Living History Photo Challenge for the Month of September 2020

“Nobody lived in the past.  They lived in the present.  It is their present,  not our present,  

and they don’t know how it’s going to come out.”

David McCullough
.......

At the beginning of September there were still no official reenactments to be had.  However,  there were smaller private gatherings planned,  of which a couple of pictures you will find in this collection.
You see,  no matter the situation,  I continue on as best as I can...loving each moment I can spend in the past...
And hopefully,  October will shape up to be an even better month of time travel,  and maybe I can then write full blog posts about these reenactments,  including  "...glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explainin'  what each one was."

(Thanks Arlo!)

But we'll have to wait and see how it all pans out.
Anyhow,  I am still doing what originally was called the Living History Photo Challenge on Facebook and was supposed to only last for ten days.
I just can't stop;  I am nearing 200 pictures and I can easily make it to 365----one full year.  In fact,  I am certain I can actually do a few years worth,  to be honest.
So,  here are the photos I posted day by day on Facebook in the month of September with the original comments as written:

To change up the news feed and help get away from all of the harsh and getting harsher doom & gloom of our modern time,  here is my daily Living History Photo for today,  September --:  Day --- until whenever I decide to stop.
Now I ask my other friends in the hobby to post pictures with a small explanation on their own page.  And if you do,  please include your picture in my comments as well.

September 1

Let's talk about apples  (part one - part two next month):

A typical 18th  (and 19th)  century farmstead might have had a 

dozen different apple varieties,  and the taste of many of these 

ancient  'brands'  were different than the sweet edible fruit that we 

know them to be today,  and cellars would have been filled with 

the Rambo  (from 1640),  Baldwin  (1740),  Ribston Pippin  

(1706),  Belmont  (late 18th century),  Maiden's Blush  (late 

1700s),  Roxbury Russet  (from early 1600s),  and the still popular 

McIntosh  (late 18th century)  varieties,  waiting to be mashed and 

smashed into liquid;  the intense smell of cider permeated the dirt 

cellars of farmsteads throughout this country.  Each variety had a 

different characteristic,  flavor,  and were ultimately used in 

different ways,  either for sale or for the family's own use. 

With such a large amount of apples,  there was a need for 
storage,  and those not packed carefully away in sawdust or hay 
were dried for a long-lasting affect,  or were made into apple 
butter,  apple sauce,  apple pies,  apple dowdies,  apple 
dumplings,  apple fritters,  and,  of course  (and perhaps most 
importantly)  cider.
Every year during this time I plan for my heirloom apple 
presentation;  I've found a few different places  (a couple 
somewhat local and others in New England)  where I can get 
these wonderful tastes from the past.

September 2

Crossroads Village:  the Civil War reenactment held at this 

historic open-air museum in Flint was cancelled after the 2006 

event,  so,  in a sort of protest - as well as to have fun and visit 

with each other - a few of us decided to visit Crossroads the 

following year,  all dressed in our 1860s finest,  and just enjoy the 

period atmosphere.

That's it - no great story or history lesson to tell;  just friends from 

a time long ago enjoying each other's company.

September 3

To my mind,  historians dig up the bones of the past,  history 

buffs put flesh and clothing on those bones,  and the public can 

enjoy & learn from the results.

You see,  *most*  reenactors are not just hobbyists in funny old-

time clothing - we are historians as well,  for we are in a constant 

state of research,  and study intently nearly every aspect of the era 

and people of whom we portray.  Scouring old letters,  diaries,  

journals,  newspapers/broadsides,  and ancient books & 

paintings,  we seek to find the small nuances of information to 

add to the greater body of the known as well as the forgotten 

past;  whether military or civilian farmer,  we are always on the 

lookout for something new that we've not known previously and,  

if applicable,  we attempt to include that new knowledge into 

our presentations.

Bringing the past to life,  as historically and accurately as our 

knowledge will allow.

Author David McCullough said it best:  "If you could build up 

any muscle to be a historian,  I'd say it's the empathy muscle.

Go out and do empathy exercises;  put yourself in their place."

In this picture I am honored to be at an 18th century reenactment 

in Monroe with a few guys who have great knowledge of the 

past,  sharing our historical findings with one another.

This.

September 4

For a few years in a row,  our period vocal group,  Simply 

Dickens,  performed at Comerica Park during the Christmas in 

July Detroit Tigers baseball game.  With Simply Dickens forming 

back in 2001,  and having had numerous personnel changes 

throughout that time,  this was,  perhaps,  the most unusual  "gig"  

we've ever played.  And it was great fun!  One year we were set 

up along the concourse,  another year we sang sort of behind the 

scenes as atmosphere,  where Tigers owner Mike Ilitch himself 

saw us and gave us thumbs up,  and another time we went suite to 

suite,  playing old world Christmas music for the rich folk.

It was all great fun for these Victorian minstrels!

In fact,  click the link below this picture to get a snippet of a carol 

(it's okay - - it IS September,  you know lol).

You know,  Christmas is closer than you think  (that oughta tick a 

few people off!)...rehearsals are coming up and,  God willing,  

we'll be back performing again this year,  though not at Comerica 

Park but,  hopefully,  at the Holly Dickens Festival this December.

September 5

You may have heard,  and possibly read,  "Tales of a Wayside 

Inn,"  the collection of poems by American poet Henry 

Wadsworth Longfellow.  The book,  published in 1863,  depicts a 

group of people at the infamous Wayside Inn in Sudbury,  

Massachusetts,  as each tells a story in the form of a poem  (this is 

the same book that carries the well-known  "Paul Revere's Ride," 

-  'Listen my children and you shall hear...'  by the way).

Henry Ford purchased the Wayside Inn in 1923 and envisioned 

transforming the old Colonial Inn into a living museum of 

American history,  an interest that predates the development of 

both Colonial Williamsburg and his own Greenfield Village.

Pursuing his vision to create a living museum of Americana that 

would be the first of its kind in the country,  Ford purchased 

3,000 acres of property surrounding the Inn,  added eight new 

buildings to the site,  and collected antiquities for 

display purposes.

As I dug deep into my research about this house,  I looked under 

an IN HOUSE NAME file folder at the Benson Ford Research 

Center,  and it's there I found a notation that states  'Plympton 

House on Wayside Inn estate,'  letting me know that,  yes,  this 

little red 18th century house once sat on that famous land.

In addition,  in the wonderful book entitled  'A History of 

Longfellow's Wayside Inn,'  there is a section that explains in 

good detail how Henry Ford not only restored the Wayside Inn 

itself,  but numerous other buildings on the property surrounding 

the inn that he purchased,  including  "one house,  the circa 1700 

Plympton House on Dutton Road,  (which was)  disassembled 

and moved to Greenfield Village."

And here I am,  possibly as Mr. Plympton himself,  walking out 

of this historic house,  which also has a strong Paul Revere and 

Revolutionary War connection.

Folks,  this is some special stuff here...

September 6

My wife and I sitting on our false-front porch at the 

Jackson Civil War event. 

At that time,  Jackson was the largest CW reenactment in 

Michigan - and perhaps the midwest - and being that I portrayed 

the postmaster for a number of years,  I had worked out scenarios 

that involved nearly everyone,  north and south,  with mailing 

letters to one another:  civilian to military,  military to civilian,  

civilian to civilian...  

In the 1860s,  mail delivery from house to house was barely 

getting started,  and that was pretty much only in the big cities.  

In most cases,  folks had to go to the post office itself to get their 

mail.  And if they lived on a farm,  picking up mail could be 

sparse,  for they may only make it to town every few weeks or 

even every few months.  Often times if a neighbor went to town 

they might pick up mail for their other farming neighbors.  Or if 

they happened to live on or near a stagecoach route,  sometimes it 

could also be delivered in that manner.

And mail was important - much more than today - the 

amount of mail saved over the years shows this.  This is one 

of the ways we learn so much about the lives of those who lived 

at that time,  for they would write about their daily activities and, 

in doing so, helped to preserve that snippet of life of the every 

man and woman, allowing us a deeper understanding 

of the 1860s. 

There are books of  these letters now published,  and they are a 

treasure trove of information for the social historian.

September 7 

The kibosh has been put on nearly all reenactments for this year,  

and for those of us who enjoy it so much,  it's been tough.  So 

sometimes we feel the need to make up our own  "events"  and 

dress period,  head out to some place historical,  and visit for a 

bit,  sometimes even speaking with curious passersby,  social 

distancing,  of course - I normally do that anyway (if I can smell 

your breath,  you're too close!).

Last month a few of us enjoyed a day out in the past.  It was 

hot...in the 90s...but we,  like our own 18th century ancestors,  

persevered. 

One of the highlights for me that day was when a young couple 

with their elementary-aged son became very excited upon seeing 

us,  for their son loved colonial and RevWar history.  Being only 

six,  he surprised us by answering our questions about Benjamin 

Franklin,  George Washington,  and a few other of our Founding 

Fathers,  and then listening as we included the Native Americans 

of this area in our narrative,  for Mark,  on the right,  is of the 

local Osage tribe.  It makes my heart glad knowing this young 

man we spoke to is growing up loving history - his American 

history - and that his could be the generation to carry on the past 

for generations far beyond his own.

Yes,  we reenact for ourselves,  most certainly,  but we also very 

much enjoy speaking to interested history lovers,  for we can 

bring the past to life for them...almost as if we popped out of their 

history book.

Ahhh...now, there are a couple of private events on the 

horizon...and one actual bonafide reenactment is still on the 

books...so here's to hoping Autumn will be a much better season 

for time-travel than what we've had so far.

September 8

Another Crossroads Village photograph taken in 2010 when we 

were depicting an 1860s homecoming,  welcoming our surviving 

boys in blue home from fighting in the Civil War.  And families 

were so very grateful when their son or husband or brother came 

home alive...especially if they were not wounded.  The human 

cost of the Civil War was beyond anybody's expectations.  The 

United States experienced bloodshed of a magnitude that has not 

been equaled since by any other American conflict.  An estimated 

620,000 men,  from both the north and the south,  lost their lives 

in the line of duty.  Some believe the number is as high as 

850,000,  but the Civil War Trust,  where I got my numbers from,  

does not agree with this claim.

So when a train came to the nearby town to bring men home from 

fighting,  a celebration was well-warranted. 

I thank Sandy Root for putting such a living history event 

together,  for it gave us all a chance to  "experience"  and show a 

part of the War not normally seen.

September 9

One day in Colonial Williamsburg....

“These are the shadows of the things that have been,”  said the 

Ghost.  “They will have no consciousness of us.”

As the words are spoken,  you pass through the wall,  and stand 

upon an open country road,  with fields on either hand.  The 

modern city had entirely vanished.  Not a vestige of it was to be 

seen.  The darkness and the mist had vanished with it,  for it was 

now a clear day,  with the sun beating upon the ground.

You are conscious of a thousand odors floating in the air,  each 

one connected with a thousand thoughts,  and hopes,  and joys,  

and cares long,  long,  forgotten...

September 10

For many years,  as the civilian coordinator for the 21st Michigan 

Civil War reenacting group,  I would hold an annual springtime 

period-dress meeting to plan out the coming year.

Why period dress?

First off to keep the historical focus.  Clothes makes the man and 

woman,  and when you are dressed in garments from the 1860s 

you almost cannot help but maintain the mindset of the past.  And 

when planning for upcoming events and improving your period 

impression,  I've found looking the era one is depicting works 

very well and adds so much.

Plus,  after a few months packed away,  it's good to get them out 

and make sure they still fit.

And,  well,  most reenactors like to throw on their reenacting 

clothing and be around others with the same mindset.

September 11

Our southeastern area of Michigan was part of Canada  (New 

France)  from 1668 to 1763.  When New France was defeated in 

the French and Indian War in 1763,  it ceded the region to Britain 

that same year.  After the British defeat in the American 

Revolutionary War,  in 1781,  the Treaty of Paris  (1783)  

expanded the United States'  boundaries to include nearly all land 

east of the Mississippi River and south of Canada.  Michigan was 

then part of the  "Old Northwest,"  and from 1787 to 1800,  it was 

part of the Northwest Territory.

In 1800,  the Indiana Territory was created,  and most of the 

current state Michigan lay within it,  with only the easternmost 

parts of the state remaining in the Northwest Territory.  In 1802,  

when Ohio was admitted to the Union,  the whole of Michigan 

was attached to the Territory of Indiana,  and so remained until 

1805,  when the Territory of Michigan was established.

In January 1837 Michigan became the 26th state to enter 

the union.

So there I stand,  squarely in the era of the Northwest Territory,  

on the stoop of the Anderson-Navarre Trading Post,  built in 

Frenchtown  (now Monroe)  in 1789.  The building is the oldest 

wooden residence still standing in the state.  It is the most 

complete example of French-Canadian  "piece-sur-piece"  style 

construction still standing in what was the Old Northwest.

September 12

The old Walker Tavern Civil War event.

There is very little that needs to be said of this picture.  Mike 

Gillett,  who has a similar pose,  noticed these nuns strolling 

along,  taking in all the history,  and we knew what we had to do:  

picture time!

They were wonderfully accommodating and gladly posed with 

Mike and then myself.  I mean,  what could be cooler at a Civil 

War reenactment than seeing nearly a half-dozen nuns in their 

habits - nuns in my church do not wear traditional habits any 

longer - so this was a strong reminder of my youth. 

Then I found,  on line,  an actual photograph of 19th century nuns 

with Civil War soldiers  (see below).

Oh!  If we could only have convinced them to reenact with us!

Anyhow,  a deep respect goes to these wonderful ladies and their 

dedication in life.  And so glad they came to visit us.

"If you could build up any muscle to be a historian,  I'd say it's the empathy muscle.  

Go out and do empathy exercises;  put yourself in their place."

David McCullough

September 13
Back to the good old colony days we go - - - -
So…over the summer you may have been following the 
adventures of my flax break,  for on Facebook I posted about
when I purchased it off Ebay for my birthday back in May, 
then when I finally received it in July, 
and then when I bought the flax in August…
So in this picture you see me putting it all to use for my first time.
A flax break,  in case you didn't know,  is used to start the process 
of separating the line fiber from the shives  (or core and bark)  of 
the flax.  A large bundle is centered at the wider end of the break;  
the upper lever meshes with the lower bar and comes down with a 
bang upon the flax which is struck as it gradually moves to the 
smaller end.  One can see this would do a rather thorough job of 
breaking the useless part,  which fell to the floor and was often 
used to fill the straw tick of the trundle bed.
Now what you don't see are the next two steps:  after the flax 
break we go to the scutching board  (which will be my next 
acquisition),  where the remains of the flax are then scutched  
(hit)  to remove more broken shives from the tough line fiber.
Then the flax is brought to various sized hackles,  which splits 
and straightens the flax fibers,  as well as removes the fibrous 
core and impurities.  Flax is pulled through the hackling spikes  
(also referred to as combs),  which parts the locked fibers and 
straightens them,  cleans them,  and prepares them for spinning, 
of which you see my wife doing here in the first picture.
Or it could be woven on a loom by a weaver.
Either way,  now you know where linen comes from.

I posted this picture  (and one other)  to the Jeanne's Antiques Facebook page - the place from where I purchased the break from,  and the response I received: 

If we didn't know better,  we'd say y'all turned back the clock about 200 years... Amazing!

and then the owner of the shop sent me an e-mail:

Hi Ken!

That is fabulous.  Really appreciate you sending those.  Man that is like stepping back into time,  isn't it?  I'm so happy you were able to add it to your display and that fact that it is being used for intended purposes is outstanding.  Also,  thanks for posting it on Facebook.  I think I even see candles drying in the background in those photos :)  

All the best to you both.

God Bless,

Dannette

Jeanne's Antiques

September 14

Civil War at Charlton Park - a living history experience inside the 1858 Sixberry House,  where my wife and I  "lived"  with our daughters and servant:
Unbeknownst to anyone but Patty and I,  we had it planned to have our house requisitioned by the Union army.   They knocked upon the door,  and when Carrie our servant  (now known as Agnes)  answered it,  they pushed her aside and busted in.  I was ordered into the kitchen by the Lieutenant,  where he gave me two Yankee dollars for what they were taking from my home,  which I gladly accepted,  though the amount of our food they snatched was worth far more.  He then questioned me about my loyalties.  Normally we portray a northern family,  but at this reenactment,  to change it up a little,  we were portraying a southern family,  so of course I would not give him the satisfaction of bowing to the aggressive behavior of his President and proudly stated that I was a southern man.  We bantered back and forth on this subject before he put his men to work searching my home for firearms and who knows what else.  With the guns in their hands,  I was helpless and could do nothing but sit and watch as they opened each and every cupboard door and closet and searched underneath the furniture.

September 14

After around 45 minutes of this frightful experience,  the soldiers 

had eaten just about everything we had and the Lieutenant 

ordered them out of our home,  and they obliged.  He then held 

out his hand as a peaceful gesture and gave me his thanks for us 

being so accommodating.  I said to him,  "I will not take your 

hand,  but I do thank you for doing no harm to my family and no 

damage to my home." 

With that,  the door was closed behind him and I 

locked it promptly.

The terrifying ordeal was over.

This was an amazing scenario - very real.

The highlight?

No one in our  "family"  but me & Patty & the soldiers knew 

anything about this set up,  so their befuddlement and fright was 

real - no acting whatsoever  (we are reenactors - not actors).

After the ordeal had ended,  servant Carrie/Agnes truly was 

concerned over the amount of our food the soldiers had eaten.  

What were we going to eat now?

That's when I told her it was all planned out - 

we still had food hidden.

She had such a look of relief...and was pretty surprised how well 

we pulled this off.

In this picture you see nearly all who were a part of this living 

history ordeal,  still one of the best ever.

September 15

At the Muster at the Mill Revolutionary War event,  there was a  

'hawk throw,  which enticed me to research not only this contest,  

but where it came from in the first place.

Contrary to popular belief,  Native Americans and Mountain men 

rarely threw their tomahawks  (or  "hawks")  during battle.  A 

tomahawk was one of their best hand-to-hand weapons,  good for 

both offensive and defensive moves.  Throwing a tomahawk to 

kill an enemy put considerable distance between the thrower and 

his very best weapon.  Even if a mountain man or an Indian 

warrior killed his intended target,  he was pretty much defenseless 

while he scurried to retrieve his hawk from his victim's body  

(nevermind the TV heroes).

Instead of throwing their tomahawks in the heat of battle,  

mountain men and Indians hurled their hawks mainly for fun.  A 

few times a year,  mountain men would come into town to gather 

supplies and trade pelts they had collected during the previous 

hunting season.  They'd often set up a huge camp outside of town 

and take part in various contests such as tomahawk throwing.  

Some Native American tribes held similar contests of skill for 

their men to take part in.  Indians would also come to the 

frontiersmen camps to engage in trading and throw some 

tomahawks with the men there.

I had never done this before,  and for my first three tries I hit the 
target,  but the hawk did not stick......until my fourth 
throw...almost dead center!
I did it a few more times after with mixed results,  which,  for 
my first day of throwing,  made me quite satisfied.

September 16

We're going back about ten years for today's picture,  taken 

during a Civil War-era film shoot at Crossroads Village.  Patty 

and I,  with our daughter Rosalia,  were background extras:  

"action!"----walking--"back to one!"---heading back to where we 

started---"action!"---walking---"back to one!"---heading back to 

where we started---"action!"---walking---"back to one!"---heading back to where we started---about three dozen times 

for each scene.

Being an extra is fine---I am not,  nor am I interested in,  being an 

actor  (outside of bringing my research to life as Paul Revere here 

and there.  And then there's no script involved - just my 

knowledge of the man and of his time).

Unfortunately,  from what I understand,  the film,  which was 

being shot for a Civil War museum in Georgia,  I believe,  was 

never used.  But it was still great fun and a learning experience.  I 

also met Vickie St John for the first time there as well,  for we 

were teamed up together,  and we have been friends ever since.

September 17

Ask any reenactor why they choose this particular hobby in 

which to spend their time and money,  and the first answer you'll 

most likely hear is  "to teach."

Yes,  that is true...most of us enjoy sharing our historical 

knowledge with others. 

Some may also say they enjoy wearing the clothing of the past,  

for it makes them feel..."different time"  different.

I can definitely identify with that.  In fact,  I've had more than one 

person tell me I look more  "me"  in my 1770s clothing than I do 

even in modern clothing.  

There are others who might respond by saying they like stepping 

into the shoes of our ancestors and experience a life of another 

time by doing the things they did 150 or 250 years ago.

I'm in full agreement here.  In fact,  I'm in full agreement with all 

of these answers.  And more!

Anyone who has known me for any length of time,  knows I've 

always been into the past,  whether it is 

music,  cars,  TV shows,  movies,  books,  games...my mom once 

said that I  (and I quote)  "came out of the womb into history."

Having a passion for the past has been with me my entire life.

And now I get to sort of live in the past whenever I want to.

By the way,  in this picture I am at a reenactor friend's house.  It 

was a private event with no public.  We did it for ourselves.  Even 

including a few small period activities,  such as writing with a 

quill and ink.

For ourselves.

September 18

The movie  "Lincoln,"  which was released in 2012,  showed our 16th President and his time - 1860s - in a very real manner...very true to history.  And for this movie they went the extra mile,  beyond the horses & carriages and period clothing;  it had to do with the sound effects.  To help make this movie come alive,  the film makers actually used original sounds Lincoln himself actually heard to give it that note and tone of  realism.  For instance,  the pocket watch Daniel Day-Lewis  (as Lincoln)  has is a prop.  But the ticking you hear coming from it is not.  That's because the sound man recorded the faint  tick tick tick  from one of the actual time pieces Abraham Lincoln owned.

In the executive office of the White House,  there is a clock that's been there since the time of Andrew Jackson,  and the sound of that clock is used in many office scenes in the movie. Other sound effects from the White House include original door latches being latched as well as the opening & closing and the knocking upon those historic doors - the very same that were there when Lincoln occupied the building.

The ringing of the steeple bell from St. John's Episcopal Church,  of which Lincoln attended often,  is heard in the movie as well,  along with the sound of the church floor boards. And that's where I come in for today's picture:

I am in front of an actual building in which Abraham Lincoln practiced law,  now inside Greenfield Village.  Wearing my period shoes,  I've walked across the floor boards,  heard the door open and shut,  and heard the echoes of voices reverberating off the walls - the same sounds of a hundred and seventy years ago.

To many,  this may seem ridiculous.  But to me,  a living historian,  this sort of thing means the world;  it brings the past to life like little else can.

September 19

My wife and I:

our love can span decades...generations...centuries...

If I could save time in a bottle 

the first thing that I'd like to do

is to save every day 'til eternity passes away

just to spend them with you.

If I could make days last forever,

if words could make wishes come true,

I'd save every day like a treasure and then

again,  I would spend them with you.

But there never seems to be enough time 

to do the things you want to do

once you find them.

I've looked around enough to know 

that you're the one I want to go

through time with...

Need I write more?

September 20

The only time I've  "spent"  in the 1920s was when I helped out at the Crocker House Museum in Mount Clemens,  which does a wonderful job bringing back the era of 1870s through 1920s Mount Clemens - the heyday of the house  (you should check them out---see link below).

There was one other time I'd participated in early 20th century historical activities,  and I must say that,  though I did enjoy myself  (of course I did---I always do!),  and I love reading about the period,  for it was the age of my grandparents,  it is definitely not my era.  I prefer the more distant past - the  "pre-electric"  age:  no phones,  no high rises,  no moving pictures,  no automobiles,  no phonograph,  no radio,  no electric light,  better clothing fashions (my opinion---I'm allowed)...

I know I have friends who love this period - and even going up through the 1940s - and I thank you for keeping this part of history alive.  American history is more than the 1770s and 1860s,  so my admiration for those who can take on these other decades - who have researched intently and know the time well - you have my utmost admiration and respect.

And thank you again. 

As for me,  I'll see you back in an earlier time...

Link to the Crocker House Museum page:

Crocker House Museum in Mount Clemens,  Michigan

September 21

Here you see me in my colonial clothing near the gristmill at Greenfield Village.

Are you aware of the importance of a gristmill in the 18th and 19th centuries?

Ahhh...life in 2020 - - - - 

"Hon?  I'd like to make a sandwich,  but we're out of bread."

"Okay...I'll pick a loaf up at the CVS when I go to get milk."

Ahhh...life in 1770 - - - - 

"My dear,  might we have bread and butter available?"

"No,  husband,  we have none."

So it is off to the wheat field I go,  scythe in hand,  to cut down the wheat,  and then gather it up to let it dry in the sun.

The wheat stalks are bundled into sheaves,  then are leaned against each other so they stand up.  The standing bundles are called shocks.  The shocks are left to dry in the field.  Later,  the sheaves are hauled to the barn.

The grain was spread out on the floor of the barn or outside on the ground and hit with a flail.  Seeds,  chaff  (bits of seed head)  and straw remain.  The straw will be used as bedding for the farm animals or as mattress-filler.

The grain seeds and chaff are placed in a winnowing tray  (or basket)  and shaken and tossed on a windy day.  The wind blows the light straw and chaff away and the seed will fall back in the tray.

Winnowed grain is taken in sacks to the mill to be ground into flour.  Now,  after all of these steps,  you have flour  (which is not nearly as fine as the flour you purchase in a 21st century store,  by the way)  and are ready to prepare to make and bake bread. 

Hopefully your daughter has made butter by way of the butter churn,  which is a whole  'nother process in itself!

This is not all done in a day,  just so you know...

Once the bread is made and baked,  and the milk churned,  you can have your bread and butter.

Easy as pie  (after the apples are picked,  peeled,  cut...okay,  okay...we'll stop there!)

The gristmill you see in this photo is at Greenfield Village,  and though built in 1832,  it bears a striking resemblance to mills fifty and sixty years earlier.

September 22
So!  This past weekend,  September 19 & 20,  I participated in my first Civil War anything since our period Christmas party last January:  Sandy Root put together a wonderful private event - "private"  meaning no public allowed...strictly for reenactors - way out on the western side of Michigan.  This civilian only gathering was in a perfect rural setting nestled in a small pasture alongside a wooded area.  Mrs.  Root had numerous activities for everyone,  including a woods walk  (with  "quizz stops"  along the way),  a pocket-sewing talk for the ladies,  a Victorian Farm talk  (starring yours truly and Larissa),  and Robert Beech,  famed Michigan tin-typist,  who happily captured many images over the two day period.
Since Larissa & I and Jackie often portray an 1860s family,  we thought we would do what families of the 1860s did and have our likeness taken.
The first shot  (above)  is of Mr.  Beech taking the picture with his period camera... 
 

...the second shows the photograph developing with the use of his chemicals... 

...and the third is of our fully developed tintype. 

Having your likeness taken on a tintype is,  perhaps,  the ultimate proof of your time-travel experience. 

Thank you Sandy for putting this together - we all so enjoyed this event and are looking forward to a repeat next year.

September 23

With the autumn sunset occurring earlier and earlier,  visiting Greenfield Village 

can bring guests into another level of history,  especially if you're like me 

and dress the period.

In general,  the Village closes by 5:00 in the late afternoon,  and that's where I was able to get one of those rare opportunities to enjoy the shadows of day's end inside my favorite of all homes,  the 18th century Daggett Farm House.

Though I've been there during the night time at Christmas,  I've never been inside the home of Samuel & Anna Daggett during this time of the day - sunset - and the thick gray clouds gave the impression that the time was later than it actually was.  A unique unexplainable sense gave me an almost immersive feeling,  with the shadows slowly growing darker and longer as the waning daylight came through the windows just minutes before closing time.

Feeling and seeing the past in such ways rarely gets any better.

September 24

Our first ever Civil War Remembrance at Greenfield Village and our first 

actual tintype - all in the same weekend.

My mom once said that our descendants,  upon finding these old photos,  

will think they have images of their 19th century ancestors rather than 

their 21st century ancestors.

Heh heh heh

Pretty funny.

September 25

Here in late September 1770,  hints of summer past and autumn future are in the air...and the kitchen garden,  so lovingly cared for throughout the growing season,  continues to give up her yield.  The importance to tending to a kitchen garden and perhaps a large vegetable garden cannot be overstated.  The beans are ripe,  and it will only be a matter of a few weeks that the pumpkins,  squash,  beans,  lettuce,  turnips,  carrots,  and potatoes,  as well as cucumbers,  tomatoes,  and melons are also at the ready for harvesting and preservation.  And by now we see dozens of apple varieties ripe for the picking,  as well as raspberries,  plums,  broccoli,  corn...

Everything was saved - nothing was wasted.  With pickling a process rather than strictly a preserved cucumber,  other vegetables and even fruits were pickled,  including watermelon rind.  And apple cores were saved for making vinegar.

With careful planning,  most of the fruits and vegetables would carry over the family’s needs until the new summer produce became available again.

But there was more to this kitchen garden than food: many plants were grown for medical purposes as well,  including wormwood,  which was a purgative for stomach issues or worms,  tansy was used to stop bleeding and bruising,  feverfew for headaches and  "female complaints,"  and chamomile,  which was used,  same as it is today,  to make a calming tea.

A real,  um,  farmacy!

September 26

We took our third trip to Gettysburg in April of 2008.  What made this particular time so special was that we not only wore our period 1860s clothing pretty much our entire time there,  but we also stayed in the house where young Gettysburg citizen,  Tillie Pierce,  once lived at the time of the great Battle of Gettysburg!  During the fighting,  Tillie was actually in a home at the foot of Little Round Top,  where it was thought she would be safe,  but unbeknownst to all,  she would soon find herself witnessing some of the most fierce fighting of the three-day battle.  As Tillie wrote of the wounded soldiers coming off the battlefield:  “Nothing before in my experience had ever paralleled the sight we then and there beheld.  There were the groaning and crying,  the struggling and dying,  crowded side by side,  while attendants sought to aid and relieve them as best they could….”

It was a few days after the battle had ended that Tillie returned to her home – to the house in the picture. 

After arriving home,  “several soldiers came to our house and asked mother if she would allow them to bring their wounded Colonel to the place,  provided they would send two nurses along to help wait on him,  saying they would like to have him kept at a private house.

As we had a very suitable room she consented.

The wounded officer was carried to the house on a litter,  and was suffering greatly.  After they got him up stairs,  and were about placing him on the bed,  it was found to be too short,  so that the foot-board had to be taken off and an extension added.  The Colonel was a very tall man and of fine proportions. 

He had been severely wounded in the right ankle and shoulder,  the latter wound extending to his spine. 

The surgeons wanted to amputate his foot,  saying it was necessary in order to save his life;  but the Colonel objected,  and said that if his foot must go he would go too.

Mother waited on him constantly,  and the nurses could not have been more devoted.”

And this was the house in which we stayed---all restored to its former 1860s glory.

There are accounts of paranormal activities occurring here – we ourselves had experienced some first-hand while we were there. Oh yes we did!

All in all it was a pretty cool experience staying in such a historic house while in clothing of the Civil War era.  Oh yes it was!

September 27

Here I am,  in a modified picture to give a more authentic look,  actually helping to make beer. 

Beer/ale was a major dietary staple in the colonies.  Literally everyone partook.  It was the common item which spanned generations;  from cradle to grave everyone drank beer:  farmers,  laborers,  merchants,  lawyers,  and craftsmen.  Infants were fed beer and it was especially recommended for nursing mothers,  for,  being made from the crops that they grew,  it provided daily nutritional sustenance.  Beer was a common thread in all their lives and this beverage would even play an important role in the formation of government;  beer played a central role in the social,  economic and political life of almost all our regional ancestors.

It was also the key lubricant in the networks of local taverns that were the culture's primary social and political venues.

By the way,  it was not uncommon for drinking to begin even before breakfast and continue with every meal throughout the day.

Although there were those who drank to get drunk  (just like in the 21st century),  most in the colonial times drank beer because it was healthier than water.  They did not drink to get inebriated.

This coming from a man who does NOT drink beer---go figure!

September 28

Another Ken n Patty pic.  The ominous western sky really sets it off,  don't you think?  

This was taken at one of the numerous Port Sanilac Civil War events we've done over the years.  At Port Sanilac we try to do something a little bit different than the norm:

~we've done the battle of Gettysburg,  and included the occurrences of the town in a historically accurate way with Tillie Pierce,  Ginnie Wade,  and other Gettysburg notables

~we've done the 1st Bull Run/1st Manassas battle,  including having  

"the worst picnic in history" - picnicking citizens right next to the battle

~we've had an 1860s County Fair

~we've had a shotgun wedding

~we've had 1860s medical and surgery presentations

~we've gone to the nearby beach in period swimwear and clothing

~we've had living history fashion shows

Yeah...Port Sanilac is one of the best events of the year.  

We're already making plans for next year - 1st full weekend in August!

September 29

It’s interesting to note that many of us who take part in reenactments or enjoy visiting museums while in period clothing will find ourselves researching the lesser known but common bits of history not normally thought of or written about in history books.  For instance,  without a centralized gas or electric heating system,  the amount of wood needed for a household was impressive: in Colonial times,  before the improved efficiencies of the wood stoves,  farmers had to cut,  split and manage upwards of 30 to 40 cords of wood to keep their homes warm and in consistent operation.

There is documentation of a family burning  “twenty seven cords,  two feet of wood”  from May to May.  One impoverished woman mentioned that she endured a Boston winter on twelve cords of wood  “as we kept but one fire except on extraordinary occasions.”

Running a kitchen really did require a staggering range of skills,  including chopping kindling,  keeping a fire burning indefinitely,  and,  just as important,  knowing which wood was best for baking or for frying.

The most commonly used tool for processing wood in the 1700s was the American axe.  Axes were very efficient for felling and limbing trees,  but were not as good at splitting the trees into usable chunks of firewood.  For this purpose most wood cutters relied on splitting wedges and heavy wooden  “beetles”  or sledge hammers to split their wood.  Cross-cut saws were not often used for felling trees until the last quarter of the 19th century because they were initially not as efficient as axes and were much more expensive to purchase.

You see me here visiting the 1780 McGuffey log cabin,  one of the oldest original cabins from the 18th century still standing.

September 30

Here you see my son Miles and I at the Greenmead Civil War event a few years ago.

Miles enjoys participating in reenactments mainly because there are a lot of kids he gets to hang out with.  Though not particularly fond of the musket and cannon fire,  he would love nothing more than to see a Nerf gun battle between the north and south.

Frankly,  I would,  too!

I love that my family enjoys taking part in this hobby.  Oh,  maybe not as much as I do  (except Robbie),  but they have it in them,  and that's all that matters to me.

One of the things I try to show in my pictures is that there is more to reenacting than wearing old-timey clothes.

So much more...but you have to want it  to be more.
Living history is exactly what the term implies: bringing the past to life in a real manner that may sometimes be a bit different than what is usually seen at events.  It is where modern sensibilities may blur and blend with the past...

That's my goal,  and that's why you see me doing quite a variety of different things with a variety of people.

Bringing the past to life.

It's an experience.

Until next time,  see you in time.

~   ~   ~

An Eyewitness Journey Through Michigan's Past: 1768

I've written about Michigan's past numerous times - see the links at the bottom of this post - but this is perhaps the most descriptive I've been able to note of its 18th century past.  Most of  the words herein are not all of my own - the details in the narrative come from someone who was there at the time and had kept a journal of his travels,  so this is a first-hand account of  what was actually seen in the 1760s.

Bringing the past - our past - to life.

.........................................

As a youngster,  I grew up partly in Detroit - founded in 1701,  it is the city of my birth - and partly in a rural area north of that city,  near a village on the banks of Lake Huron known as Lexington,  Michigan  (named after the famous Massachusetts town)  where my grandfather had purchased a summer place,  and where I have even more and fonder memories than I do of Detroit.  

I had the best of both worlds - city and country.

While in Lexington I would often walk the beaches,  or,  on hot summer days,  I would float along the shoreline of this Great Lake in my inner tube,  and I would imagine how it may have looked back in the good old colony days,  with the local Indian tribes,  the forests,  the deep blue water...

Mill Creek in Lexington,  Michigan~
The path is on the left side.

A few beaches down is a creek known as Mill Creek that veins off the lake,  and along its banks was a tree-covered path that I used to follow as often as I could,  for it gave me the feeling that I was a frontiersman foraging new lands.  Because it was fairly remote,  with the only sounds coming from the running stream,  it was easy to imagine how it looked a century or more earlier.
As you can see,  my passion for the past was with me,  even as a child...
Anyhow,  as I followed this twisting,  winding path alongside of the creek I would run into an area we called The Spring Well,  which had the coldest,  clearest,  freshest water you ever had.

True spring water.
Fill those canteens up!

Then continued forward...or sometimes back to where I started.
It was all great fun for me.
Unlike too many kids today,  I can proudly say that the days of my youth were filled with such memories and adventures.

The original 13 colonies are well mapped and documented,  nearly to a  " T "  in most cases.  But 18th century settlements further inward - much farther inward - not so much.  Other than snippets here and there,  rarely does one read an actual description of what the upper midwest looked like back when our country was not yet a country.  

Jonathan Carver

What you are about to read came from the book  "Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America"  by Jonathan Carver.  According to the back of the book:
Born in Massachusetts in 1710,  Jonathan Carver joined the Massachusetts Colonial Militia at the age of 45 at the beginning of the French and Indian War.  He worked his way through the ranks  (including spending time with Robert Rogers and Roger's Rangers).
Following Britain's victory over France,  Carver decided to use the surveying and cartology skills he had acquired during his military experience to chart the northern plains in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage.
A classic of American travel,  Carver's kept a detailed journal account of his expedition to discover a Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean,  which became the focal point of his writing.  These writings of his travels is one of the earliest and best accounts of pre-Revolution exploration. He penetrated farther into the West than any other English explorer before the Revolution.
After failing to find money to publish his journal,  Carver went to London.  He left his wife and seven children never to see them again. Although his journal was received with praise and popularity,  he never received any money for his book and died in poverty...

So let's read a little of his adventures as he takes us to a place known then as New France,  but known now as Michigan:

November 1767 - Michilimackinac:

Michilimackinac

Michillimackinac,  from whence I began my travels,  is a Fort composed of a strong stockade,  and is usually defended by a garrison of one hundred men.  It contains about thirty houses,  one of which belongs to the governor,  and another to the commissary.  Several traders also dwell within its fortifications,  who find it a convenient situation to traffic with the neighboring nations.  Michillimackinac,  in the language of the Chipeway Indians,  signifies a tortoise;  and the place is suppose to receive its name from an island,  lying about six or seven miles to the north-east,  within sight of the Fort,  which has the appearance of that animal.
The winter setting in soon...I was obliged to tarry there till the June following,  the navigation over Lake Huron for large vessels not being open,  on account of the ice,  till that time.  Meeting here with Sociable company,  I passed these months very agreeably,  and without finding the hours tedious.
It's here where we will speak just a little about winter in Michillimackinac  (from the book Colonial Michilimackinac by the Mackinac State Historic Parks):
Throughout most of the long,  dreary winter months,  Fort Michilimackinac was ice-bound and cut off from communication with the main settlements of Montreal and Quebec,  and those who lived there were long without word from  "neighboring"  posts at Detroit and Sault Ste.  Marie.  Because of this desolate detachment filled with monotony,  it was not a popular post to be stationed at.

Both the Native peoples and the fort residence owned dogs.  Dogs were more than pets;  they were frequently used to pull small sleds during the winter.  When the lakes froze,  canoes were useless,  but dog sleds could go swiftly over the ice and snow.  Dogs even helped haul the massive amounts of firewood needed to keep the residents warm in the winter.
Winters were long and cold,  and the residents had to do a great deal of work just to stay warm.  They needed fifteen cords of wood  (a pile four feet wide,  four feet high,  and 120 feet long)  to keep each fireplace burning.
There was still time for fun.  A few of the residents knew how to play the fiddle,  and their music enlivened many an evening as people pushed the furniture back against the walls to make room to dance...

Now,  back to Mr.  Carver - - - 
One of my chief amusements was that of fishing for trouts.  Though the Straits were covered with ice,  we found means to make holes thro'  it,  and letting down strong lines of fifteen yards in length,  to which were fixed three or four hooks baited with the small fish  before described,  we frequently caught two at a time of forty pounds weight each;  but the common size is from ten to twenty pounds.  These are most delicious food.  The method of preserving them during the three months the winter generally lasts,  is by hanging them up in the air;  and in one night they will be frozen so hard,  that they will keep as well as if they were cured with salt.
In June 1768 I left Michillimackinac,  and returned in the Gladwyn Schooner,  a vessel of about eighty tons burthen  (archaic for  “burden”),  over Lake Huron to Lake St. Claire,  where we left the ship,  and proceeded in boats to Detroit.
This lake  (Huron)  is about ninety miles in circumference,  and by the way of Huron River,  which runs from the south corner of Lake Huron,  received the waters of the three great lakes,  Superior,  Michigan,  and Huron.  Its form is rather round,  and in some places it is deep enough for the navigation of large vessels,  but towards the middle of it there is a bar of sand,  which prevents those that are loaded from passing over it.  Such as are in ballast only may find water sufficient to carry them quite through;  the cargoes,  however,  of such as are freighted must be taken out,  and after being transported across the bar in boats,  reshipped again.

Map of Michigan in the 1750s.

Note Saganaum (Saginaw)  Bay

(click map to enlarge)

All these lakes are so affected by the winds,  as sometimes to have the appearance of a tide,  according as they happen to blow,  but this is only temporary and partial.
The fish in Lake Huron are much the same as those in Lake Superior.  Some of the land on its banks is very fertile,  and proper for cultivation,  but in other parts it is sandy and barren.  On its banks are found an amazing quantity of the sand cherries,  and in the adjacent country are the same fruits as those that grow about the other lakes.
A great number of the Chipeway Indians live scattered around this lake,  particularly near  Saganaum (Saginaw)  Bay.  On its banks are found an amazing quantity of the sand cherries,  and in the adjacent country nearly the same fruits as those that grow about the other lakes.

The river that runs from lake St. Claire to Lake Erie  (or rather the Straight,  for thus might be termed from its name)  is called Detroit,  which is in French,  the Straight.  It runs nearly south,  has a gentle current,  and depth of water sufficient for ships of considerable burthen.  The town of Detroit is situated on the western banks of this river,  about nine miles below Lake St.  Claire.
Almost opposite,  on the eastern shore,  is the village of the ancient Hurons;  a tribe of Indians…
The banks of the River Detroit…are covered with settlements that extend more than twenty miles;  the country being exceedingly fruitful,  and proper for the cultivation of wheat,  Indian corn,  oats,  and peas.  It has also many spots of fine pasturage;  but as the inhabitants,  who are chiefly French that submitted to the English government after the conquest of these parts by General Amherst,  are more attentive to the Indian trade than to farming,  it is but badly cultivated.

Map of Detroit 1763 - just five years before 

this narrative was written
Click to enlarge

The town of Detroit contains upwards of one hundred houses.  The streets are somewhat regular,  and have a range of very convenient and handsome barracks,  with a spacious parade at the fourth end.  On the west side lies the king’s garden belonging to the governor,  which is very well laid out and kept in good order.  The fortifications of the town consist of a strong stockade made of round piles,  fixed firmly in the ground,  and lined with palisades.  These are defended by some small bastions,  on which are mounted a few indifferent cannons of an inconsiderable size,  just sufficient for its defence against the Indians,  or an enemy not provided with artillery.
The garrison,  in time of peace,  consists of two hundred men commanded by a field officer,  who acts as chief magistrate under the governor of Canada.  Mr. Ternbull  (actually,  George Trumbull),  captain of the 60th regiment or Royal Americans,  was commandant when I happened to be there.  This gentleman was deservedly esteemed and respected both by the inhabitants and traders for the propriety of his conduct…

Aside from his writings on a  1763 insurrection known as Chief Pontiac's Rebellion,  describing a Native American uprising against the British  (including the attacks on Fort Detroit)  just after the close of the French and Indian Wars,  this is where Carver's descriptions of Detroit ends,  and he begins his next observances as he moves toward Lake Erie and other spots eastward.

I plan to write about Pontiac's Rebellion in a future blog post.

As a historian,  these morsels describing times past are true gems.  When history is taught in school,  rarely does the teacher illustrate the environment in which those from the past are living.  Instead,  most educators tend to describe them using modern ideology.  Such an abomination!  To me,  it is of utmost importance to understanding the past in their terms,  not ours.  Rather than condemnation of our forebears,  we can,  instead,  understand their whys and wherefores.  Rather than placing our modern thought upon those from another time,  we can learn of their surroundings,  their fears,  their habitat...their circumstances...like a far off land,  the past is a foreign place.  And to fully grasp previous times one must view the full color picture,  and not just a few old black & white snapshots,  as what tends to be occurring today.

The photographs of Michilimackinac were taken in 

August 2020 by Larissa Fleishman.

Thank you for allowing me to use them!

Until next time,  see you in time...

For more Michigan history:
Finding the oldest structures in Michigan - click HERE
Stories on early Michigan - click HERE
When Thomas Edison rode the rails from Port Huron to Detroit - click HERE
Detroit,  from 1701 through the early 20th century - a social history - click HERE
A history of Michigan's Taverns - click HERE
Detroit during the War of 1812 - click HERE

~   ~   ~

Late Summer Historical Fun

This has been one very different summer.  With no reenactments to be had,  it was a bit more difficult to immerse myself in the past.  I had to find new ways to do old things.  For instance,  if you recall,  there was a project I worked on locating Michigan's oldest structures,  all pre-statehood  (1837).  Naturally I had to photograph and write about each one I found - I posted my findings HERE.  And it was a fun adventure,  photographing the state's oldest buildings, but I also visited my favorite local open-air museum,  Greenfield Village,  which finally was able to open up its gates to the public on July 2nd.  A few of us very excitedly visited the Village while wearing our 18th century clothing to celebrate our country's birth on the 4th of July.  Tales of our adventurous Independence Day visit are posted HERE.
I have visited Greenfield a few times since.  The pictures you are about to see were taken from late July through early September.  Just being surrounded by all of that history----makes my heart leap:

The 1780 birthplace of William Holmes McGuffey.
I've gone to sites listing the oldest log cabins in the U.S.  
But this,  for some odd reason,  isn't on any of those lists.  A 
number of the oldest were also moved to other locations,  so that 
can't be the reason.  Considering the age of this one,  it is easily in 
the top ten.

Brought over from Chedworth,  Gloucestershire,  England we
have the Cotswold Cottage,  built around 1620.  It is the oldest
structure that has been placed inside Greenfield Village.
We are looking directly at the side of the forge.  The dovecote is 
center right with the barn far right.  And in the far-back center we 
see the living quarters - the cottage itself.  It is one of the most 
picturesque areas of Greenfield Village.

I was sitting on a bench in front of the ancient Farris Windmill 

near the Daggett House when I looked up and saw the image I 

have posted here.  Now I've seen this early 18th century 

Plympton House from this angle probably a thousand times or 

more,  but this one particular time it reached out to me in a 

different way.  

So I photographed what I saw using,  for the first time,  

my zoom lens.

Here is the full side view of the Plympton House taken with the
regular lens.  Built in the early 1700s,  this is the oldest American
structure inside Greenfield Village.
A little beyond we see the Susquehanna Plantation from
the mid-1830s. 

The 1750s home of John and Mehetable Goddings.
It is situated only a short walk from the Daggett House inside 
Greenfield Village.  At one time they would have period-dress 
presenters at each location,  and they would send visitors 
between the two to show rural life  (Daggett)  versus city life  
(Giddings) for comparison in clothing and lifestyle.
That was a wonderful history lesson.

For the time being,  due to the covid-chaos,  visitors are not allowed inside the historic houses that have period-dress presenters,  though many of the windows are open for photographic purposes.

Do you recall the couple of pictures I posted above of the red 
Plympton house?  Well,  I was sitting in the exact same spot when 
I looked to my right and saw this  *almost foreboding*  scene. 
Oh!  To have a house like Daggett...

So let's spend a little time at my favorite house,  shall we?
I have to chuckle a little,  for the Village presenters enjoy commenting on how I zip right past everything,  and I will hear them yell  "see you after Daggett,  Ken!"  as I scurry over the Ackley Covered Bridge to get to this old saltbox/break-back/lean-to first thing upon entering the Village gates.

Though they do not practice 1st person,  the presenters at the 
Daggett House,  like the presenters at Firestone Farm  (and a 
couple other structures)  do much of the work and chores that 
would have been done back in the day,  showing a history lesson.

With inside cooking-on-the-hearth not being done this year,  as 
would normally have taken place,  we are able to enjoy a 
compromise by witnessing an expansion of historical crafts 
and talents beyond what we've been used to seeing.

Jan was working on an interesting colonial-era project:
She was weaving tape by using a paddle loom.  Tape was an 
important part of a colonial wardrobe.  It was used to fasten and 
hold clothing in place.  For example,  tape could have been used 
to tie petticoats around the waist,  fasten the front opening of a 
short gown,  and even to secure an apron.  Paddle looms,  as you 
see in the picture below,  are ideal for making tape. 
No...not scotch tape! lol
Paddle looms are mobile and can be taken and used most 
anywhere.  They are notched to fit between the knees.  The warp 
threads in the weave can be tied to any stationary object so one 
can easily weave inside or outside.

Chuck has been honing his skills on the shave horse,  
utilizing the different wood-working tools of the day.

Wonder what necessity he is planning to make...?

And soon enough we see him making what I believe is a new 
ladle to help with the cooking.  He is using a draw knife to give 
the ladle its shape.

Emily is using the walking wheel outside in the soft breeze of a 
warm summer's day rather than inside the great hall.

Many modern folks don't always think of working in the garden as being all that special or even necessarily historical.  In fact,  there are some who might think talking about plants would be as exciting as a trip to the box factory.  However,  when you visit the gardens of the Daggett House  (or Firestone Farm),  the last thing you will be is bored,  for the presenters will tell you not only of its importance to the family for survival,  but you will also be very impressed by their knowledge of each plant and their many uses;  the wonderful workers really know their horticulture and are very impressive to listen to.  I have gained a strong interest in heirloom plants and gardening,  and,  aside from my own farmer grandfather,  I place the  "blame"  strictly on the many years I've been coming to Greenfield Village  (nearly 50!). 

Moving behind the house to the kitchen garden,  we find Gigi
not afraid of getting a little dirt on her hands.
The presenters love giving garden tours,  which are not
only interesting,  but helps us to appreciate how our colonial 
ancestors survived.

As a social historian and living historian,  I,  myself,  am always on the lookout to accent and improve my own  "past"  experiences,  presentations,  and impressions,  and I always tend to notice the many seemingly insignificant items in the background inside the home.
And then I ask about it,  hoping to see it in action.
From there I will search high and low to purchase a replicated version for myself!
I call it Daggett-izing  (click HERE to learn more about how I've been Daggettinzing my home).
A good  (and most recent)  example of this is my flax break.
It took me a few years to locate the kind I wanted at a reasonable price,  but for me patience truly was a virtue for it was well worth the wait.  When I posted about my latest cool acquisition on my Facebook page,  I wrote:  I know it's probably the least impressive thing most of you have seen,  but to me it is golden.
Yep---Ken is happy...even in this unbearing heat.

My flax break...finally!
Now all I need is some retted flax...which was also
pretty difficult to find.

Well,  on August 31,  I wrote on my page:
My flax finally arrived today!
I am as happy as you were when you got your smartphone or Apple watch------------
Yep---I am a happy man!

I am planning to prepare some flax for spinning soon.

Breaking and spinning flax

I already have a hackle/hetchel and am making a scutcher.
If you are interested in the textile arts of the 18th century,  please click HERE.


Now let's talk candles...specifically,  their usage on period drama TV shows.
We need to get one thing straight:  unless you were very wealthy and had money literally to burn,  someone living in the 18th century would not have multiple candles lit at the same time,  along with a lit fireplace...especially in the daytime.  Look at the scene in the picture below...how many candles do you see lit?
I count eleven...plus I believe there is another lit behind Jamie's head.
No way!

Candles and candles and more candles - - all lit at the same time,  
often during daylight hours,  just did not happen in the 18th and 
even 19th century.  
Why oh why to period TV shows constantly do this?

Have you ever dipped candles or even used candle molds?  Have you ever boiled down  (rendered)  animal fat for candles?
Whether one uses tallow or beeswax,  making candles is quite a chore.  And purchasing them from the local chandler is not cheap----who has enough money to purchase and burn over a dozen candles a day?
For more about candles and living in 18th century darkness,  please click HERE.


If you remember back to this past Memorial Day,  my friend Joey and his wife Amanda held a sort of private mini-reenactment on his property to help offset the cancelation of the reenactments normally taking place over that weekend.  (click HERE to read about that).
Well,  he did it again for an end of summer send off:  Labor Day Monday at Joey's.

Firing up the brazer.
That's Joey on the left,  our host.

 Actually,  it was more of a simple gathering of  reenacting friends who felt the need to throw on our 18th century clothing and get out of the house!

I see Ken,  Jennifer,  and Richard the blacksmith.

We spent most of our time talking and catching up.
And eating food.
I like food.

Joey set up his tent in case of rain.

Joey's wife Amanda,  our hostess,  along with young EJ.

EJ's mom,  Jennifer.

Ken Roberts.
Though Ken reenacts the RevWar era,  I believe his
favorite time period just might be the War of 1812.

Two Kens.
We outnumbered them all!

Any chance I get - any excuse will do - to get me in period clothing,  and I'm there.  Especially in this,  the year of the non-reenactment.  Whether I visit an open-air museum such as Greenfield Village,  Mill Race Village,  or the Navarre-Anderson Trading Post,  hang out at Joey's,  or dip candles in my own backyard,  I will grab any opportunity to dress period.
If Our Good Lord is willing,  I have high hopes to attend and participate in a couple more upcoming autumn events - 18th & 19th centuries - mostly private  (no public allowed).
One can only hope...

And to end this week's posting - - - - -
Two years ago,  in September 2018,  a decently large group of 18th century reenactors grabbed an opportunity to travel out onto Lake Michigan in a ---get this---tall ship!  The Friends Good Will,  a replica of an 1810 square-topsail sloop,  sails out of South Haven, Michigan.

Friends Good Will

Friends Good Will is a working American reproduction of the historical Friends Good Will  (1811–1813),  a merchant square-rigged topsail sloop that was overtaken by the events of the War of 1812.  The British captured her in a ruse of war shortly after they captured Fort Mackinac,  and renamed her HMS Little Belt.  In British service she was armed with a 9-pounder pivot gun and two 6-pounder guns.  The Americans recaptured her during the Battle of Lake Erie.  She then served in the US Navy before the British destroyed her at the end of December 1813.

Heading out into Lake Michigan.

The current vessel was built in 2004,  at Scarano Boat Building,  Inc.  in Albany,  New York,  and was sailed by volunteers through Lakes Ontario,  Erie,  Huron,  and Michigan to the Michigan Maritime Museum,  in South Haven,  Michigan where she brings the area's history to life through educational tours,  day sails,  and school field trips.

Tony Gerring set this event up.
Nearly the entire passenger list was made up of 
period dress reenactors.

When you think about it,  this is a reenactment beyond what 
most have done,  and I am so sorry I had to miss it.

My son Robbie with Benjamin Franklin  (aka Bob Stark)

My son Robbie with his then friend, Heather.
She will soon be his bride...yes,  in real life!

Can you just imagine being on a ship as this and only seeing 
period dress people aboard?
For the very few modern-dress folk who were also out for the 
ride  only four or five),  it must have been a time-travel experience.

Such a ride none will forget.

I had a ticket for this experience but, unfortunately, I woke up that morning feeling pretty sick.  I have hopes to one day make it.
By the way,  there were various reenactors who took these photos,  including my son Robbie as well as Tony Gerring and Sue Hansen.
The information about Friends Good Will came from Wikipedia.

So that's it for this week.  There are a few interesting historical events coming up over the horizon,  as I mentioned earlier.  Autumn definitely looks brighter than the summer,  that's for sure.

Until next time,  see you in time.

~ Please click the links below for more of my blog posts about the later half of the 18th century:

If you are interested in the textile arts of the 18th century,  please click HERE.

Travel and Taverns
The long air-conditioned  (or heated)  car ride.  Motels without a pool!  Can we stop at McDonalds? I'm hungry!
Ahhhh....modern travelers never had it so good.
I've always had a fascination of travel back in the day,  and I decided to find out as much as I could about them.
I wasn't disappointed - - - I dug through my books,  went to a historic research library,  'surfed the net'  (does anyone say that anymore?),  and asked docents who work at historic taverns questions,  looking for the tiniest bits of information to help me to understand what it was like to travel and stay at a tavern in the colonial times.
This post is the culmination of all of that research.
Our country's founding relied greatly on the tavern.

Cooking on the Hearth
No stoves or fast food restaurants.  Everything made from scratch.
What was it like for our colonial ancestors to prepare,  cook,  and eat their meals,  and what kinds of food were available to them?  How did they keep their foodstuffs from spoiling and rotting?
If you have questions such as this,  I believe you will enjoy this post.

In the Good Old Colony Days
A concise pictorial to everyday life in America's colonies.  And I do mean  "pictorial,"  for there are over 80 photos included,  covering nearly every aspect of colonial life.
I try to touch on most major topics of the period with links to read more detailed accounts.
This just may be my very favorite of all my postings.  If it isn't,  it's in the top 2!

Living By Candle Light: The Light at its Brightest
Could you survive living in the era before electric lights or even before the 19th century style oil lamps?
Do you know how many candles you would need for a year?
Do you know what it was like to make candles right from scratch,  or what it was like to visit your local chandler?
That's what this posting is about!

Buried Treasure:  Stories of the Founding Generation
Interesting true tales of  everyday folk of the later 18th century,  including an interview with a soldier who was actually at Concord on April 19,  1775,  the powder horn of James Pike,  the true death-defying,  battle-scarred story of Samuel Whittemore,  runaway slaves & servants,  smallpox inoculations,  and Nabby Adams experience having breast cancer.
Quite a history lesson here!

A Year on a Colonial Farm
See what it was really like,  month to month,   for farm folks like Samuel Daggett and others as you spend all four seasons on an 18th century farm.

~   ~   ~