Have you ever seen ads for museums inviting you to “be part of the story”? Well, at George Washington’s Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore, many people are part of the story and have been for a long time. Those who have played an integral part in the ownership, history, preservation, and work of the properties … Continue reading Being Part of the Story: Collecting Oral Histories about Ferry Farm and Kenmore
Month: September 2015
Where Did the Fruit Come From?
In our age of weekly farmers’ markets, drive-thru smoothie shops, and 24/7 grocery stores, it can be hard to truly understand the importance of fruit to the average colonial Virginian. They, however, would have been well aware of how rare it was and of what it meant to have it. Indeed, they were so aware … Continue reading Where Did the Fruit Come From?
Video – Caring for Historic Kenmore: Winding the Clock
Among Kenmore's collection is an 18th century seven-day clock that requires winding weekly. In this video, Collections Manager Heather Baldus shares the clock's history and winds the clock for another week.
Meet the Lewis Family: George Lewis
George Washington Lewis was Fielding and Betty Lewis’s fourth son, being born on March 14, 1757. His birth came within months of the deaths of two of his older brothers – Augustine and Warner, ages 4 and 1 – and was a bright spot in dark days for his parents. He was named for his … Continue reading Meet the Lewis Family: George Lewis
Kenmore’s Kitchen: Then & Now
The brick kitchen building next to Historic Kenmore is not original to the property. It was built in the 1930s in the colonial revival architectural style popular at that time. The brick construction does not reflect the kitchen building seen in the earliest known photo of such a building at Kenmore. That image, taken around the … Continue reading Kenmore’s Kitchen: Then & Now
After Digging: What Happens in the Archaeology Lab?
Here at Ferry Farm for the last 13 years, professional archaeologists have been exploring the local landscape, digging hundreds of excavation units in their quest to reveal the history of all those who lived here, including, of course, the Washington family. Their investigative efforts have resulted in a multitude of artifacts dating from the earliest … Continue reading After Digging: What Happens in the Archaeology Lab?
Video: Inside the Archaeology Lab – Cataloging Artifacts
Archaeologists spend much more of their time working to determine the significance of an object than actually finding the object through excavation. This analytical work is done in an archaeology lab. First, artifacts must be washed, which you can see here. Then, the artifacts are cataloged as the video below shows. Learn more about archaeology at … Continue reading Video: Inside the Archaeology Lab – Cataloging Artifacts
Dental Care in Early America
Editor’s Note: Looking back in time, people’s personal hygiene, fashion choices, medical treatments, and more sometimes look, at the very least, bizarre, if not outright disgusting. When confronted with these weird or gross practices, our first reaction can be to dismiss our ancestors as primitive, ignorant, or just silly. Before such judgments, however, we should … Continue reading Dental Care in Early America
Lives & Legacies 