Shall We Have Christmas?

By: Kajsa Sabatke, Manager of Public Programs

We're introducing a new program at the museum this year. Some of you may have come to our Holiday Lantern Tours in previous years. This year we've moved from the tours to focus even more on the experience of the winter holidays in the nineteenth century. If you're looking for a chance to visit The Farmers' Museum and experience a quieter and more historic atmosphere than Candlelight Evening, I hope that you'll come to the museum on Saturday, December 3, between 4-8pm. (And the week after that, please come and see the entire village aglow for Candlelight Evening.)

Our new program is called Shall We Have Christmas? During the nineteenth century, Christmas was not the major holiday that it is today. It was celebrated in similar, smaller-scale ways, though. Shall We Have Christmas won't be as large of an event as Candlelight Evening, but activities will be taking place in many of the buildings: holiday gift-making in the More House, singing and socializing in the tavern, wagon rides, holiday foods in the Lippitt House, greeting card printing in the printing office, remedies for winter ailments in the pharmacy, and decorations in the church. 

In addition to the staff who'll be talking about the holidays in each building, you'll be able to hear more about the holidays from quotes by people who wrote about their experience of the holidays in the mid-nineteenth century. Susan Fenimore Cooper, daughter of James Fenimore Cooper and also an author, shared many holiday observations in her book, Rural Hours:

The festival is very generally remembered now in this country, though more of a social than a religious holiday, by all those who are opposed to such observances on principle. In large towns it is almost universally kept. In the villages, however, but few shops are closed, and only one or two of the half dozen places of worship are opened for service. Still, everybody recollects that it is Christmas; presents are made in all families; the children go from house to house wishing Merry Christmas; and probably few who call themselves Christians allow the day to pass without giving a thought to the sacred event it commemorates, as they wish their friends a “Merry Christmas.”

Gwen Miner, our Supervisor of Domestic Arts, has also found quotes from historic diaries from the region that related to each of the buildings that will be open.

We hope to see you for at least one of our holiday events in December!

Fourth of July at The Farmers' Museum

By: Mary Margaret Kuhn, Carousel Supervisor

The Fourth of July was celebrated at The Farmers' Museum with gusto this year. The weather was lovely, and lots of happy families came to share in the fun. It was my pleasure to bring the efforts of many talented folks together to make a memorable day for our guests. Like many of our special event days, this fun was made possible by a cadre of volunteers who willingly shared their time and talents.

Visitors were greeted at the Country Fair by Martha Duke and Katie Curran taking registrations for the Apple Pie Eating Contest, sponsored by the Fly Creek Cider Mill, who donated the pies and the prize of a $50 gift certificate. Folks could also sign up for an iron skillet throwing contest and a quoit pitch.

Next, our guests found a fabulous puppet show titled "Rabble Rousing" in the blue and white fair tent. Performed five times by Jai and Nancy, the story was about the colonists rebelling against the British government after one tax after another was levied on them.

The ladies researched and wrote the show, made and clothed the eleven puppets and even created the scenery! Nance teaches puppetry in the Theater Arts program at Utica College and generously shared her expertise.

Volunteers John LaDuke, Hannah Blystra and Michaela LaChance ran old fashioned contests like sack races, egg races and wheelbarrow races all day on the green between the Empire State Carousel and Todd's General Store for the delight of young and old alike.

Ted Shuart marshaled the (truly volunteer) militia on the Bump Tavern Green and led the musket salute as Tom Heitz read the Declaration of Independence from the tavern's upper porch. Katie Boardman entertained with her varied repertoire of patriotic songs played on the lower porch for the enjoyment of all.

Guests could quench their appetite and thirst at the new Crossroads Café housed in the William’s Carriage Shed next to the Tavern.  Zeb pulled the ride wagon as Farmer Rick and Ray took turns driving and Doodle Grubb gave his time as the wagon rider.

A highlight came in the afternoon when Garet Livermore announced the name selected for the horse who returned to ride the Empire State Carousel mechanism after 15 years.  Cooper the Colt was chosen from over 500 submissions.  This name was suggested by Osha & Jaia French, Jennifer Evans, Diane Williams & Emily Davidson, Marty Smith, Kevin Carley, Jim & Joan Ford, Siobhan Hayden, Claire Reichard, Dakota Halwig, Jeff Dickert, Ian Garvin & Tracy Olmstead and Gage Halverson.  Our congratulations go out to these folks who will all receive the brand new Empire State Carousel cloisonné bookmark. 

Gage Olmstead and his mother, who were present for the announcement of Cooper the Colt.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to all who did so much to make this a day of fun at The Farmers' Museum!

Checking the List ...

By: Joshua Harley, Historical Interpreter for Todd's General Store

Santa Claus is a very busy man. This is a well known fact. With more and more children in the world to visit, sometimes the jolly old elf needs a helping hand. We here at The Farmers’ Museum are happy to help Santa when we can. To that end, we are proud to present our new stocking stuffers, Naughty and Nice bags!

Do you know someone who deserves one (or maybe both) of these hand-printed bags?

Giving gifts to children based on their behavior during the holiday season is a tradition thought to have started in America with the Dutch settlers of New York. At the time shoes were often left by the fireplace for Sinterklaas to fill with candies, toys, poems, or *gasp* coal to those who earned it.

In keeping with this tradition our Naughty bags are filled with our 100% blacksmith-approved coal from our historic blacksmith shop and each is hand filled by our Santa-approved shopkeeper.

Our Nice bag will have traditional gifts of candy and small toys for those who deserve them.

Both the bags were hand printed right here on our historic 1862 Liberty Job Press. It is the oldest Liberty press known to exist - with a serial number of 610 -  and was made in Brooklyn.

So come down to Todd’s General Store at Candlelight Evening on December 11, and help Santa out. That should put you on the “nice” list!

Thanksgiving

by: Garet Livermore, Vice President for Education

THANKSGIVING DAY.--When shall it be? The last Thursday in November falls on the 29th. We petition each and all the State governors to appoint that day for our national rejoicing. Then all the land will be glad together, and union among the people would be a sure pledge of heart-thankfulness to God, who has given to us, as a nation, such wonderful prosperity, such universal blessings.  -- Sarah J. Hale, Editor, Godey’s Lady’s Book, October 1855.

Fall thanksgiving celebrations have been a part the American experience since colonial days. The celebration at Plymouth Plantation by the Pilgrims in 1621 is only the most famous example. Celebrating at harvest time with a feast and games was a common practice in all of the colonies, including New York and Virginia. Each location marked the successful harvest with its own traditional foods and activities. It was not until a public relations campaign spearheaded by Sarah J. Hale, the editor of Godey’s Ladies Book, in the middle of the 19th century that the holiday became a national event. The date was first fixed as the final Thursday in November by the proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 and later adjusted to the fourth Thursday in November in a law signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941. Apparently, Roosevelt felt that in the country would benefit from the extra week of Christmas shopping in those years when November has five Thursdays.

The Turkey as National Dish
The centerpiece of most Thanksgiving meals, the turkey, has an interesting history of its own. Although many people know the story of Ben Franklin’s proposal to make the bird our national symbol, fewer know why it is the almost universal choice for our Thanksgiving meals. When early settlers came to Massachusetts, they were pleased to find fish and game in abundance. They were particularly fond of the bird they called the “Turkey Fowl” because of the belief that it was related to the guinea fowl then being imported to Europe from the Middle East.

Initially, the birds were so numerous that they were a reliable food source for early settlers. Edward Winslow, a Pilgrim leader, described hunting the birds for the first Thanksgiving meal: “Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labor. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week.” With this kind of unsustainable hunting the birds quickly became scarce, and wild turkeys almost disappeared from New England in the 18th century.

Farmers developed domesticated breeds of turkey to raise for meat and eggs. Although never as popular as chickens or even geese for family meals and holidays, the turkey benefitted from its traditional connection with Thanksgiving and became a specialty animal for farmers to raise and bring to market in the fall. Most of these breeds had strong regional connections, like the Narragansett in the Northeast and the Bourbon Red in Kentucky. The Farmers’ Museum raises a small flock of Narragansett turkeys here in Cooperstown as it was the most common breed of turkey in our region.

Driving Turkeys to Market
Just like today, the demand for turkeys was highly seasonal in the 19th century. Farmers who raised the birds had to drive them to market for the profitable holiday season. “Driving” turkeys in the 19th century consisted of getting the whole flock to walk, sometimes more than a hundred miles, to market under their own power. The flock was led by a wagon filled with grain that a boy sprinkled in front of the group and it was followed by men with long “switches” or sticks that could be used to poke and prod reluctant turkeys along the way. The process had several challenges, including birds’ instinct to roost in trees, on roofs and in the rafters of covered bridges that they encountered. “Turkey trots” were often held up for days while the drovers climbed in trees and on buildings, poking at the birds to get them down on the ground and walking to market again.
Thanksgiving at The Farmers’ Museum
The Farmers' Museum will reopen its doors on the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving to offer visitors a glimpse of how Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1845. Visitors will get a chance to see a turkey drive and help the Farmers move our turkeys to market across the museum grounds. You will see our staff prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal at Lippitt farmhouse and watch the blacksmith forge trivets and fireplace tools. At the Middlefield Printing Shop you can print a traditional Thanksgiving recipe to take home for your own use. Come join the fun and explore the museum!

George Washington loved his farm, then he died.

By: Erin Crissman Richardson, Curator

When did I first know that I wanted to be a museum curator?  Normally, in response to this question, I tell a story related to a Girl Scout trip when I was 12.  I have been telling that story for about 10 years.  That was until I discovered a lost manuscript in my parents' basement.  It is a report called "George Washington."  I surmise that it is from second grade or so.  At the top, there is a "Very Good" stamp from the teacher. Obviously, THIS was the moment when I knew that I would always be a museum and/or history nerd.  Here, for your enjoyment, and to help you celebrate Independence Day, is my first work of historical non-fiction:

George Washington

He was born on Feb. 22, 1732.  He had 6 brothers and sisters. One brother owned a house called Mount Vernon. George went to live there when his father died. Gorge learned to survey land in school. One day Lord Fairfax wanted his land measured. So he could show how much he had.  He asked George if he would help him measure his land. This was George's first job.

George married a woman named Martha Curtis. She was a widow with two children. They all lived in Mount Vernon. The house was small in the begining. George built it bigger for his new family.

The war between England and the colonies started.  George was the leader. The war lasted 8 years. When the war was over he went back to Mount Vernon.

Five years later George was elected first Presedent of the Uninted States.

George loved his farm. every day he went out and looked at his farm. Once day he was cought in a rain storm. And he got pneumonia. On December 14, 1799 he died.

Critical review by the author:

1. I call George Washington by his first name throughout as if he is the kid sitting next to me in class.  As a child, I would never have called an adult by his or her first name, EVER.  There are still many adults in my life whom I call Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so.  I am actually surprised that my mother allowed me to hand this in with such informality.
2. There are very few spelling errors.
3. Please make no connection between George Washington's demise and my previous post about visiting outdoor museums in the rain.

Do any of you have school reports to help us celebrate Independence Day?

Above: George Washington and his family at Mount Vernon.  1889 image by Kurz and Allison.  Image courtesy of the Library Of Congress and can be found here.

New Year in New York - 19th Century Style

By: Gwen Miner, Supervisor of Domestic Arts

In the nineteenth century, New Year’s celebrations were not dissimilar from the ways we celebrate today. Social visits to neighbors, drinking and eating, liturgical observations, resolutions and wishes were the customs. Some individuals sent cards to family and friends. Newspapers and periodicals generally included poetry that set the tone for the anticipation of the new and fond farewell to the old. In general, two modes existed to celebrate the New Year, one which was quiet, private and reflective; and the other which was sociable and gay.

The following is Susan Fenimore Cooper’s observation of a New Year’s Day in Cooperstown in the late 1840’s from her book Rural Hours:

The usual visiting going on in the village; all gallant spirits are in motion, from very young gentlemen of five or six, to their Grandpapas, wishing “Happy New Year” to the ladies. In this part of the world we have a double share of holiday presents, generous people giving at New Year’s as well as Christmas. The village children run from house to house wishing “Happy New Year” and expecting a cookie, or a copper for the compliment. This afternoon we saw them running in and out of the shops also; among them were a few grown women on the same errand. These holiday applicants at the shops often receive some trifle, a handful of raisins or nuts; a ribbon, or a remnant of cheap calico, for a sunbonnet. Some of them are in the habit of giving a delicate hint as to the object they wish for, especially the older girls and women: “Happy New Year—and we’ll take it out in tea” –“or sugar”—“or ribbon”, as the case may be.

The social calls often entailed gift exchanges. In 1839, H. & E. Phinney, printers in Cooperstown placed an advertisement in The Freeman’s Journal that read: “Christmas and New Year Gifts—A large supply of appropriate books, in neat and elegant fancy bindings, suitable for this purpose, with a variety of Juvenile Books of the best character.”

The custom of paying New Year’s calls on one’s neighbors and friends was introduced by the Dutch in New York and spread to other parts of the country. In New York City people kept open house on that day and friends called to “give compliments of the season”. Some individuals even left calling cards wishing a “Happy New Year”.

The American New Year’s cake originated in the New York. New Year’s cake was white and often contained caraway cakes and was made plain or cut in rounds or squares like the recipe in Amelia Simmon’s American Cookery of 1796. It could also be ornamented with cake “prints”. The smallest molds were used in the home for koekje (“little cakes”), from which or present-day term cookie is derived. The custom of making these cakes came to New York in the 17th century with the Dutch and was gradually passed on to their English neighbors.

On the business end, it was not only celebrated with the exchange of New Year’s greetings, but also the settling of one’s accounts with trading partners. Store keepers frequently ran ads at the end of December requesting that customers settle their accounts.

Happy New Year!

All images are from the New York State Historical Association Research Library, Special Collections

Thousands of Lights at Candlelight Evening

By: Kajsa Sabatke, Interpretive Projects Coordinator

How many lights does it take to create the glow of Candlelight Evening?

Patrick MacGregor delivers a total of 1,156 candles to the historic buildings around the village; he and the rest of the interpretive staff light them in all the windows just before the event begins. Fireplace and woodstove fires add to the illumination in the buildings.

Outside, the facilities crew – along with a group of volunteers – set up and light 500 luminaries along the paths. Others tend the large bonfire in front of Bump Tavern and the fires stationed around the village to heat the wassail. Planning for the candles and fires is a major part of Candlelight Evening, but other preparations must also be made. Check back later in the week to find out more about what goes into this beautiful event. You can experience Candlelight Evening for yourself on December 20 from 3-7pm.

Contest Announcement: How Many Candles?

By: Erin Crissman, Curator

We’re preparing for Candlelight Evening – a major undertaking. On December 20th, the historic village will be aglow with many, many candles. How many candles do you think Patrick MacGregor places throughout the museum for the three hour event? We invite you to submit your guess! The person with the closest guess, without going over the actual number, will receive a family membership to the New York State Historical Association which includes free admission all year to The Farmers’ Museum and Fenimore Art Museum. If you’re already a member, it makes a great Christmas gift! To submit the results of your mental mathematics, send an email to stayconnected@nysha.org with “candles” in the subject line. The email should contain your guess, as well as your email address and physical address so we can notify the winner. Entries will be collected through midnight on December 14th. Winner announced on December 15th. Good luck! In case you’re wondering where this contest idea came from, it is derived from one of my important museum experiences as a child. We visited George Washington’s Mt. Vernon where there was a “guess the number” contest. Participants were asked to guess the number of timothy seeds in a large jar. My dad won! The prize was a US flag (a new flag, not a collection object!) that was flown on the flagpole at the historic site. My dad is an engineer, and great at math. We were still surprised he won out of the thousands of entries they must have had. I do not envy the person who had to actually count the seeds, though.

19th Century Dance Moves

By: Kajsa Sabatke, Interpretive Projects Coordinator

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we’re looking ahead to our winter events. In preparation for this weekend’s Lantern Tours – which will take place on Saturday, December 5 – a handful of Cooperstown Graduate Program students came over to Bump Tavern to learn some 19th-century dances. The graduate students will be performing the dramatic vignettes at several of the tour stops and for some, this requires dancing. Katie Boardman, our musician and dance caller for the tours, taught the students some dancing basics and then tuned up her fiddle and played several different dances. Gwen and I even got in the action to help provide a few more bodies for the rehearsal. You can find more information about the Lantern Tours and how to reserve a spot on our online calendar.

Happy Thanksgiving!

By: Kajsa Sabatke, Interpretive Projects Coordinator

Happy Thanksgiving! The staff at The Farmers’ Museum will be celebrating with our families and friends and then heading back to work for two days as the museum opens for Thanksgiving at The Farmers’ Museum. What foods are important at your Thanksgiving celebrations? I asked some of my coworkers what other dishes, in addition to turkey, are essential to their families’ Thanksgiving meals. Not surprisingly, many of them responded with pies: apple, apricot, chocolate, and pumpkin pies all made the list. Stuffing made the list several times, although every family has its own “right” recipe. Some staff mentioned food made by their mother or another relative. Erin’s Thanksgiving includes Under the Sea salad made by her grandmother. Cranberry salad, cranberry relish, applesauce and yams, oyster stew and sweet potatoes with marshmallows are also favorites. I can personally attest to the delicious addition of marshmallows to sweet potatoes or squash as someone who was banned from marshmallow duty after my zealous quantity of marshmallows overflowed the squash and covered the oven racks. My marshmallow incident, which happened when I was about 11, is a story my family still loves to tell – or at least tease me about – every year. Another favorite Thanksgiving tale comes from the first time I hosted dinner, in an apartment near some railroad tracks. The rumbling of the trains helped the oven unplug itself sometime between the turkey going in and about 30 minute later when I realized that the turkey wasn’t cooking. Luckily, the problem was easily remedied after we pulled the oven away from the wall and plugged it back in. Do you have any favorite Thanksgiving stories, dishes, or recipes? Please share them! And stop by to visit us on Friday and Saturday.

2009 Season Wrap-Up

By: Kajsa Sabatke, Interpretive Projects Coordinator

It’s hard to believe, but October – and our 2009 season – are both coming to a close. The museum’s last day of the regular season is Saturday, October 31. Stop in this week for a visit with our staff and animals! The museum won’t completely shut down, though. You can visit us on any of our holiday events: Thanksgiving at The Farmers’ Museum, Lantern Tours on December 5, Candlelight Evening on December 20, or our end-of-season craft workshops and Food for Thought programs. The Farmers’ Museum store will also remain open through the end of December on Tuesdays through Sundays, and the Fenimore Art Museum will also remain open through December 31. Our staff also stays busy through the winter season. We’ll be writing more about our winter projects as the days grow shorter and the snow begins to fall.

Things That Go Bump in the Night Tours

By: Kajsa Sabatke, Interpretive Projects CoordinatorHalloween is nearly upon us, which means that our Things That Go Bump in the Night tours will be starting this weekend. The Farmers’ Museum is a great setting for evening lantern tours with ghostly topics; it can feel as spooky at night as it does pleasant during the day. Last year I took a tour and with Gwen as our guide we wandered through the dark village lit only by lanterns and candles. We stopped along the way to visit a few buildings, listening to a few of the folk tales that Louis Jones included in his book, Things That Go Bump in the Night, as well as some of the museum’s local lore about ghostly occurrences around the museum. Even as a staff member who knows the grounds well, I was affected by the museum’s atmosphere at night (and I’ll admit that I was jumpy even though I knew that tricks and surprises were not part of the tour). If you want to take the tour, check out our website for dates and reservation information.

The First President’s Birthday

By: Gwen Miner, Supervisor of Domestic Arts Washington’s Birthday -- as in George our First President -- was first celebrated publicly at Valley Forge in the winter of 1778. Celebrations of his birthday were quite common from this time throughout the 19th century. His birthday was celebrated with orations, balls and formal dinners where men drank toasts to political leaders and causes. Birthday Balls to honor the “Father of our Country” began while Washington was still in office and evolved rapidly into an excuse for general revelry, dancing and toasting in the local tavern. Adults of all ages, city and country, attended these “birthday parties” as opportunities for communal celebration. Washington Cake was traditionally served along with punches (alcoholic concoctions of at least 5 different alcohols). The first official birthday ball was held in Alexandria, Virginia, but the tradition still holds today. Historians recognize Washington’s Birthday as February 22. Initially, this specific date was a nationally recognized holiday. In fact, it became the first federal holiday to honor an American citizen when, in 1885, President Chester Arthur signed a bill making it a federal holiday. In 1968, the draft of the Uniform Holidays Bill proposed to rename the holiday to President’s Day to honor both Washington and Lincoln, but the proposal failed in committee. The bill as passed kept the name Washington’s Birthday. On January 1, 1971 the holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This act placed every federal holiday on a Monday, including Washington’s Birthday. Several States have officially renamed their Washington’s Birthday observances as “Presidents Day,” but on a federal level and in many states the day is still officially observed as Washington’s Birthday. Want to make your own Washington Cake or Punch for the holiday? Make sure to stay tuned for my next blog entry for recipes and instructions.

top: Freeman’s Journal, February 19, 1848. NYSHA Library.

bottom: Library of Congress—Broadside—call number: Portfolio 124, folder 5, digID 12400500

Valentine’s Day Customs

By: Gwen Miner, Supervisor of Domestic Arts As someone who works in the living history field as an interpreter, I obviously spend a fair amount of time talking about how people lived one-hundred and fifty years ago. One of the topics I have been interested in discovering more about is holidays. How were holidays celebrated? Which holidays were celebrated and how did the traditions of our current holidays come about? I have learned that many, if not most, of the recognized holidays that we celebrate today have pagan roots and many were Christianized. Most became popular nationwide in the last part of the 19th century due to mass-production and in particular commercialization. We really do like buying things related to specific holidays. If you think that Valentine’s Day as it stands today is how it has always been celebrated, think again. There is no solid path of connection between Valentinus, the 3rd century Christian martyr, from where the name Valentine is supposedly derived, to the modern adorned candy heart. Even though the roots of the festivities follow a serpentine path from Pagans to Christians to department store windows, some traditions have been a part of Valentine’s Day for hundreds of years. Valentine’s cards traditionally have been the primary custom associated with Valentine’s Day. The first Valentine card was sent by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife in 1415 when he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. Up to the middle of the 19th century most Valentine notes were handwritten. The custom of exchanging love notes called Valentines evolved in the 19th century. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution handwritten notes were rapidly replaced by mass-produced greeting cards. Hand-colored lithographed valentines and ones of embossed paper lace were popular from the 1840s to 1860s. As technology increased in the latter part of the 19th century so did the intricacy of the Valentine card. Elaborate punching patterns, use of new materials, and mass-produced images all became more and more prevalent. As the 20th century began, Valentines continued to be exchanged on an even greater scale. This early 20th century example shows a more light-hearted image, with no hint of the “sacred vows” of the earlier example. Today, nowhere is the Valentine’s Day custom more alive than in the elementary school classroom. Hannah Montana, Spiderman, and Sponge Bob all help our children to tell their friends how important they are and how they will always get along. right: Mid 19th-century lithographed valentine. NYSHA Library Special Collections. left: Early 20th century “stand up” valentine. NYSHA Library Special Collections.

Christmas Trees in the Nineteenth Century

By: Gwen Miner, Domestic Arts Supervisor The Christmas tree tradition dates back to 16th Germany. Most Americans in the first half of the 19th century would have found Christmas trees oddities. Eventually, Christmas trees gained popularity: 1850—“Godey’s Lady’s Book”, the most popular American women’s magazine published a print of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their family gathered around a tabletop Christmas tree. 1851—The first commercial Christmas tree vendor was a farmer who brought trees from the Catskills to New York City. 1856—President Franklin Pierce installs a Christmas tree in the White House. 1860—The December issue of “Godey’s Lady’s Book” publishes instructions on how to set up a Christmas Tree. Early Christmas trees were tabletop trees decorated with various edibles such as apples, gingerbread cut into shapes and home-crafted ornaments. Gifts were often hung on the tree.

Christmas Greenery

By: Gwen Miner, Domestic Arts Supervisor From ancient times, plants and trees that remained green all year had special meaning for people in winter. Since then people in many cultures have hung evergreen boughs over their windows and doors.

At The Farmers' Museum we have based our use of greenery for Christmas decoration in Central New York on accounts written in 19th century journals and diaries. One of the earliest accounts of the use of greenery that I have found is from the diary of Sarah Amelia Fairman of Butternuts, NY –1819-1821. On December 25, Sarah wrote, “Christmas has commenced in the eve we assembled to the courts of the Lord-the edifice was dressed with sprigs of green laurel and the running vine…” Sarah’s diary can be found in the Special Collections of the New York State Historical Association /The Farmers’ Museum Research Library. library.nysha.org

Susan Fenimore Cooper in her book “Rural Hours”, first published in 1850, wrote on December, Tuesday, 19th—

"We passed a cart standing in the woods, well loaded with Christmas Greens, for our parish church. Pine and hemlock are the branches commonly used among us for the purpose; the hemlock, with its flexible twigs, and the grayish reverse of the foliage, produces a very pretty effect...Neither the holly, the cedar, the arbor vitae, the cypress, or the laurel, grows in our immediate neighborhood, so that we are limited to the pine and hemlock. These two trees, however, when their branches are interwoven are very well adapted for Christmas wreaths."

Thanksgiving at the Museum

By: Kajsa Sabatke, Interpretive Projects Coordinator Over the River and Through the Woods…recognize these words? They come from a poem, “A New-England Boy’s Song about Thanksgiving Day,” published in 1845 by Lydia Maria Childs. Thanksgiving was the biggest holiday celebration for families in the 1840s (even bigger than Christmas!). The actual date of the holiday moved around from year to year until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be the national Thanksgiving celebration. Nineteenth-century New Yorkers celebrated Thanksgiving with feasting, religious services, and a break from their usual routines. This Thanksgiving weekend, I also had a break from my usual routine: I helped prepare dinner in the More House. I’d never done much other than watch museum staff cooking on the open hearth and baking in the fire-heated oven. Luckily, I was working under the guidance of Pat, an experienced and patient staff member. Our day was consumed with all the preparation, cooking, and cleanup. We roasted turkey, cooked vegetables, and baked holiday treats. I made dough for jam tarts, which we filled with jam made from the grapes that grow next to Bump Tavern. Cleaning out the ashes from the oven was the hottest part of my day. I had a wonderful time helping with the meal and talking to the visitors watching us cook. The best part of the day, though, came after all the food was ready and we could enjoy a sampling of our work!