Several weeks ago, staff from George Washington's Ferry Farm went hunting for objects to go into the reconstructed Washington house, which will be fully furnished with reproduction pieces to allow our visitors to sit on the chairs, open drawers, and pick up the plates on the table. Finding accurate, well-made reproductions of pieces from the … Continue reading Photos: “Antiques” Hunt!
George Washington’s Ferry Farm
Video: 31st Annual Gingerbread House Contest & Exhibit
In this festive holiday video, we see all the "Historic Sites in Virginia" gingerbread houses entered in this year's contest. To see the list of winners, click here. The exhibit runs until December 30. Click here to learn more about visiting George Washington's boyhood home this holiday season.
Finding Clues in Curtain Rings
What do you think curtains look like after hundreds of years in Virginia’s soils? Naturally, the cloth portions of such tasteful textiles quickly erode away. But archaeologists do occasionally discover curtain rings. It’s likely that brass rings such as these became separated from their stylish drapery due to cloth tearing or – occasionally - because … Continue reading Finding Clues in Curtain Rings
At the Kids’ Table …with George Washington?
One of the first pieces of furniture that will arrive at the recreated Washington house at George Washington’s Ferry Farm will be the large, round dining table for the Hall. It’s being made at a shop in Pennsylvania and we hope to have it before the end of the year. With Thanksgiving just a week … Continue reading At the Kids’ Table …with George Washington?
The Colorful Glass Tablewares of the Washington Household
As work continues on the reconstructed Washington family home at Ferry Farm, we archaeologists are identifying items that were owned by the Washingtons so we can eventually fill the reconstructed house with plates, bowls, glasses, and many other objects based on artifacts we’ve discovered. In a previous blog post, we looked at some of the … Continue reading The Colorful Glass Tablewares of the Washington Household
Video – Building George’s House: Oyster Slaking
In this video, stone and brick mason Ray Cannetti and his crew turn burnt oyster shells from last summer's lime rick burn into powdered lime to use in mortar in the reconstructed Washington house chimneys. Learn more about the Washington House here and view other videos, photos, and blog posts about the project at here.
Getting “Judgy” With Colonial Revival Ceramics
Previously on Lives and Legacies, curator Meghan Budinger laid out a wonderful summary of the Colonial Revival movement. At no point did she weigh-in with her opinion of Colonial Revival and she should be applauded for her diplomacy. To be honest, though, many historians, material culture specialists, and decorative arts enthusiasts (among others) can get … Continue reading Getting “Judgy” With Colonial Revival Ceramics
George’s Hometown: Kenmore
As George Washington’s Ferry Farm prepares to celebrate the reconstruction of the Washington house, we traveled around George’s hometown – Fredericksburg, Virginia – to visit a few places important in the transformation of George from boy to man. Fredericksburg remained important to George Washington throughout his life. It was the home of Mary Ball Washington, … Continue reading George’s Hometown: Kenmore
“A Silly Bauble”: Ferry Farm’s Sputnik Moment
EDITOR'S NOTE: Sixty years ago today, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, Earth's first artificial satellite, into orbit. It was an event with consequences, both great and small, that spanned the globe, even reaching Ferry Farm, once the boyhood home of George Washington, in Virginia. Today, we reshare this blog post about Ferry Farm's Sputnik moment. … Continue reading “A Silly Bauble”: Ferry Farm’s Sputnik Moment
George’s Hometown: Masonic Lodge
As George Washington’s Ferry Farm prepares to celebrate the reconstruction of the Washington house, we traveled around George’s hometown – Fredericksburg, Virginia – to visit a few places important in the transformation of George from boy to man. In 1753, 21-year-old George Washington became a Master Mason having joined the Masonic Lodge in Fredericksburg the … Continue reading George’s Hometown: Masonic Lodge
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