Category: Historical Sites (Page 2 of 3)

The Story Behind Patriots’ Day

May 14, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

Between the getting up early for the bike ride, then the Sudbury Minutemen March, holidays, TeenPact, and the play I’ve had hardly enough sleep to actually write about what I’ve been doing. So I apologize for the sporadic (more like completely absent) posts of late. I really want to be more regular about posting every Tuesday. Hang with me there 😉

Back to business then. Now you know all about the Patriots’ Day reenactment itself, but do you know about the history surrounding the event? I’m pretty sure we’ve all heard of The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.” But I think we should dig a bit deeper than that. Especially since the first of those two is quite a bit misleading.

Paul Revere didn’t make it all the way to Concord
The Regulars marched all the way back in the same day

First of all, you should know that there are happenings all throughout the month of April commemorating April 1775. I headed to Minuteman National Historical Park for my information, but other towns along the route host their own celebrations. The Saturday before Patriots’ Day was particularly crammed with functions.

Once I got some family members to come along, we left for Lexington towards the end of the day’s festivities. Our first stop was at Whittemore House, just behind the Visitors’ Center. This building is not open very often, so I was excited to have a chance to peek inside.

However, it was a bit anticlimactic. By the time we arrived, all the reenactors had left. Inside, there were plaques mentioning important details about the house, and a few activities. I enjoyed looking through the recipe cards, and the daily tasks blocks.

Whittemore House
12 Year Old Girl’s Jobs
Inside of the Walls
A Man’s Tasks
Fireplace with Ash Chute in Corner

After we explored, we drove back towards Concord to stop in at the Hartwell Tavern. Unlike Whittemore House, the Tavern will be open for the summer season on June 22nd.

In between these two buildings is the site of Paul Revere’s capture. Though the famous rider brought his warning to Lexington, he wasn’t able to evade the Regulars on his way to Concord. Fortunately, William Dawes got away, along with Samuel Prescott who dashed the message onwards.

Dawes is often forgotten, but he rode out from Boston as well. Revere was sent across the river, while Dawes bluffed his way by the guard at the Boston Neck. Prescott joined them just outside of Lexington, and he was the only one to actually bring the news to Concord. Dawes lost his horse, and Prescott arrived first, setting the alarm bell clanging.

At the Hartwell Tavern parking lot, the trail leading to the building is to the left. Once you pass the restrooms, the tavern is at the “T” in the trail.

When we arrived, the tavern was surrounded by reenactors, which looked very cool. They had gathered for a afterparty at the end of a long day, but visitors were still welcome for a little while longer.

I definitely want to go back to the tavern, maybe go on a tour. One room was full of women spinning yarn, another was a bedchamber, and the largest had a bar and table. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to stay long.

On Sunday, my sister, our friend, and I drove back out to see the Col. James Barrett’s Farm. The Regulars were lining up when we got there. In formation, they marched off down the road. We hopped back in the car, and followed them. Once we passed them, we parked, watched as they passed by. They were headed to the North Bridge, and so were we.

At the North Bridge Visitors’ Center, we saw a plank believed to be from the original North Bridge. There’s an exhibit with full size 18th century military regalia, a 3-D map of the battles of April 19th, 1775, and a short movie on the same. Of course, there’s also a gift shop.

After walking down to the North Bridge itself, we headed home. By the way, if you don’t want to walk as far, you can circle around from the visitor’s center to another parking lot. The path is significantly shorter.

The North Bridge was the last stop for some of the Regulars on that fateful day. Most of the soldiers stayed in Concord, but about 200 continued on. 100 were left at the bridge, and the rest marched on to Barrett’s Farm. They searched the house; the only person inside was a 65 year old woman.

From their perch on a hill, the gathered minutemen saw smoke rising from Concord. In actuality, it originated from the Regulars putting water on any fires, but the colonists thought the town was burning. So they descended upon the bridge.

Once the British soldiers were repulsed at North Bridge, a rout taking them all the way back to Boston began. Throughout the day, more and more minutemen and militia from surrounding towns arrived — there were even some from New Hampshire. I can’t help but think of the poor Regulars. Up in the wee hours, they marched for 6 hours, were shot at twice, then retreated to Boston amidst a rain of bullets.

Take a look at this Battle Road Trail Map! (Just a small section of their route.)

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Image result for april 19 1775 map — Found on math.harvard.edu

Places To Go – Minute Man National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Vehicle Navigation Systems and GPS units may provide inaccurate information. This can send drivers the wrong way on roads to sites which never had actual assigned addresses (such as former farm fields and swamps), leading them to dead ends or areas prohibited to the public, or sending them on roads which are not for vehicle use.

Patriots’ Day Reenactment 2019

April 26, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

The Inscription on the North Bridge Obelisk

Our experience on April 15th was not for the faint of heart. Scheduled to arrive at the original time of 5:30am, we biked in the pre-dawn rain from Concord to Lexington. Each year, dozens of reenactors and hundreds of spectators gather to relive the dramatic events of April 19th, 1775. This year, we would be with them, come what may.

The Regulars were not announced as the British or Redcoats
Some reenactors march the original routes every year
The official holiday is now held on the 3rd Monday of April

I had been told by others who had attended before that traffic and parking could be pretty difficult. So I decided to bike in. Fortunately, I found a friend who wanted to go with me. Although there was a drizzle when we woke at 3:40am, Facebook decreed that nothing was canceled. So we layered up, piled our bikes in the van, and drove to Concord.

We had decided to park about halfway between the towns. Then we would bike back and forth, ensuring that we could beat the crowds leaving afterward. However, we didn’t consider the fact that the rain would likely deter most of the hordes. So we parked in The Wayside: Home of the Authors parking lot anyways. We were the only car there.

Also take note that Massachusetts in April is dark at 4:30 in the morning. With no lights, and the road to ourselves, we biked to the Hartwell Tavern entrance to the Battle Road Trail. In the dimness of early morning, we rode through the rain to the end of the trail. Then we switched to the road at 5:40am, glad that the Redcoats didn’t arrive till 6 o’clock.

The Early-Morning Attendees at Lexington Green

Pedaling over the last few hills, we arrived just in time to hear the rest of the loudspeaker explanation of the events that were about to occur. We circled around the onlookers to find a spot where we could see the action. Right beside the road coming in from the east is where we ended up. We commandeered an excellent view of where the Regulars would come in, though it was a tad distant from the actual skirmish location.

As the rain petered out, hoofbeats clattered down the road, followed by frantic shouts for Captain Parker. “Captain Parker! Captain Parker!” the man cried. “The Regulars are coming! I need to speak with Captain Parker!”

The rider galloped up to the Buckman Tavern, where minutemen had stayed an uneasy night. The men poured across the green, where they formed into a solid line, bayoneted muskets held at the ready.

From the distance, a faint sound of beating drums, and then a fife reached our ears. You could imagine the tension building, with the ominous implications carried in that sound. Then the minutemen rallied their own drummers, filling the air with the sound of war.

Anticipation mounted as the music increased, and the Regulars rounded the corner. Their identical red ranks were perfectly straight, each soldier walking in time with the other.

The Regulars March into Lexington – Video Clip Download

Filing onto the Lexington Green, the Redcoats met the Lexington Minutemen. Angry shouting broke out from both sides. Then the Regulars fanned out, their numbers superior to the colonists’. They began to march forward, pressing towards the minutemen, who took a few hesitant steps back.

A shot rang out, and confusion ensued. Gunfire exploded back and forth, and colonists quickly fell dead and dying on the Green. Rounds blasted from an upstairs window of the Buckman Tavern, and soldiers fired back. The remaining colonists broke, fleeing. Called by their officer and the drums, the Redcoats regrouped into their columns. To the sound of Yankee Doodle, they marched across the field, now unopposed, onward to their goal of Concord.

A single boo rang out from the crowd at the huzzahs required of the Regulars, pulling a laugh from spectators. Then the soldiers were gone, leaving bloodshed in their path.

After a final thank you from the loudspeaker, the visitors dispersed rapidly, just as a downpour began. We stopped one of the scurrying reenactors to ask if they were marching to the North Bridge. He replied, “Not in this weather!”

But even when the Redcoats themselves bailed, sheltering in buildings and cars, we were stuck. Our vehicle awaited us back in Concord, so we pedaled on in the torrential downpour. The vague flickering from earlier formed itself into full-on lightning, accompanied by deafening thunder. Still we plowed on, through puddle-lakes along the Battle Road Trail. We stopped at the signposts, taking note of the various homes that witnessed the fateful day.

To note: April 19th, 1775 would have been a fine day, with no rain to spoil the muskets’ firing mechanisms.

Finally, we veered off the trail back onto Route 2A for the last leg. We decided to stop at the car and just drive into Concord. Approximately 11 miles were already under our belts, and we needed to leave right after the second reenactment.

Since it was 7:45am, the roads were still open. Beware: the roads are closed starting at 8:30 to make way for the parade route. We were able to snag a parking space right in front of the North Bridge Visitors Center.

After warming up, we walked down to the bridge. A small crowd had gathered on both sides, but there were no reenactors in sight. Finally, some park officials began to prepare for the event. Announcements were repeatedly made stating that the reenactment would start in 5 minutes.

At last, the Acton Minutemen, coming all the way from Acton by foot, arrived. However, not all the Regulars made it, so they agreed to just fire a salute from the North Bridge together.

Thoroughly soaked, and now chilly, we hustled away as soon as the second salute ended. We watched the third from the vantage point the 18th century colonists would’ve had on that fateful day.

When the smoke dissipated, we trudged to the car and drove home. Dry clothes were in short order!

Though you might be questioning your need to attend this event next year, I encourage you to go! No biking is necessary. There’s actually a school parking lot near the green where spectators can park. After the Lexington reenactment, multiple charities hold pancake breakfasts. I think that would be a great set up for those not inclined to a 10+ mile bike ride: warm up, eat, and then drive over to the North Bridge. The thrill from witnessing a critical moment from over 200 years ago is well worth it.

Also: be on the lookout next April for related events happening all month long! Here are two websites I found to have great information.

Patriots’ Day 2019 – The 244th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. – Minute Man National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Each year in mid-April, thousands of people flock to historic Lexington and Concord and Minute Man National Historical Park to celebrate Patriots’ Day. Patriots’ Day is a special Massachusetts State holiday commemorating the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775.

Patriots Day Schedule 2019 – Reenactments, Parades, Events – Boston Discovery Guide
Patriots Day schedule includes a Patriots Day Parade in Boston plus dozens of major re-enactments of the first day of the American Revolution as local Militia and Minute Men companies commemorate the events of April 19, 1775 in Boston, Lexington, Lincoln, Arlington, Bedford, and Concord.

Maple Sugaring

April 8, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

Mmm, the sweet, sticky taste of real maple syrup on pancakes is delicious. Syrup is one of those foods where I wonder how people first thought to make it. An ever-so-slightly sweet water drips out of a nearby tree, and somebody thought to boil it.

[I have now learned that maple syrup and sugar was first created by natives in the Americas, and shown to Europeans in the 17th century.]

The last weekend of March heralds the beginning of the end for sugaring season, so we headed up to New Hampshire to tour Ben’s Sugar Shack. Already, the day was in the upper 50’s, dangerously high for the sugar business.

40 gallons of sap yield 1 gallon of syrup
Buckets on trees are unfeasible for large producers
Maple sap production requires freezing nights, and cool days

When we arrived, there was steam billowing out of a small wooden building where the sap was boiling. Further on, a tent was erected, filled with various maple concoctions. Maple nuts, barbecue sauce, fudge, syrup, and creamees (with lots of samples).

Every 15 minutes, a tour of their sugaring operation would begin, so we hopped onto the next one. Our tour guide was great! Informative, funny, and answered any and all questions.

We started by a tree that had a bucket tapped into its side. This is the traditional method of collecting sap. Each year, a tap is bored into the tree, and a steady drip fills the bucket.

However, when the scale of production gets too big, this system would require full-time bucket-checkers to make sure they didn’t overflow. At Ben’s, less than 300 trees are tapped with buckets. That may sound like a lot until you realize that they own thousands of trees, found in a few different locations. Where we were, there were over 2,000 trees.

To keep up with the immense amount of intake, tubing is strung from tap to tap, tree to tree, ending up in large tanks. About 30 trees are hooked up right next to the road, where you can see the bubbles of sap dripping into the line.

The tubes are attached to a vacuum pump, but the pump does not pull the sap out of the tree itself. Sap exits the tree at the same rate it would if dripping into a bucket, sliding down a thin tube. Once it reaches the main line below, the vacuum system takes effect, compensating for a landscape that doesn’t always run downhill.

Collecting in a small shed, the sap joins with the sap from the large tubes running in from the 2,000-odd trees farther in the woods. The liquid poured into a glass-ended cylinder. When it reached half-full, the vacuum emptied the sap into the 1550 gallon tank nearby.

On a good day, each tree can produce one gallon of sap. With more than 2,000 trees on this line, the tank must be emptied before it overflows, spurting sap out the top.

The Vacuum System Shed
The Sap Truck (left), and RO Machine (right)

A sap truck is brought over, and the sap is pumped out and over into the truck’s ample storage. When the sap is brought to the sugar shack, it’s first run through an RO (reverse osmosis) machine. This tech is part of the reason sugaring business can produce so much more syrup with more efficiency.

Osmosis is the process by which substances redistribute themselves until there is equal distribution throughout the substance. You know what, this short video does a much better job of it:

So Ben’s uses reverse osmosis to extract about 36 gallons of water out of every 40 gallons of sap. 40 gallons of sap is the approximate amount required to produce 1 gallon of syrup. Pretty amazing. Then the remaining 4 gallons are sent on through the evaporator, to boil off 3 more gallons of water.

Inside the sugar shack, the air smells of maple and oil, as they no longer burn wood to heat the evaporator. Before they switched to an oil-burning system, the business went through 60 cords of wood per year, which would likely fill a six-car garage. Keep in mind, the sugaring season is only 4-7 weeks long, so they’re burning wood rapidly.

We were offered maple syrup candy, which was a delicious surprise. I had actually read about this in Laura Ingalls’ Little House in the Big Woods. I had tried making it in the past, but didn’t realize that the key is bringing the syrup above its boiling point, to 232˚F. Then you pour the liquid over snow or ice, and it hardens into a soft taffy. A total sugar bomb, but absolutely scrumptious.

A row of bottles containing varying shades of syrup was on display. With the gradation system changing, they are now all considered Grade A, but with different titles, such as Grade A Dark, Robust Taste. Warmer days produce darker syrups with stronger flavors, and colder days yield golden syrups.

Because of weather, this year Ben’s has only made about half of their annual goal so far. Fortunately, many businesses put away extra syrup when demand was low last year.

And interesting factoid is that Canada has stockpiled hundreds of gallons of syrup to aid the market with if stock gets too low. This way, the price of syrup doesn’t skyrocket during a particularly bad season.

After the tour, we trouped into the tent to sample some delectable treats. We shared a maple creemee, and boy, was it tasty!

We then filed into the car and drove further up the road to check out the dairy farm that was advertised at the bottom of the street. I’m so glad we took the time to stop at Connolly Brothers Dairy Farm and Sugar House.

Three brothers run the farm together. Their main business is the cows, and then their farm store, with lots of side projects off of that. We were told that they don’t buy much, and if they wanted to eat their own bacon and eggs for breakfast all year, they could. All their houses were built by them, and now they’re milling boards to build a new farm store.

One brother makes ice cream from their milk. I tried the maple bacon flavor (with bacon from their farm), and it was great! Someone makes cheese for them, and they sell raw milk, maple soap, beef, bacon, eggs, and various homemade products.

In contrast to the huge operation taking place down the street, the farm has a small, wood-burning sugar shack that they run on the side. The family has to gather all the wood for the evaporator, which is in addition to the firewood for their own homes. The room smells better, and the smaller machine is made of cast iron metal, more akin to traditional methods.

After chatting with the family, petting a calf, and smacking on ice cream, we drove 15 minutes away to the adorable town of Petersborough, New Hampshire. As we were running out of daylight, we didn’t get out of the car, but enjoyed gazing at the cute window fronts and business names.

All-in-all, the day was very enjoyable. I encourage you to get out and explore sugaring next March. Apparently, it’s better to visit on the second or last weekends of Maple Month, since the third is rather insane with people.

Real Maple Syrup | New Hampshire Maple Syrup – Ben’s Sugar Shack
Shop the official online store of Ben’s Sugar Shack, your premier source for Real New Hampshire Maple Syrup.

Connolly Brothers Dairy Farm
Connolly Brothers Dairy Farm, Temple, NH. 1,988 likes · 163 talking about this · 634 were here. We are a family owned and operated Dairy Farm in Temple NH. We have a small farm store with great products

The Willard House and Clock Museum

March 26, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

The Museum Entrance, Note the Original Saltbox on Left

Time is something I often take for granted. I think of it frequently, mostly in the context of how much I’ve spent and how much I have left. Whenever I’m curious, I have time at my fingertips: my watch, or my phone, the wall clock, oven, microwave or even toaster. Everywhere we look, there are items listing the time, but like many things, it wasn’t always that easy.

Thomas Jefferson signed Simon Willard’s clock patent
Clockmaking spanned 3 generations and 104 years of Willards
About 22 people worked to complete one clock

A Lighthouse Clock

Sundials, water clocks, and hourglasses have all been utilized for their ability to measure time. When mechanical, tall, clocks were invented, they held the place of honor for hundreds of years. However, a man named Simon Willard completely changed that.

The West Cemetery, Est. 1822

March 21, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

Hi everyone! Have you ever spent time in an old graveyard? Perhaps you’ve gone on a tour where you were instructed to notice the famous historical figures buried there. Or maybe you’ve played a game of hide and seek between the stones? (I was little, okay?) Or have you tactfully given the graveyard a wide berth when passing by on a dark night?

Whatever your feelings on the subject, I find myself to be fascinated with graveyards. A morbid interest, yes. However, picturing all the stories of the people whose names cover the headstones is humbling in a way.

Here are all these people, who lived lives just like you and me, and now they are gone. I read a name, and start wondering about what life was like for them. Sometimes you see that they lived to the ripe old age of 83, while others died before the age of 2.

In this particular graveyard, I trod for hours, snapping pictures and jotting down notes. The purpose of this finger-numbing exercise was to allow anyone to access the headstones online. For those who are researching their family history, sites such a findagrave.com and billiongraves.com offer thousands of graveyard files as resources. Volunteers input the information.

Sometimes the stones are well-worn, and require a lot of painstaking deciphering. Others look as if they were hewn yesterday, even though they’ve stood there for almost 200 years.

I realized that when you spend a lot of time in one graveyard, the names become familiar. Stories would come up at the Bolton Historical Society, mentioning one of the occupants, and I began to feel like I knew these people in a way. So let me tell you about a few of them.

The Nourse family left Salem because of a hanging
Be on the lookout for poems
Not all headstones are made of stone

The Nourse Family

They couldn’t decide on a name: Nurse, Nurss, Nourse?
Rebecca Towne Nurse was hung for witchcraft
After the Salem Witch Trials, the family left town

Most everyone has heard of the Salem Witch Trials, but have you ever thought about the aftermath? Even though her family believed Rebecca Nurse to be wrongly executed, the association with someone hung for witchcraft still followed them. Wishing for a fresh start, they moved to Bolton, Massachusetts, and tried changing their name. After several variations, they finally settled on Nourse.

In the West Cemetery, there are headstones with relatives bearing both the name Nurse, and Nourse.

Sarah Nourse
A Row of Nourse and Nurse Graves
David Nourse

The Grassie Monument

I love when poetry is inscribed on a gravestone. On this tall, brownstone monument is a lengthy poem describing George Grassie’s life. Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Grassie immigrated to Nova Scotia in 1813. There, he married his wife, Elizabeth. When his father died, he moved back to Scotland for a few years, then came back to North America in 1843. He lived the rest of his life in Bolton, dying at the age of 87.

Grassie’s distinctive commemoration stands out, towering above all but a few other stones. The poetry’s artful rhythm lends emotion to the dead man’s life.

All That’s Grey isn’t Stone

If you scan the headstones of the West Cemetery, you might notice that one memorial differs from all the others in its color. The pale grey is marvelously legible, and appears as though it has stood there only a few years. Look closely: what sort of stone could it be made of? The answer is – none! Metal (zinc carbonate) was a novel gravestone material, produced from about the 1870’s to the 1910’s.

The durability of the metal through time is impressive. Also, the center panel containing the names is removable. That way, if more family members wished to be added upon their passing, the metal plate could be updated and replaced.

Family genealogy is increasingly popular these days, and there are many resources to aid you in your search. Take a look at these two below, they’re free, and it doesn’t take long to type in a name or two. If you want to check out more of the headstones I talked about, just type in Nourse, in Bolton, Massachusetts. The West Cemetery will pop right up.

BillionGraves
BillionGraves is the world′s largest resource for cemetery data. Our goal is to document every burial in every cemetery throughout the world before these precious records disappear.

Find A Grave – Millions of Cemetery Records
Find A Grave is a free resource for finding the final resting places of famous folks, friends and family members. With millions of names, it is an invaluable tool for genealogist and history buffs.

Part 3: Colonial Williamsburg

February 11, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

The third and final Colonial Williamsburg installation has arrived, filled with wood, chocolate, and guns! I need to point out here, just in case I haven’t already, that there is so much more to Williamsburg than what I’ve written. On this trip, we didn’t touch at least half of the buildings! And of course, there’s nothing like asking questions for yourself, savoring a scrumptious cup of chocolate, and not having a single modern building in sight.

The Cabinetmakers

Cabinentmakers furnish houses
60% of Virginian colonists’ furniture was made in Virginia

Colonial Williamsburg also boasts a joiner’s shop. And if you are not a woodworking expert (like me), you may wonder what the difference is between the various trades. So the lowdown is this: carpenters build the house, joiners finish the interior of the house, and cabinetmakers construct the furniture.

The furniture built by the cabinetmakers is not crude or basic, which you might expect as they are just colonies. Yes, the colonies did mainly export the abundance of raw materials they had, but there were master craftsmen there. However, of the furniture that was owned in Virginia, 60% was made there. Another 30% was imported, and the remaining 10% came from other colonies. Notice the small percentage there: the colonies weren’t always on the best terms. There were frequent squabbles over land borders.

Inside the shop, a beautiful grandfather clock stands to one side, with an intricately carved window-surround on the other. Pieces of elegant furniture line the walls. We are challenged to find the four hidden drawers inside a tall desk. Each is perfectly fitted into the wooden face. No special hardware is used on any drawers to help them slide in or out more easily.

Samples of table legs, joints, wood types, and more cover one of the workbenches. I picked up a piece of wood that was stained three different colors. The same wood looked shiny and red under a seal of seedlag (linseed oil) and wax, a cool, dark brown with oil and wax, and light brown with just wax. Different finishes were used depending on taste. Wax was always added as a final step to protect the wood.

Often, the wood was not stained, as we usually do now. The modern purpose of a stain can be to make a cheap wood look like its costlier counterpart. But back then, they had plenty of the nicer woods at their disposal. So why stain when you can use the real thing?

The Cabinetmakers
Furniture
Wood Samples
Chair Backs
The Workshop
Behind the Cabinetmakers

We were told multiple times in Williamsburg that 18th century tradesmen would have completed projects much faster than the interpreters do now. The colonists were committed, working long, hard days to finish their work. Adversely, an interpreter’s job is exactly that, to interpret. All told, they may only work 2 hours in a day on a piece.

The Carpenters’ Yard

Carpenters were responsible for constructing houses
House frames ready to be slid together on site (think barn raisings)
Saw pits used by two men to create planks

Unlike the other woodworkers, the carpenters are outside. They plan on building a workshop soon, since there is a lull in other projects currently. An interesting note is that they will be building a kitchen for their workspace. Evidence has been found for a kitchen and house in that specific location, but not a carpenters yard. But in the 18th century, structures were frequently repurposed, so it is historically accurate to use the kitchen for carpentry.

Surrounding the covered work area, the yard is full of shingles, and wood in its various forms. When shingles are made, each one must have a hole in it before it is nailed onto a building. Under the covering, there is a saw pit. These were used in more urban areas where a saw mill wasn’t convenient. Two men, one standing below, in the saw pit, and another above can saw logs into planks.

On the workbench several holes are drilled to be used for holdfasts. Holdfasts are a clever, simple way to secure a piece of wood to the bench while working on it. An L-shaped piece of metal is hammered into the hole, and the pressure from the hole keeps it tight. When the wood around a hole wears out, that hole is plugged and a new one is drilled.

Charlton’s Coffee House

18th century drinking chocolate is very different than the hot chocolate we have today
The coffee house was a gathering place similar to taverns

If you like chocolate at all, don’t miss the coffee house. When you enter, you are invited to take a seat and converse with a Mr. Robert Carter, who lives in town. Since it is a coffee house after all, you are offered a small mug of coffee, tea, or chocolate. Granted, I have not tried the coffee or tea, but I can personally vouch for the chocolate.

The chocolate is thick, rich treat, which we were informed is dairy-free and contains nutmeg, anise, vanilla, cloves, and orange, among other ingredients. It is absolutely delicious.

We all sipped away at our chocolate as Mr. Carter expounded on his duties in the town, and the quality of his twelve plantations, including the weighty topic of slaves. He also discussed that he felt it perfectly fit to educate his daughters as well as his sons, even though it was extra upon the other duties they were learning.

I listened to Mr. Carter answer some formidable questions with tact and insight while staying completely in-character. I was impressed. After a bit, we slipped out the door as we were running low on time.

The Gunsmith’s Shop

Gun barrels were rifled with a simple, ingenious machine
Bullet molds were made to only fit your gun
Barrels started out as a long, thick rectangle of metal

Tucked away in a far corner of the historic area, this one can be easy to miss. However, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. In the shop, only two of the guns had not been made there: those were 18th century pieces. The rest are hammered there in the shop. They start with a wooden blank that is vaguely in the shape of a gun, and a long, narrow chunk of metal for the barrel. Starting in the middle (so there is a cool end to hold), the metal is formed into a long tube, ready to be rifled.

I for one had no idea how gun barrels were rifled. Fortunately, about five minutes before we arrived, a gun barrel had just been finished. The interpreter let us look down the barrel, where you could see all the curls twisting down the interior. Then they demonstrated the ingenious machine used to carve the pattern.

In the pictures to the right, you can see the long rod that is inserted into the gun barrel. On the rod’s end is a small set of metal teeth that scrape against the inside of the gun. The swirls in the wooden cylinder mimic the pattern that will be transferred by forcing the rod to follow their turns as they are rotated.

Rifled guns were not usually for battles, as they required more time to reload. Also, they must be cleaned when powder builds up too much inside so that they don’t explode. Guns, or shotguns, on the other hand, were all-purpose, and used for battles and animals. They didn’t possess much accuracy, but were much faster to load and gave a spray of ammunition (shot).

When a rifle was made for you, you would also receive a bullet mold, which needed to be kept very safe. Oftentimes, a bullet mold would fit only your gun, and vice versa. In a time where everyone made their own bullets instead of buying them from a store, making sure you had ammunition that could fit your gun was very important.

Shuttle Ride and Visitor Center

Shuttle rides are free with admission
The Visitor Center has ticketing, large gift shops, and an introductory movie

Shuttles rotate around the historic area and visitor center, a helpful service when you’ve been walking all day, or if you want to minimize walking.

The visitor center has two large, interconnected gift shops. However, they don’t carry everything that is sold in the historic area. For example, the Prentis Store vends items handmade by interpreters which are not sold elsewhere.

Ticketing is located at the visitor center, along with costume rentals. There is a video about the historic area, but we forgot to watch it :).

Colonial Williamsburg has done a phenomenal job of presenting history in an accurate and engaging way. Going there was an amazing experience, and I recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity. In the meantime, they have a profusion of intriguing resources on their website and blog that I encourage you to check out.

Please contact me if you have any questions!

Home page of History.org : The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s official History and Citizenship site
In Colonial Williamsburg’s 301-acre Historic Area stand hundreds of restored, reconstructed, and historically furnished buildings. Costumed interpreters tell the stories of the men and women of the 18th-century city-black, white, and native American, slave, indentured, and free-and the challenges they faced. In this historic place, we help the future learn from the past.

The Russian Icon Museum

February 11, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

The Russian Icon Museum

Possibly the least likely spot for a Russian Icon museum is the tiny town of Clinton, Massachusetts. This unassuming town actually boasts the largest collection of Russian icons outside of Russia! Perhaps unsurprisingly, the museum is also the only one in the United States dedicated completely to icons.

Some fast facts:

Icons are not Objects of Worship
The Museum has icons from the 15th Century to the 21st Century
Writing icons is a detailed process, requiring a lot of skill

In the Orthodox church, icons are not viewed as idols, or as something to be worshipped. They are depictions of people and meaningful events. They serve as reminders of those who have gone before, and as a glimpse into heaven. Different people will have varying answers, but the base line is clear: they are not idols. This is part of the issue that divided the Eastern and Western Churches in 1054 AD.

Inset from Adjacent Photo

The Collection

Ranging from the 1400’s to the present day, the museum’s collection is impressive. To think that you are standing before a piece of art created in a remote monastery in the 17th century is incredible. On some of the icons, you can see the painting falling away, revealing the thick layer of canvas and gesso beneath. Some contain hundreds of detailed figures; magnifying glasses hang nearby so you can view the tiny faces.

For those who wish to earn a small prize, there are scavenger hunt pages. Items on the list include a unicorn, dragon, and other oddities within the icons.

Downstairs, an exhibit filled with modern Russian art shows the disparity and similarities between the eras.

Also downstairs is the tea room, where you can purchase Russian tea packets and sweets. There is a machine to brew the tea there, along with small tables.

Throughout the museum, there are many video stations with audio handsets nearby. Topics include traditional embroidery, a trip across Russia, icon writing, and matryoshka dolls (the last is a temporary exhibit).

Writing an Icon

The process of creating an icon is mesmerizing. Typically, the artist starts with a block of wood that is carved out in the middle to provide a raised frame. The wood is then covered with canvas and gesso. Outlines for the image are cut into the board. Many layers of color are daubed onto the surface, going from dark to light.

You may have noticed that the proper term for making an icon is writing, not painting. In brief, it is to distinguish the art of iconography from others.

The video below is a perfect example of icon writing!

SKINIYA. CREATING AN ICON. ANTON & EKATERINA DAINEKO
short but very informative film about creating an icon We are happy to invite you to our class in Charleston SC January 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/anton-and-ekaterina-daineko-icon-painting-master-class-charleston-sc-tickets-36964835819 in Texas February 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/master-iconography-class-of-anton-and-ekaterina-daineko-in-texas-tickets-35463562470 10 days icon-painting workshop in Michigan June 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/antonekaterina-daineko-master-class-icon-painting-and-gilding-michigan-tickets-36474927490 all information you can get on our website WWW.IKONA-SKINIYA.COM or by email PTAHMINSK@gmail.com

The Russian Icon Museum is a surprising gem inside Clinton. High-quality galleries, lighting, and displays present the artifacts in an appealing, engaging way. For anyone interested in Russia or art this is a must-see!

VISIT
WELCOME! The Museum of Russian Icons inspires the appreciation and study of Russian culture by collecting and exhibiting one of the world’s largest collections of Russian icons – sacred paintings used for veneration in the Orthodox tradition.

Hidden Industries of Bolton

February 11, 2019 / Ava / 1 Comment

Sometimes history is right around the corner, just under your nose. You can travel to big museums, and be amazed and immersed. However, there’s a certain thrill to unearthing something special nearby that frequently goes unnoticed. And that’s just what happened to me.

At the Bolton Historical Society, I had been told that there was an old pump log mill, lime quarry, and kiln off of one of the local trails. The kiln had been partially rebuilt, there were a few remains of the mill, they said, and don’t go one way or you might get lost.

So I finally decided to go see for myself what was left. I made sure to take the more straightforward route to avoid getting lost.

I drove past it the first time. There is a small, dirt parking lot off the side of the road with a sign behind it. Fortunately, Bolton Spring Farms is nearby, and I was able to turn around with minimal time lost. A board stands at the trailhead, with a map that you’re welcome to borrow. I recommend snapping a photo of the metal sign: numbered posts that are along the trail are labeled there.

The Pump Log Mill

Pump logs were wooden pipes
Hollowing out a log was a hard, tedious process
Black locust wood was the best choice for durability

Just down the Bob Horton Memorial trail is a slightly precarious-looking bridge. You can go straight at this point for a longer walk, but I crossed the bridge -which held firm- to get to the kiln and quarry faster.

The bridge is actually built over the remains of the dam used for the pump mill. In the information booklet, it says to look closely for floor boards near the stream. I think I found one! I also really appreciated the booklets found by each landmark, which gave pictures, diagrams, and descriptions of the historical significance of the sites.

These pump logs, wooden pipes, were actually buried underground when finished. Holes were bored through the center using extremely long augers. Often, the wood shavings would build up, and the auger would have to be removed, cleaned, and reinserted.

The Lime Kiln and Quarry

Limestone is superheated to be used for plaster and other things
The limestone deposit in Bolton was the second one found in New England
In the 1800’s, the Whitcomb Quarry filled with water so quickly that the oxen were drowned

Tucked away in one of Bolton’s conservation lands, there are the remnants of a once-bustling industry. Large, uneven craters filled with water pock the forest. Trees enclose the rocky faces of the quarries, and grass and dirt are built up around the kiln.

The History

Partial view of the large Whitcomb Quarry

The two smaller quarries are the original ones. John Whitcomb, the third generation to own the land, was the first to mine the stone. Colonists used the limestone derivatives to plaster their homes. As only the second lime quarry in New England, Whitcomb’s products were in high demand for use by the burgeoning population.

At his death in 1785, Whitcomb bequeathed the business to two of his sons. One son died at the age of 40, and his share was divided among the family. When the surviving son died, the company was sold off. Shortly afterwards, an underground water source was struck by mistake.

The water poured in with such force that men were running for their lives. Some even said that the oxen who powered the machine used to lift limestone were drowned. However, the story remained untested until the quarry was pumped dry in 1937 and metal ox shoes were discovered.

The reason the pit was pumped out was to allow another company to take a stab at excavation. A business from Somerville leased the land, hoping to glean limestone to produce agricultural lime. Constant pumping was required to keep the quarry dry. When equipment was soon damaged by the Bolton limestone’s uncommon hardness, the company left.

No commercial purpose has rallied people to the quarry since.

The Process

In order to convert limestone into the much desired quicklime, the rock must be fired. Kilns were constructed out of the very rock that was excavated from the site. But this stone didn’t burn, as the soaring temperatures formed a protective glaze around them. This effectively sealed in all heat.

When loading the cylindrical kiln, larger pieces of limestone were placed in an arch at the bottom. Smaller pieces were filled in above. The arch allowed space for a fire to be built beneath. Once the fire was lit, and the entire kiln was hot, the heat was maintained for three to four days.

Along with the sinking of the kiln’s contents, the amount of effort used to pass a metal rod through the lime determined whether the process was complete or not.

Once the firing was finished, the new, caustic substance of quicklime was removed. With the addition of water and sand, the quicklime would eventually convert back to limestone when exposed to carbon dioxide. Now the colonists had a sturdy resource to use for mortar and plaster in their homes.

Surprisingly, only one or two firings per year could provide the annual lime required for a small community.

Every place has history; but it’s not always obvious. Knowing the stories behind our cities, states, and countries gives us special connections to our home. Explore your surroundings! You might just discover something exciting and new.

Part 2: Colonial Williamsburg

February 4, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

A good day to you! I hope you had a pleasant weekend, perhaps with some gameday fun 🙂 This week is a continuation of my jaunt through Colonial Williamsburg. Now, there is a lot of content, so feel free to read through just the summaries if you’re short on time.

Colonial Garden

Gardens were grown year-round in Virginia
Leeks, turnips, lettuce, chard, and beets were common winter choices
Some plants are kept under closhes: glass domes used like mini-greenhouses

Though you might suspect that winter was the colonist’ break from the garden, it wasn’t; duties were just scaled back a little. In Virginia, the temperatures stay warm enough to allow several varieties of food to be grown during the cold season. Many cold-weather crops were tended to provide fresh ingredients for the diet. More delicate plants, such as lettuce, would be kept under personal glass domes when the weather was below freezing. Perhaps surprisingly, salads would’ve only been eaten by the upper classes at that time, and not on an everyday basis.

The Bruton Parish Church

The bell tower and congregation are still active today
Major 18th century figures such as Patrick Henryattended the church
The structure was partially built over a graveyard

The Bruton Parish Church is actually separate from Colonial Williamsburg, and they suggest a $1 donation for visiting. The church is still in use today, holding prayer services, along with a weekly Sunday service. We wove through a few grave sites, and then entered the bell tower. Little children were being given the chance to ring the bell if they wanted.

I noticed that there was a broken headstone inlaid in the floor. When I asked about it, I was informed that there was no body under that particular one. However, when the parish was restored the 20th century, unmarked graves were discovered. They were reinterred in a cement case with a funeral. But some gravestones were laid into the floor. The man told me that visitors are often cautious of walking of them. With a grin, he said that he always says that he’s never heard any complaints.

An organ is in the process of being made for the church. The previous organ had suffered from Virginia’s fluctuating, humid weather, and needed to be replaced. Interestingly, the organ has changed locations over the years. At first, it was set against the wall to the side, above the altar. Later, someone decided that it needed to be symmetrical, switching the instrument to be exactly in the center. This covered the round window, which had remained covered for about 80 years. When the old organ was removed, the window was opened for the 2018 holiday season. Now the window has been sealed again to prepare for the next organ’s arrival.

Along the aisle, with its enclosed pews, you’ll see names of people who sat there on the doors. Several notable figures are present, including James Monroe, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and John Marshall. Quite the list! Virginia was really a center for revolutionary ongoings as well.

The Weaver

8 spinners required to supply one operating loom
Weavers memorize the patterns for various fabrics
Cochineal beetles were used for red dyes then and now

At Colonial Williamsburg, the weavers’ shop has two looms. However, some shops would only have had one, and the master weaver would be the one on the loom. The young interpreter told us that she had been apprenticed there for one year, beginning right out of high school. Williamsburg actually still hires people to go through the traditional training for trades. First, an apprenticeship, 4 years for girls, and 7 years for boys, starting when they were 14 years old. Now Williamsburg accepts apprentices of all ages.

The looms are threaded with thousands of strands. Apparently, grasping the basic concept of weaving only takes a couple hours. On the other hand, the process of threading the loom takes years of an apprenticeship. The thread itself was imported to the colonies, and Williamsburg doesn’t spin all their yarn now either. Since 8 spinners were needed to keep one weaver going, it was impractical to spin it all themselves.

From dying to weaving, the whole fiber process is represented at the weaver’s. Silk worm casings lie on the table, along with other materials used for dyes. One of the popular substances for getting red dye was cochineal beetles. These insects were crushed and yielded a beautiful color. Something to note though: they are still used in several items today, including red skittles!

Blacksmith

New tongs are created for different projects
Blacksmiths did a lot of repair work

Inside the blacksmith shop are 4 forges. Tools line the walls and tables. One forge is surrounded by tongs. Different sizes and shapes of tongs were required for varying projects, so new ones were often made. For his first few years in operation, a new blacksmith would need to craft new tongs very frequently. But once he had a stockpile of tongs for certain processes and projects that he worked on often, he would only have to construct another pair every once in a while. Sometimes, a pair would only be used one time, for a specialized task. However, the interpreter there had heard of a blacksmith who owned just a few tongs, but was constantly reforging them to meet his needs.

DOG Street Gastropub and M. Dubois Grocer

Located just outside of the Historic Area, the Gastropub was a great place to have a meal. With a great atmosphere, attentive service, and tasty food, we had an enjoyable lunch here.

The Grocer sells candy and other snacks, but they also have the Raleigh Tavern ginger cakes, which I had heard of before we visited.

Raleigh Tavern: Meet a Nation Builder

There is no script, just thousands of Jefferson’s letters to refer to
Jefferson quotes were seamlessly integrated into the conversation
The actor actually seemed like Thomas Jefferson!

When we sat down in the Raleigh Tavern’s crowded Apollo Room, I had significantly lower expectations than when I left. Williamsburg employs several people to portray specific figures from the time of the American Revolution. This presentation was by the young Thomas Jefferson, a.k.a. Kurt Benjamin Smith. After being introduced by an interpreter, Thomas Jefferson walked into the room. From the moment he arrived, he was completely in character.

He spoke about Jefferson’s belief that education was a right, of the oft-forgotten perspective of Jefferson being a traitor to his country of Britain, and that he wanted to free and educate slaves, but also desired to ship them back to Africa. He loved his mentors, George Wythe and William Small, commenting that we frequently forget the teachers, even though they are the ones who shape the student. And he reminded us that the Revolution was not a war over taxes, but over fundamental rights that were granted to every Brit in the Magna Carta hundreds of years prior.

You can tell that he has researched his character extraordinarily well. He was able to answer visitors’ questions thoroughly, and without hesitation. Repeatedly during the performance he referenced Jefferson quotes, and they seemed to perfectly fit into what he was saying, as if natural. Jefferson was know to be witty, and so was Smith. He gave Jefferson’s opinions on various topics in a way that was thought-provoking and inspiring. He left us with a request to let this not be just a nice, one-time conversation, but that we would go and take part in our country, civilly conversing with each other.

If you go to Colonial Williamsburg, make sure you see Young Thomas Jefferson! We agreed this was the highlight of our trip.

Wetherburn’s Tavern

Wetherburn’s was considered one of, if not the, nicest tavern in colonial Virginia
The building is furnished according to a detailed, room-by-room inventory
George Washington visited the tavern’s ballroom

Unlike most of the buildings, there are guided tours offered on the hour and half-hour at Wetherburn’s Tavern. The tavern boasted public and private rooms. The private rooms would be rented out for clubbing, smoking, gambling, and drinking. One story goes that two men bet land on whose raindrop would reach the bottom of the windowpane first. Gambling was pretty popular, to say the least.

Upstairs were the bedrooms where weary guests could sleep. In one room, there are only two beds, which is accurate. Many visitors would bring their own bedroll, which was basically a woolen blanket, and sleep on the floor. Adversely, the ones sleeping in beds might not necessarily be the luckier ones: you never knew what sorts of bugs were lurking there.

Farther down the hall is a room that was reserved for a Mr. Page. Instead of buying a house in town or staying with friends, Mr. Page just reserved a room in the tavern. But if someone was sleeping in the next room down, they would have to walk through Page’s room.

Women were allowed to sleep with their husbands at taverns, but downstairs, they didn’t really use the public rooms. Sometimes they would be in the private rooms, but the most likely reason for a woman to come to Wetherburn’s would be the balls. A large ballroom was added onto the tavern and balls were regularly held, along with extravagant dinners. George Washington even attended an event there once!

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour of Williamsburg! Check out the links below for some fantastic resources. Till next week!

Father Figures
by Joe Straw Photography by Dave Doody Thomas Jefferson’s story is big. So big that Colonial Williamsburg needs two people to convey his full evolution from an upstart patriot to a statesman who helped mold America. For more than two decades, Bill Barker’s warm, far-reaching interpretation of the patriot and third President has made him a Historic Area institution.

Bruton Parish: Home
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Nation Builders
An elite cadre of interpreters, Nation Builders portray real historic figures associated with 18th-century Williamsburg who made significant contributions to the American story. Meet a Nation Builder during your visit who helped shape their time, and whose legacy continues to influence and inspire American ideals.

The George Wythe House at Colonial Williamsburg

January 31, 2019 / Ava / 0 Comments

Hi everyone! Can you believe the first month of the year is almost over? It’s certainly gone by quickly! Well, before February arrives, I was extremely blessed to be able to visit Colonial Williamsburg this past weekend.

For years, a visit to Williamsburg was a dream of mine, and last year I finally went. Even though we had 2 1/2 days to explore, we still didn’t see it all. So as our membership tapered off, my mom and returned to use it before it expired.

Our first morning there it was cold and sunny. We parked at the visitor center (parking is free there), and walked the winding path to the Historic Area. The path brings you to a quiet street with pastures leading up to the Governor’s Palace. Fortunately, we had seen the Palace last year, as it was closed for maintenance, along with its kitchen. So we continued down the Palace Green to the George Wythe House.

The George Wythe House

Did you know that George Wythe was one of Thomas Jefferson’s mentors? Wythe was a very accomplished man. He taught many students one-on-one in his home, giving “pop quizzes” to students when he met them on the street. Then he was elected president of the College of William and Mary. As a signer of the Declaration of Independence among other things, he was a highly respected man.

The house named after him was built in the 1750’s and was actually given to him when he married. Wythe’s father-in-law stipulated that the property would remain with him unless he had no children, in which case the house would return to his wife’s family. Sadly, Wythe and his wife never did have children. In fact, Wythe planned to gift his estate to his grand-nephew, but was poisoned by him! Fortunately, Wythe lived long enough to revise his will.

The Wythe house is one of the 88 original structures in Colonial Williamsburg, and is full of colorful wall papers, mirrors, and glass-covered pictures. All of these things were signs of wealth in the 18th century.

Downstairs, there is a summer bedroom, meant to combat the heat during the hottest months of the year. From the pictures, you may not be able to tell just how bright and busy some of these wallpapers can be. They definitely make a statement. But in case you’re wondering, Williamsburg gets all their papers from a business in England who specifically recreates 18th century wallpaper. So all of these styles are accurate.

An inconspicuous feature of the house is nestled into the wooden shutters. If you open the shutters, which are expertly fitted into the four-brick-thick wall, you might notice the grapefruit-sized holes. There’s one in the parlor, and another upstairs. They were used for their ability to concentrate solar power into a primitive microscope — some of the newest technology at the time!

Another tidbit is that the floorboards have been flipped, so now you’re walking on the underside of the boards Jefferson has tread. 🙂

Back behind the house stand numerous smaller buildings. There are four larger ones, all about the same size, and then a few other smaller structures.

The Cooper

First off, though a cooper is known for constructing barrels, they can make anything that requires their set of skills. So anything from a huge barrel, to a tiny bucket*, to a wooden tankard, handy for using on ships, is made by them.

To be honest, I can’t say that I’ve been thrilled by the idea of coopering before. However, I walked out of that shop with a new respect for the craft and interest in it. As an aside, there wouldn’t really have been coopers inside the Wythe family grounds, but for interpretation’s sake, they have been placed there now.

The cooper starts a project by shaping the boards that will be used. At Williamsburg, the cooper was able to completely eyeball the process; he said that was why you served a 5-7 year apprenticeship. Pretty impressive. Deftly, he angled off the edges of the plank so that they would all fit snugly together. Then he used a hollowing knife to make a concave surface on the inner side. Finally, he curved the outer surface with a backing knife, and the single plank was ready to be put into a small barrel.

Metal rings are used to hold the various object together. No heat or blacksmithing is required to bind the metal strips into rings. The coopers purchase metal already formed into narrow strips. Then they cut and bend them to the size needed, hammering a nail through the connecting ends.

Those metal rings are primarily made of iron, but sometimes brass or copper. Brass and copper don’t corrode as quickly as iron, which makes them great choices for sailors’ tankards. Also, brass and copper don’t spark if they strike a rock, so they were definitely the wise selection when making a gunpowder barrel.

Each metal ring is fitted around the boards until it is very tight. Now the shape of barrels makes sense: they need to be able to hammer every ring down until it can’t go farther. So you end up with the slightly inverted-hour-glass shape.

To open and close a barrel that contains dry goods, the top rings and removed, allowing the lid to be pulled out. The tops and bottoms are fitted into a ridge cut into the inside of the planks. For barrels meant to hold liquids, a small hole is cut in the side where a plug can be placed.

And if you’re every in a pinch, a cooper’s trick to stop a leak is to stuff the crack with cattails. The cattails swell and work well enough to stop the problem long enough for the cooper to get around to fixing it.

*[I have now read on C.W.’s website that buckets were not technically part of the cooper’s trade, but their coopers do make them.]

The Kitchen

A large fireplace dominates one of the kitchen’s walls, in front of which is a plain wooden table used as a work surface. To the side is another table filled with various dishes that the Williamsburg cooks have made recently, including a roasted chicken with its head and legs (just so you can make sure it’s not a peacock). Underneath sits a collection of large ceramic jars filled with pickled foods, one with a bladder on top.

By the fire, an interpreter was readying a yeast base for some bread, which she was going to cook in a dutch oven. Another reenactor explained to us that in the 18th century, this kitchen would have been manned by slaves, as many things around the Wythe house were. The slave quarters were housed above the kitchen. He went on to say that many slaves were educated to be able to perform their duties well. Tragically, this could be used to identify them if they managed to escape. A slave known for his skill at blacksmithing would be recognized for the trait if he tried to use it.

Back to the food-covered table though, we see the whole chicken lying roasted on a plate. Common practice was to leave the legs and head on fowl as a way to identify them. First, the chicken’s age could be told be the size of the spurs on its feet. Large, calloused spurs meant an older bird. Then, the head was left on so that diners could tell what type of bird they were eating. Nowadays, this might seem a tad excessive, but back then, they were eating from a much wider selection of birds than we do. There were swans, eagles, peacocks, finches, pigeons (there’s a coop for them right there), hummingbirds(!), and many more! Can you imagine eating a hummingbird?

Outside in the yard we had noticed a very cute breed of chicken that was much smaller than most. We were told that those are Bantam chickens, specifically Nanking. Bantam only refers to the size of the bird, whereas nanking is the actual breed. Nanking, he went on to say, are closely related to the chicken ancestor, a bird that pops up about 4,ooo years ago in Asia. Interesting!

Another food fact: most of the ceramic jars did not have an airtight seal. They contained pickles, which naturally preserve themselves and do not require refrigeration. If the colonists did wish for an airtight seal, they could use animal bladders, which were stretched over jar mouths when wet. Then as they dried, they shrunk, thoroughly sealing in the contents. You can now be thankful for metal jar lids!

The Wythe House is just a tiny sampling of Williamsburg’s expansive collection of buildings. I had an amazing visit, and you’ll probably be hearing a little more about it next week! Colonial Williamsburg has some great online resources: check out the links below!

How about you? Have you had an interesting experience at Colonial Williamsburg? Please feel free to comment below about your time there! I’d love to hear from you!

Biography of George Wythe
Born 1726 at Chesterville (now in Hampton, Virginia) Man of integrity and virtue, respected by all First Virginia signer of the Declaration of Independence Framer of the federal Constitution Instrumental in design of seal of Virginia Believed poisoned by his grandnephew in 1806 Buried at the church where Patrick Henry made his "liberty or death" speech George Wythe (pronounced "with") was born in 1726 at Chesterville in what is now Hampton, Virginia.

Colonial Williamsburg | Take Time To Go Back
From hands-on activities to guided tours of original 18th-century buildings to our unmatched folk-art collection, there's something for everyone at Colonial Williamsburg. Your admission ticket is the key Your ticket purchase supports our mission to share America's enduring story.

Home page of History.org : The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's official History and Citizenship site
In Colonial Williamsburg's 301-acre Historic Area stand hundreds of restored, reconstructed, and historically furnished buildings. Costumed interpreters tell the stories of the men and women of the 18th-century city-black, white, and native American, slave, indentured, and free-and the challenges they faced. In this historic place, we help the future learn from the past.