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Westville 1850 Living History
Westville 1850 Friday everyone successfully made the transition into l850 and got settled into the Patterson House at Westville where we put down beds and I moved our supplies into the kitchen. We walked the site with the director and were shown where each of us would be interpreting the next morning. The weaver took me aside and explained the entire process to me. She was patient and friendly, and had me throwing shuttles before I knew it. I was very thankful and believe that with some practice I could successfully weave on the loom I have. Perhaps there are genuine homespun dresses in our future at some point, or towels, curtains, or a coverlet. Lee spent some time visiting with the gentleman who does baskets and woodworking and enjoyed that immensely, as did Laura and I talking with Sally who usually does open hearth cooking in the Patterson house.
Lee and Matt walked up to the wood shop and got themselves settled in for the weekend. Lucy said as she went by at one point they were inside working by candle light and she could hear faint voices floating through the night air. She experienced an altogether too real vision of what it was like for men to go about their normal routine of earning their living in the village.
Laura established herself in one of the houses to make baskets.
Anne arrived late, but enjoyed the remainder of the weekend with us, and we were happy to see her arrive. After dinner we were able to sit on the back porch and talk, each planning how to start out our day come morning. I tried to work at building a fire in the kitchen and saw that the fireplace was too full of ashes to draw properly so I found a shovel, Laura found a bucket and we set about cleaning out the ashes. We also cleaned out the ashes in the brick oven with plans to put it to use the following day as well. Once we got the ashes all out the fire burned much better and we went to bed anxious for morning.
Like any good housekeeper I rose early, got the fire going and kept throwing on wood until I got a good bed of coals. Everyone was appreciative of the coffee and the site provided us with breakfast which was supplemented with Brenda�s blackberry cobbler.
I bid everyone farewell as they each went to their respective houses to go about their activities and to greet incoming visitors. After they�d gone I surveyed the kitchen, took note of my fire, and set about cooking. During the course of the day I made biscuits in the oven, as well as open hearth, made cornbread in the oven, made fried apple pies, hominy, country ham, a boiled plum pudding, and mashed turnips. Laura finished her basket and ran out of materials early in the day on Saturday and then came back to the Patterson house to help me and keep me company. She made butter, helped with the fried pies, greeted visitors, and kept making sure I drank enough water since it was incredibly hot working in the kitchen with a fire going.
During the afternoon I walked up through
the village and saw the men folk making
Lucy had worked during the day in the garden pulling weeds and hoeing heirloom vegetables, and she and Patrick also gave rides on Woodrow to the daughters of some of the staff. Her hoe needed a sharpening so she�d walked down to the wood working shop to see if the proprietor would sharpen it for her. As she started into the shop Lee closed the gate telling her it was no place for women and sent her to sit on the front porch while they worked at sharpening her hoe. Although their efforts were appreciated she secretly said the hoe wasn�t any sharper after they�d finished than before they started. Thankfully they excel at woodworking since their efforts in this endeavor were somewhat less than successful. By evening when everyone returned home from
their chores the food was ready, I�d had a bath and clean clothes, and
we had a regular feast. Later though everyone was bone tired we all
discussed what our day had been like and how fortunate we felt to be
able to work in such surroundings. I think after it cooled off enough to
try and sleep everyone was ready for bed. It was the perfect day other
than the mosquitoes Sunday morning Pat built a fire in the kitchen and made coffee much to my relief, while I gathered up my belongings and supplies. Afterward she, Anne, and I set out on a tour of the village. When we finished our tour and got back Patrick had Woodrow saddled ready for one last ride before they departed for home. Laura decided I should ride so I obliged. Many thanks to Lee for helping me mount the horse. I�m sure I made quite the spectacle of myself trying to get up into the saddle. I am so short everyone was amused that my feet were dangling a foot from the stirrups once I got into the saddle. They were adjusted and Woodrow and I headed down the road and back. I regretted not having any more carrots to feed him after he was so gentle and patient with me. I�m sure he suspected he was the first horse I�d ever been on and I was exceedingly grateful he didn�t take off at a full gallop just for the sheer amusement of it all. All too soon it was time to leave l850 and start for home. Lee, Laura, Matt and I stopped and had lunch in Lumpkin on the way out. Most of us were plagued with rain on the way home, but thankfully no tornadoes or storms as Lucy and I dealt with coming home from McDowell. Other than being hot and muggy and some evening heat lightning on Sat. night the weather was quite stable for our visit. The staff was friendly, and accommodating, and we left looking forward to our next visit to Westville and l850. I asked each of the participants to tell me what their favorite part of the weekend: Matt: "I really enjoyed working in the woodshop. It was great to have something meaningful to do at an event rather than sit around and pretend for the spectators." Lucy: "One of my favorite moments was sitting on the porch of the modest home that faced the side of the McDonald house, and watching the moon come up over the trees down by the dogtrot house, listening to the windmill turn in the breeze, hearing the hammer and saw from the wood shop where Lee and Wormy [Matt] were working, and then the faint sound of slow plodding horse hooves coming up the lane. Once up on Woodrow, to mosey through the streets, looking at the houses and gardens bathed in the full moon light, up and down each street we went, and riding by the woodshop and looking through the windows, seeing two fellows inside, working by candlelight. That was real. Another favorite moment was putting VR in the wagon Sun. morning and pulling her down the street, Mister Peterson pushing, and me pulling, and poor ole Ma rattling along. We were pretending she was drunk in town and we had to fetch her." Pat: "My
favorite part was walking through town on Sunday morning and looking at
and inside all the houses. When I stood on the porch of the McDonald
House I closed my eyes and could just imagine horse drawn carriages
going by, children playing in the little park behind the Singer house
and shoe shop, neighbors standing in their front yard talking to each
other...... Laura: "The Sausage and Biscuit". Vickie: "There were so many, where to start? My favorite must have been having that wonderful kitchen to work in. It was hotter than the blue blazes long about mid-afternoon, but definitely the stuff fond memories are made of. Visitors would come in and immediately ask how I could stand it, or comment they bet I was glad I didn�t have to do that every day. How do you explain to someone that �yes, it is hot, yes it is hard work, but yes, I would trade my life in the 2lst century for this life in l850 any day of the week�? I felt so good preparing a meal for people I really care about just as Susannah would have done � the same foods, same techniques, same cooking utensils. I acquired a realism in cooking and testing recipes for the cookbook I could never have gotten in my modern kitchen. It was a magic moment when I ventured out once during the afternoon and saw the men folk heading through the village towards home carrying my new rope bed. I felt really special that they�d take the time to do that for me. It was absolutely wonderful seeing Matt enjoy himself so much at an event, and to experience the camaraderie we�re famous for. Thanks for the memories, yall. Till next week��" Lee: "I would have to say that my favorite part of the weekend was Saturday afternoon after it closed. We were the only ones there strolling about the streets, peeking in the shop windows as though I were window shopping, and wondering if anyone was home at the various homes, looking both ways before crossing the streets in fear of being run over by horse or wagon coming down the road I was kind of lost in my own little time warp while I was strolling around the town it was so wonderful to be in a place were I felt I really belonged." Patrick: "Your riding Woodrow. The mount and dismount alone were worth bringing him for." Anne: "Westville is the best place I've ever been since I've been in the business of reenacting. It's absolutely perfect to practice our 19th century skills; like being transported back in time. It would be great if we could go every weekend or better yet, just live there!! BTW, the sausage & biscuit and lemonade were excellent." Until we meet again, I remain, humbly, |
Pat and Nancy were in the Singer house
showing clothing, and Pat was sewing away. She felt right home as some
of Westville�s homes were built by early German immigrants. I�m sure
she felt just like an l850�s seamstress as she went about her daily
routine of sewing and greeting people interested in clothing. By the end
of the day we made quite a contrast in appearance � she still fresh as
a daisy, and me dirty, and smelling of sweat, smoke, and cooking odors.
Brenda got her laundry set up in the yard
of one of the other homes including wash pot, washboard, ironing board,
smoothing iron, laundry fork, soap, bluing, etc.
Lila, the dog slept most of the day in the
corner of the kitchen rousing briefly occasionally to walk over and
observe our activities and then go back to her corner and sleep some
more.
their way towards home carrying
a newly made rope bed which I knew was to be mine. The sense of
satisfaction the men got from making the bed in the workshop equipped
with period tools almost equaled my delight at having a comfortable bed
to sleep in after feeding a large supply of wood to that fireplace and
cooking all day. Each of them were given a well deserved hug for their
efforts.
When the bed was on the porch of the
Patterson house I put on my feather tick, and Matt volunteered to test
it out. Apparently he was pleased with his efforts as he fell asleep and
had to be wakened for supper.
which swarmed about after nightfall. I slept like a
baby in my rope bed.