“Mr. Rey, as the kids called him, would have either a picture of a man drawing or a picture of a man sleeping on his studio door,’’ says Audrey Eisenhauer, executive director of the nonprofit Margret and H.A. Rey Center, which manages the cottage today. “If the picture was of the man drawing, then kids could knock and come in. He would sketch pictures and give them to the kids.’’
The Reys’ cozy red bungalow, which last year completed a move from its original location off the fourth tee of the Waterville Valley Golf Club, still opens its doors to youngsters - and adults as well. The front porch of the Curious George Cottage has walls nearly as golden as the garb worn by George’s friend, the Man with the Yellow Hat, while the living room’s picture windows perfectly frame the peak of Mount Tecumseh, streaked with ski trails.
Unlike at most writers’ homes, a visit to the cottage is anything but a hands-off experience. Young fans can grab Curious George titles off the bookshelves and curl up on the pint-sized couch with stuffed versions of their favorite monkey. Budding illustrators can pick up crayons and try to stay inside the lines coloring George and his friends, and there are Curious George board games and toys, too.
An astronomical observatory behind the cottage was completed this summer, giving everyone a chance to enjoy its view of the cosmos. In addition, the nearby Curious George Nature Trail offers children a little loop through the woods.
“The Reys were a hub of creative energy when they lived here in Waterville Valley,’’ Eisenhauer says. Their spirit of discovery is alive and well in the work of the Rey Center, which hosts programs for children and adults, including painting workshops, nature walks, book clubs, overnight adventures on Mount Tecumseh, stargazing nights, lectures, and children’s theatrical performances.
