Category Archive

A Tale of Two Kettles One thing the Collections Committee does is strive for the best possible displays in our museums, not only to enhance the “look,” but to strengthen our collection’s historical accuracy and thoroughness. These two kettles at the Pownalborough Court House are an excellent case in point, and they illustrate why another one of our duties is …

Chest of Drawers This early 19th century chest of drawers is one of a long line of similarly conceived types of case furniture that were ubiquitous in 18th and 19th century homes. They were designed to house personal clothing and precious objects including textiles. Most consist of four drawers usually graduated with the shallowest drawers above and the deepest below. …

Hay Rake This horse drawn, walk behind, hay rake was used prior to putting the same principle to use and putting wheels on it. The operator would walk behind the rake, holding onto the lever that is the “trip” mechanism. When the tines were full of hay the operator would lift the lever, locking it into a cog, and continue …

The Great Wheel Household textiles needs of the 18th Century differ little from those of the 21st Century.  Households then, as today, require dish towels, table linens, clothing, sheets, and blankets just to name the basics. In the Chapman-Hall House there is a display of textile tools used to make yarn/thread. The Chapmans were an average 18th Century family.   Even …

Roundabout Chair This seemingly unusual chair design was actually surprisingly popular in the English-speaking colonies of North America during the 18th century. Examples exist in various styles charting the evolution from the turned examples of the William and Mary period through the Queen Anne mode defined by its cabriole legs and vase shaped splats. The latest and most elaborate examples …

Noah’s Ark, the Sunday Toy The most popular toy in all of Europe and America was by far the Noah’s Ark. Inspired by sacred history it was commonly known as the Sunday Toy. In Colonial America and even late into the nineteenth century, the Sabbath was observed with the greatest dignity and reverence, and toys were put away on that …

Slant-Top Desk Countless thousands of slant-top desks were made in British colonial North America and during the early years of the new republic of the United States. They were ubiquitous because such desks functioned as advanced office organizers. Today one can utilize their iphone, ipad, or home computer but before the wonders of modern technology such desks were the appropriate …

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? Household mirrors tell us daily who we are or believe to be! In earlier times mirrors were referred to as “looking glasses” in documents such as inventories. In fact they were a prized item for the simple reason that silvered mirror glass, particularly in the 17th and 18th …

The Trail System on the Grounds of the Pownalborough Court House Across the road (Rt 128) from the Court House is a small parking lot and a tract of 150 wooded acres that are home to over 3 miles of trails, including one that is about 1/3 mile of accessible trail. The trails are designated for walking, hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing …

The Reflector Oven The Reflector Oven came into general use in the American Colonies at the end of the 18th Century and was common feature about the hearths in the 19th Century until about 1850.  It was at that time that the average family found cast iron cooking stoves affordable.  Until that time, the reflector oven was the loveliest way …