A short trip to Union Mills, Maryland

A co-worker and I made a short trip to Union Mills Homestead in Westminster, Maryland.  This museum had several buildings, but we were mostly interested in the house and the family history.  The property was developed as an industrial complex with several businesses on it, including a blacksmith shop and grinding mill.  The original house started out as a much smaller cabin and eventually developed into the 14 room house you see above.  The house had some fascinating things in it, including an original indenture document from the 1700's.  There was also a folding cot out of wood and a rather unusual cast iron lid with a hole in the center.  It was a shame the museum would not allow me to take pictures inside as there was so much there of interest.   We both would like to go back again as there was so much to take in and so many fasinating furnishings.

One story we were told about the family was how when one brother married a Catholic girl, it created strife in the family.  So, the brother, who had been living in the house above with the rest of the family, just built himself another home across the road.  And, boy, was it a big house!

There were so many fascinating things to see at this site, I highly recommend it.

What a wonderful retro store

I recently found this wonderful General Store while out doing a little garage sale shopping.  The store is on the way to Littlestown coming from Gettysburg.  From the road the building does not look like much, but as you get closer it just gets better and better.  The entrance way had all kinds of advertising and Halloween signs.

Then when you go inside, the store opens up with all kinds of wonders.  On the first floor there are decorative items like lamps made out of old Singer sewing machines and unique Halloween decor for your home.  I particularly liked the Out House decor for the bathroom.  And then, you go to the second floor, where you feel like you have stepped into the 1950's!!

There was so much to look at I must have been on the second floor for an hour.  So, if you should happen to be in the area, this place is a real fun place to spend some time in and maybe purchase a memory from the past to take home.

 

WWII event at the Eisenhower Farm

During the second weekend in September each year there is a World War II event at the Eisenhower Farm.  At least this year they were not dealing with a lot of mud like last year when all the vehicles were digging into the ground more than a foot from the wet conditions.  The first person I encountered was a young man (center of photo between two ladies) who was working the Navy Recuiting tent.  He spoke with me about enlisting and showed me a magazine from 1942 with an ad showing that I would be presented with $200 worth of new clothing if I joined up.  When you think about how hard the preceeding years of the Depression had been, $200 in new clothing was probably pretty tempting along with doing your patriotic duty to fight the Japanese and Germans.  So, I joined up, and after taking the oath of allegiance, I was presented with a signed document showing my enlistment.

And, then there were several other people I had a chance to talk with, like the Canadian soldier who talked about a specific Chaplain named Doug.  He told interesting stories about Doug, like how he would play poker with the soldiers and always seemed to win.  Then when he had their money and they wanted to go to town to probably get into trouble, he would dole out small amounts of money so the soldiers could go into town with just enough money for a few pints and a movie or some other entertainment, but never enough so that they got into serious trouble.  Doug was also known for saving several men from the battlefield, but when he was told he would be put in for a medal for meritorious conduct, he totally refused saying it was the other soldiers who deserved the metals.

Here is a lady demonstrating doing some sewing on a portable Singer.  She was making a pair of men's underdraws from a pattern.  We discussed how it can be hard to use old patterns like that since the instructions are very limited.  Back in the 1940's the pattern companies  assumed that all women knew enough about sewing that they did not need instructions included with the pattern.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          It also amazes me how young some of the re-enactors are, like this youngster.  It makes my heart feel good to see young individuals getting involved in this kind of activity

instead of constantly being involved in something like videogames or getting in with the wrong type of peers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colonial Day at East Berlin, PA

Yesterday, I was off work for a change.  I made sure I got to the Colonial Day event early because there was the threat of storms.  I was hoping this event would be like the one I was used to going to in Ohio, where they have a fair that is truely all colonial.  Everyone is in colonial attire and all the wares being sold have a colonial origin.  This one day event was not like that, but it still had merit.  There were a number of vendors who had some unusual things for sale.   Like these gourds that were so intricately carved and painted.  And, these really unusal holloween figures dressed with antique looking fabrics and antique family photos on their shirts.  On all the side streets people had also set up for big garage sale items, so there was plenty to see.

I did buy myself one thing that was different--an antique iron from probably around the 1920's or 1930's decorated with ribbon and clothespins.  It will be a fun addition to my laundry room.

On my way out of this event the wind started to come up some and you could hear a couple of things shatter on the ground.  Not long after I got on the road to come back to Gettysburg, the skies opened up.  The rain and wind was so intense, I pulled off the road into a parking lot and parked somewhere that there were no trees near as I was really worried some of them would come down.  When I got back on the road and passed the site where another festival was being held, I could see some of their tents blown over and the ground looking like a small lake.  I really hope that all those crafters at Colonial Day were O.K. because they had even flimsier tents.

There's a new addition at the Shriver House

About a week ago a new little kitten appeared at the giftshop of the Shriver House.  She had been found behind one of our employee's homes, and brought in to see if she would work out as a shop kitty.  So far, she has been playing with the staff, has learned to use the litter box and is even getting used to having larger groups of people in the shop.  She really enjoys playing with a toy mouse and climbing on our long skirts to get some attention.  Since I haven't had a pet for a couple of years, my time with this tiny bundle of fur has been so soothing.  Now, she has a bell around her neck so it is easier to find her; and the main emphasis is to make sure she stays away from the front door.  Welcome, to Buddy!

An audience with General and Mrs. Grant

Sorry to have been gone for so long.  I have just been working a lot--on the jobs and some quilting projects.  I have decided that I want to complete several lap quilts before next year.  Each will have a Civil War theme in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Just recently I was able to take a little time to go to a presentation by two excellent living history first person interpretors.  General Grant told the story of his life in great detail.  There were a number of stories about his courtship with his wife.  It seems she was somewhat reluctant to accept his proposal--at first.  He also spoke of how she pretty much ruled the roust at home.  After marrying when he got his pay, he tried giving her an allowance.  She immediately turned it around, and he was the one to get the allowance while she took care of the money affairs.  In the end it was a good thing she did this.  Some time during the middle of their marriage she invested $100 in a new company called the Compstock Load.  After Grant's Presidency they were able to travel the world on the $85,000 she had earned for them on that $100 investment.

There is another couple in the area who do presentations on General and Mrs. Lee.  These individuals are also very well versed about the lives of the General and his wife and the lifestyle of the time period.  They frequently do presentations at different sites around Gettysburg.  I believe they are planning on  doing a presentation next year at the Shriver House during the 10 days of re-enactments during the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.  Yes, next year there will be TWO weekends of re-enactments going on and hopefully an old fashioned 4th of July town parade.  However, if you didn't get your room reserved by July 1 of this year for next year's events, you are out of luck trying to get a room in this area.  Every room is already reserved.

We are getting into the fall soon and things around this town will be getting pretty quiet.  But the fall means that all kinds of festivals will be taking place, so there should be more posting coming soon.  Take care everyone.

What beautiful sculptures

I have driven the Battlefields of Gettysburg over and over again.  There is something very moving about being on this battlefield that takes a hold of a person.  There are over 1,000 monuments to all the different groups of soldiers who fought here situated at the site where they actually fought.  Some of these monuments are spectacular, huge sculptures, like this one for North Carolina:

And, then look at the detail and the intense expression in the faces of these men. 

Another very expressive monument is the one for Maryland.  You see, Maryland was a divided state with some of its men fighting for the North and others fighting for the South.  This monument actually shows two brothers--one a Union soldier and the other a Confederate soldier, each helping the other off the field of battle.

And, there is this statue of John Burns.  This man was 69 years old at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg.  When the fighting started, he came out with his old musket and joined in with the Union soldiers to fight the Confederates.  He receives three wounds before he was willing to leave the field of battle.

Another statue that I find significant is of Elizabeth Thorne. She and her husband, Peter, who was away fighting for the Union, were the caretakers of the civilian cemetary.  After the battle she was expected to bury 102 Confederate soldiers even though she was six months pregnant.  She had asked some friends to come to Gettysburg to help her; but when they arrived, they were so sickened by the smell of death in the area that they had to return home.  She and her elderly father buried all of those soldiers despite her delicate condition.  What stamina and courage this woman of the 19th century had.  This statue is dedicated to her at the entrance to Evergreen Cemetary.