fitting way to describe the experience, sure to delight the young and the young-at-heart, whether 8 or 80.
“We’re pretty much like a nostalgia machine over here,” said museum docent Blake Bassett with a laugh. “We love to watch people’s expressions when they see a toy they remember from the ’30s or ’40s. They can often tell you exactly how it works.”
A common lament that usually follows, she said, is, “My mother threw mine away.”
Not so for museum owners Jerry and Stephen Barker. The 3,500-square-foot space includes the personal collection of their late parents, Gloria and Herbert Barker, who amassed about 80,000 items over more than four decades, including toys that their children had played with. A small number of items have also been donated by collectors.
Disney characters, famous actors, television shows, musicians, pop culture icons and marketing and sci-fi figures are represented through a dizzying assortment of toys, dolls, records, books, playing cards, rotary phones, comics, wagons, watches, games, lunch boxes, action figures — even animated films, posters and original artwork.
Elephant ramp walkers from 1873
The Barkers started their collection by visiting tag sales at a time before people realized that cast-off toys had an intrinsic value and interest for future generations. While the items were considered run-of-the-mill in their day, they are coveted collectibles today.
Two of the oldest toys in the collection prove that gravity works: They are the cast-iron elephant ramp walkers. Manufactured in 1873 by the Ives Toy Company in Bridgeport, Conn., they were the first automatons to be powered by gravity. One hundred and forty years later, they work as well as ever and lumber obligingly down even the slightest incline.
Barrett said what makes them even more interesting is that the Ives Company originally produced guns and ammunition during the Civil War, but once the war ended, they turned to toys. The ramp walkers, explained Barrett, are made from melted-down bullet casings.
“What a segue: weapons of war to children’s toys,” she mused.
Another item with an eye-opening history is an unopened tube of Mickey Mouse toothpaste from 1933.
“It was made with a special milk of magnesia flavor, and comes in a lead tube; they didn’t know the dangers” of lead toxicity back then, she said. At the time, lead was considered an inexpensive and easy metal to mold into toys.
Prizes, promotions and Betty Boop
Child stars of yesteryear are also represented here. Back in the day, Shirley Temple generated not just ticket sales, but a great deal of toys and associated items.
Prizes from old cereal boxes and promotions are a hot ticket as well. From 1934 to 1942, cobalt blue table settings, manufactured by the Hazel Atlas and U.S. Glass Companies, were given away as premiums for Wheaties and Bisquick, and are prized by today’s collectors.
Remember Betty Boop, Bimbo the dog and Koko the Clown? Betty, the feckless flapper who danced through life with her canine boyfriend Bimbo, first vamped her way into the public’s hearts as a sexy chanteuse in 1930 and continued to lift movie-goers’ hearts throughout the Great Depression with her song-filled adventures.
Among the most popular attractions with all ages are an 8-foot-tall statue of the Marvel superhero The Hulk, which served as a promotion for the 2008 movie of the same name; and life-size characters from The Simpsons. Both invite plenty of selfies and family photos.
“They only made about 200 Hulks,” noted Barrett.
Their value
beyond nostalgia
While all the museum items include price tags to give visitors an idea of their current value, none of the items are for sale. One of the most expensive items is a Popeye heavy-hitter toy valued at $14,000, said Barrett. The toy mimics the popular carnival game where people test their strength by wielding a hammer, causing a bell to ring if successful.
Since the museum opened in 1997, the Barker family has welcomed visitors from around the corner and around the world. The collection, which spans the years from 1873 to the 2020s, stimulates discussion among the generations in a way that few museums can. Every generation will find favorite toys; historians can savor an unusual glimpse into styles and trends of the past.
In addition, the Barkers were dedicated to preserving America’s rich cartoon heritage, and founded the largest retail animation and entertainment art gallery in the world, Barker Animation Art Gallery.
Barker Animation had its Grand Opening in West Hartford, Conn., in 1993; and in 1994, operations moved to the Barker complex in Cheshire, Conn.
The gallery maintains a collection of vintage and current artwork from artists in the fields of animation and pop culture. To give this artwork more exposure, Gloria and Herb opened an additional gallery at The Tanger outlets at Foxwoods in 2016.
If you decide to visit
The Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum is at 1188 Highland Ave. in Cheshire, and is open by appointment only (call 203-272-2357). Face masks are mandatory.
Each visitor to the museum receives a self-guided tour booklet, and while there can peruse the vast collection of animation art, fine arts and collectibles available for purchase in the gallery next door.
Visitors can also enjoy a scavenger hunt, and stroll the grounds and pose for pictures with life-sized cartoon character cut-outs.
“You get the whole museum to yourself for the entire hour, for a more personal, interactive experience,” said Barrett.
AMENIA — The first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School went smoothly, with teachers enthusiastically greeting the eager young students disembarking from buses. Excitement was measurable, with only a few tears from parents, but school began anyway.
Ready for her first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School, Liliana Cawley, 7, would soon join her second grade class, but first she posed for a photo to mark the occasion.Photo by Leila Hawken
Demitasse owner Hayden McIntosh Geer said she is excited by the shift to online sales.
MILLERTON — Some might have argued that launching an in-person retail business during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t advisable. But against all odds, Demitasse in Millerton managed not only to build a thriving, mission-based brand in a small storefront on Main Street, it developed a loyal customer base and provided a welcoming space for visitors. Last week, Demitasse announced it is closing-up shop and moving fully online.
“We are excited,” said owner Hayden McIntosh Geer, who opened Demitasse with her husband, Richard, in 2020. “Though we will miss our customers and the camaraderie on Main Street, it feels right and there was no second guessing.”
The building that houses Demitasse and neighboring Candy-O’s is on the market, leaving the future uncertain. Geer said she and Richard will continue supporting their favorite Millerton spots, now with more time to enjoy local businesses and neighbors.
Known for its carefully selected gifts and home goods, Demitasse has received frequent praise for its curation. Yet Geer is quick to deflect. “I didn’t know I was creative until I opened the store,” she joked. “When anyone talks about the curation I just point to the makers. They are the ones who create the beautiful items that hold purpose and intention. That’s what made our place special.”
The decision to open a gift shop was never part of a master plan, Geer said. “We found our way as we went along and it happened very organically.” But from day one, she knew she wanted to support marginalized artists and makers.
Demitasse owner Hayden McIntosh Geer, right, and her husband, Richard, sitting on the bench in front of the Main Street storefront. Photo by Jessica Yurko
For example, Sidai Designs, which makes beaded jewelry in Africa, provides work for 120 Maasai women and helps support their communities. Maison d’Haiti, which produces handcrafted goods in Haiti, employs nearly 100 women at fair-trade wages, giving them a reliable income through sales in the U.S. and Haiti.
One of the highlights of having a storefront — and a true testament to what she and her husband had created — came when the editor of a major culture and lifestyle magazine told Geer how much she loved shopping at Demitasse for its quality and mission-driven products.
“I could have quit right there,” Geer joked, reflecting on the highs and lows of the last five years.
Just as thoughtfully as the products were curated, every element of the store reflected care and craftsmanship. Hayden and Richard incorporated their tastes and skills into every nook and cranny, including shelving made from reclaimed wood from their home. Some of those shelves now have a new life at The Beehive, a boutique in Mount Kisco, New York.
Today, their digital shelves continue to highlight a diverse range of makers, with biographical details available on each product listing. The website carries the same aesthetic found in-store, maintaining the mission to support LGBTQ+ makers, environmentally friendly products, and Black- and women-owned businesses.
Looking ahead, Geer says, “We want people to know that if they enjoyed shopping in our store, they’ll love our website.” Shoppers can still expect beautiful gift wrapping and flexible exchange policies, and Geer is offering personal deliveries within driving distance on a limited basis.
Above all, Geer says her heart is full of gratitude for her customers. “They came in, shared life stories and became friends. We love Millerton, and I hope people will remain in touch.”
Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik shows off the new gear. Brand new police cruisers arrived last week.
MILLERTON — The Millerton Police Department has received two new patrol cars to replace vehicles destroyed in the February 2025 fire at the Village Water and Highway Department.
The new Ford Interceptors are custom-built for law enforcement. “They’re more rugged than a Ford Explorer,” said Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik, noting the all-wheel drive, heavy-duty suspension and larger tires and engine. “They call it the ‘Police Package.’”
Olenik worked with The Cruiser’s Division in Mamaroneck, New York, to design the vehicles.
“We really want to thank the Pine Plains Police Department for their tremendous support,” Olenik said. After the fire, “they were the first ones to come forward and offer help.”
The new police cruisers are outfitted with lights with automatically adjusting brightness to best perform in ambient conditions.Photo by Aly Morrissey
Since February, Millerton officers have been borrowing a patrol car from Pine Plains. With the new vehicles now in service, Olenik said he plans to thank Pine Plains officers by treating them to dinner at Four Brothers in Amenia and having their car detailed
Erin Rollins of Millbrook in the Fashion Feed booth, open year round, at the Millbrook Antiques Mall. All proceeds from Fashion Feeds go to the Food of Life Pantry.
MILLBROOK – In a time when optimism and unity can feel elusive, sometimes a walk down Franklin Avenue is enough to feed the soul. With Millbrook Community Day just around the corner, one highlight will be Fashion Feeds, a community effort led by Millbrook native Erin Rollins, whose mission is to fight local hunger.
The concept is simple. People donate new or gently used designer fashion, which is sold at affordable prices, and all proceeds benefit The Food of Life/Comida de Vida Pantry at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia.
Since hosting her first charitable clothing swap 12 years ago, Rollins has raised nearly $100,000 for the pantry. She expects to hit six figures this month.
“Food insecurity is a real issue, and when I’m able to walk into the church and hand over money to a need that is so significant, it fills my cup,” Rollins said.
Fashion Feeds plays a vital role in sustaining the pantry, which serves 653 individuals from 156 households each week. Rev. AJ Stack, priest-in-charge at St. Thomas Episcopal Church and executive director of the Food of Life Pantry, said Fashion Feeds has become one of the pantry’s most successful fundraisers. “With the rising costs of food, housing, healthcare, and transportation, food pantries have become essential for families’ survival,” Stack said.
Fashion Feeds clothing is available year-round at the Millbrook Antiques Mall, but the annual pop-up will take place during Community Day. This year’s sale runs Sept. 18-20, featuring racks of one-of-a-kind finds on the patio and inside Corcoran Country Living from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
New this year is a $25 pre-sale Sip & Shop, which includes a glass of prosecco or sparkling water and early access before doors officially open Friday morning.
From J.Crew to Giorgio Armani, shoppers can find designer clothing and accessories at unbeatable prices — from $5 to the thousands — with every dollar going to local families.
An interior designer by trade, Rollins backs up her artistic eye with research to ensure garments and accessories are priced to sell, while also respecting the value of each donation.
“It’s time-consuming,” Rollins said. “But you want to make sure you’re valuing everything that’s donated to you.”
After becoming empty nesters in 2013 and selling their Millbrook landscaping and garden center business, Rollins and her husband were ready to start a new chapter. Rollins found inspiration after attending a clothing swap in Rhinebeck.
“On the way home, I thought, ‘I can do that,’ so I planned my own event that fall and had my friends donate their clothes,” she recalled, laughing about how she made soup for more than 30 women.
While soup is no longer served, the warmth of community continues to fuel the mission.
Millbrook Antiques Mall donates a year-round booth to Fashion Feeds, allowing all profits to go directly to the pantry. When donations outgrew Rollins’ basement, Global Self Storage offered a free unit to hold garment racks — donated by J.McLaughlin — and boxes of designer items. Corcoran Country Living also provides space during Community Day for the annual sale.
“It’s a true community effort in support of our neighbors,” Rollins said.
Beyond feeding families in eastern Dutchess County, Fashion Feeds also aims to address climate change and reduce pollution by promoting secondhand shopping. “Fast fashion is the second biggest polluter in the world, and by donating or purchasing vintage clothing, we’re preventing items from entering the waste stream,” Rollins said.
Though she has stitched Fashion Feeds from the ground up, Rollins prefers to stay out of the spotlight. Lakeville resident Susan Simmons discovered Fashion Feeds last year and was inspired by the mission. She now helps amplify Rollins’ work.
“She is an unsung hero because she does it all herself,” Simmons said, who is helping organize the Thursday Sip & Shop event. “It’s incredible what she quietly does for members of our community.”
Shoppers can support the cause by purchasing items from Fashion Feeds. Accepted payment methods are cash, check or credit card through Zeffy, a platform designed for charitable organizations.