Itinerant ArtistEditor's choice Last Look
iture, used direct stencilling. From about 1760-1840 itinerant travelling artisans, who ase the property next to them, but to no avail, they decided to construct a building to kheir their brushes, pigments stencils with them as they about the homes of New neighbor's property. Theyand decided to build a shop for their son's moved woodworking land, didbuilt thethe stenciling. on. They first red building. Robert would sit in the kitchen, having his coffee
aid, "I still see my neighbor". A second building was constructed in order to make his more pleasurable. Still seeing his neighbor, they construct a third building which is a er storage building. You guessed it, he still could see his neighbor, so they decided to ect the buildings. Robert now can sit in his kitchen and look at his “three buildings”. lucky is their cat, Poc, who spends most of his time in one of the red buildings as ed on our back cover!
Autumn in New England - New England -
Sheila M. Belanger Owner/Editor/Publisher/Photographer
What comes to mind when you hear Autumn? Dennis Belanger Design and Layout
Travel season M inaNew peaks in the beautiful autumn t t B e lEngland anger months of September andSocial October, Director of Digital and Media when the fall foliage is in full transition. Dennis and I travel the back roads in these months as In thePrint mountain views and foliage is spectacular. Undoubtedly, our Visit www.historichomesmagazine.com favorite time of the year. The warmth of summer is behind us, Online: and the frost of winter is slowly creeping our way. The transition Visit www.historichomesmagazine.com between the two seasons becomes a vibrant display changing from emerald, green to orange, crimson and amber. A perfect setting Newsletter: Visit www.historichomesmagaine.com for traveling the country roads of New England. AlongMedia: the way, we usually visit the local farm stands, pumpkin Social Instagram: patches and the local antique shows. If you find yourself in www.instagram.com/historichomesmagazine Vermont, you must stop by the Harlow Farm in Westminster, Vermont. This was our go to place for pumpkins, gourds and Facebook: www.facebook.com/historichomesmagazine mums during the Fall season when we lived in New Hampshire. We Tube: have fond memories of this farm stand, not only for the You www.youtube.com/@historichomesmagazine produce and pumpkins but the gentlemen who was always there to greet us, Dan. If you find yourself in Vermont in the Fall, Questions please tell Dan we said hello! contact@historichomesmagazine.com Our Fall issue8brings 6 0 - 4 1 3you - 2 3 6a1 family retreat in Pennsylvania. Thank you to Luann and Robert for a day filled with great conversation, H i s tand o r i c laughter. H o m e s MAs a g awe z i n drove e , F a l l up 2 0 2their 3 © winding driveway on a food b y HFall i s t o rday, i c Hwe o m knew e M a g awe z i nwere e A l in l r iag special hts brisk place. We were reserved. Permission to reprint or quote greeted e x c e r p t sby g r Poc, a n t e dthe b y cat w r iin t t ethe n r ewindow q u e s t o nin l y.one of their many little buildings. When Luann mentioned the "compound", we did not realize how many P r i n t ebuildings d i n U S Athe compound entailed. What a treat to find so many buildings, as they are my one weakness! Luann treated us to an array of decadent baked goods, along with a tomato and camembert tart. It was truly a memorable day at this extraordinary retreat in Pennsylvania. To celebrate this much-anticipated time of year, perhaps a trip to the local pumpkin patch and farm stand will get you in the mood. There are many ways to lean into the autumn mindset, snuggly sweaters, warm beverages or enjoying a homemade apple pie. All of us here at Historic Homes Magazine wish you a happy Autumn. I am so happy to live in a world where there are Octobers’!
Gathering Harlow My HHM obacco ennsylvania eriod he Little hankful Post Kitchen Real Appropriate Farm Farming and Arnold Cabin on Estate Retreat Beam the Contents House Guide encesat Gettysburg arm
Gathering Pennsylvania The Tobacco Thankful Harlow Period My HHM Little Post Kitchen Real Appropriate Farm Farming and Arnold Cabin on Estate Retreat Beam the Contents Houseat Gettysburg Fences Guide Farm
A 1840 home
full of talent
A 1840 home
full of talent
William & Mary Inspired Kitchen
William & Mary Inspired Kitchen
made by Joshua
drawers
: Dough:
Tomato and Camembert Tart
1 1/2 tbsp.c.Dijon all-purpose mustard flour 61/2tbsp. c. grated cold unsalted Gruyère butter cheese 4 plum 1/2 tsp.tomatoes salt 6 oz.tsp.Camembert 1/2 coarsely ground Cheese pper 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil 21/4tbsp. c. fresh extra-virgin parsley olive 1/4 c. fresh basil 1 tbsp. tsp. fresh waterrosemary 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves 1 small bay leaf 1 clove garlic
rections: Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7
Ingredients
Make the tart dough: Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, combine the flour, butter, salt, and pepper until mixture resembles coarse meal. Using a fork, mix in 2 tablespoons of the oil and the water just until the bottom of the mixture begins to cling together. If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of oil. Gather into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes. Bake the tart: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out the chilled dough into a 14-inch circle and place it into a tart pan; set aside. Spread the mustard over the bottom of the tart shell. Sprinkle the Gruyère evenly over the mustard and alternately place the tomato and Camembert over the Gruyère. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, all of the herbs, and the garlic together and brush two-thirds of the mixture over the tart. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 35 minutes. Remove the tart and brush it with the remaining oil. Serve warm.
Tomato and Camembert Tart
photo shoot. It was delicious!
A Return to
Simpler Living
A Return to
Simpler Living
ecorating
with the things you love
Crewel Coverlet
Lindsey Woolsey Bed Hangings. With the perfect tion of the Crewel coverlet.
Crewel Coverlet
with Lindsey Woolsey Bed Hangings. With the perfect addition of the Crewel coverlet.
DREAM HOME
ous home was a reproduction of an old house in Trumbull, ecticut. At that time, there was an architect who would measure ouses and reproduce them. They always saw a little "shack" d their home on a hidden road. For twenty years they would he owners to see if they wanted to sell their property. Every Spring and Fall, they would call the homeowners and they d decline to sell their home. On one rainy Fall Day, they went the house to ask one more time. At last, the homeowners ed to sell as the house was in disrepair and the roof was leaking. ealtor told Luann and Robert "you are going from a cadillac to y volkswagen". That did not stop them! They moved in with two small children. They all crammed into a bunk room irs while they worked on the house, complimenting the original ure with additions. Robert did all of the millwork and built the on which is now the kitchen. Their son Joshua built their am and Mary kitchen. Luann made the slip covers along with urtains in the dining room. A family with many talents and
DREAM HOME
previous home was a reproduction of an old house in Trumbull, Connecticut. At that time, there was an architect who would measure old houses and reproduce them. They always saw a little "shack" behind their home on a hidden road. For twenty years they would call the owners to see if they wanted to sell their property. Every year, Spring and Fall, they would call the homeowners and they would decline to sell their home. On one rainy Fall Day, they went up to the house to ask one more time. At last, the homeowners decided to sell as the house was in disrepair and the roof was leaking. The realtor told Luann and Robert "you are going from a cadillac to a rusty volkswagen". That did not stop them! They moved in with their two small children. They all crammed into a bunk room upstairs while they worked on the house, complimenting the original structure with additions. Robert did all of the millwork and built the addition which is now the kitchen. Their son Joshua built their William and Mary kitchen. Luann made the slip covers along with the curtains in the dining room. A family with many talents and skills!
the Post and Beam
FAMILY AFFAIR
building came about when Luann and Robert's son, Joshua, raduating from high school. His senior class was asked to a school project. Joshua decided his project would be to a post and beam building. Joshua's love of architecture and century style furniture started when he was a little boy. a had white pine beams milled at the local mill and started to ruct the "post and beam building". Robert bought a book w to construct this type of structure. The building was ructed using hand tools only. cut the ash tree in front of where the building is located. a whittled the pegs from the ash tree to hold the building her. Rose head mails were used along with Joshua building oor and windows. The glass for the windows was salvaged antique windows. After the building was completed, the y had a barn raising and they all celebrated with a dinner. a's teacher asked what was taking so long with his project, to h they all replied, "you have to come here and see why". The and beam building took approximately two months to ruct. The building is now used as storage and a gathering for Luann's dried herbs and such. I asked Luann her te part of the post and beam building and she said “she likes in the front door and look at her gardens from a different ective”. She said sometimes she sits there and says, "do I live here". She says there is nothing like looking through ntique bubbly glass and seeing her little oasis.
the Post and Beam
A FAMILY AFFAIR
beam building came about when Luann and Robert's son, Joshua, was graduating from high school. His senior class was asked to make a school project. Joshua decided his project would be to build a post and beam building. Joshua's love of architecture and 18th century style furniture started when he was a little boy. Joshua had white pine beams milled at the local mill and started to construct the "post and beam building". Robert bought a book on how to construct this type of structure. The building was constructed using hand tools only. They cut the ash tree in front of where the building is located. Joshua whittled the pegs from the ash tree to hold the building together. Rose head mails were used along with Joshua building the door and windows. The glass for the windows was salvaged from antique windows. After the building was completed, the family had a barn raising and they all celebrated with a dinner. Joshua's teacher asked what was taking so long with his project, to which they all replied, "you have to come here and see why". The post and beam building took approximately two months to construct. The building is now used as storage and a gathering place for Luann's dried herbs and such. I asked Luann her favorite part of the post and beam building and she said “she likes to sit in the front door and look at her gardens from a different perspective”. She said sometimes she sits there and says, "do I really live here". She says there is nothing like looking through the antique bubbly glass and seeing her little oasis.
harvest from the garden
OB ACCO
T
obacco production in 17th Century Connecticut
OB ACCO
T
Tobacco production in 17th Century Connecticut
Indians was a very crude process, as indeed was all agriculture at that time. Tobacco was the only crop raised by the red men which was cared for by the males of the family. The men alone tended the crop and smoked it. Little is known of the methods of culture, but they only dimly foreshadow presentday systems. Apparently, some tribes had permanent beds which received little attention other than an occasional application of manure. It is known, however, that tobacco was grown apart from other crops as it was believed to harm them. In the agriculture of Connecticut, tobacco production has averaged well over thirty-three percent of the total crop value since 1923, although, at the same time, hay and corn greatly exceeded it in acreage. During the five years, 1923-1927, the tobacco value per acre was almost double that of any other crop; in 1928 it was more than three times that of potatoes; and in 1929 it was substantially more than double the value of potatoes, the second most valuable Connecticut crop per acre. Not only is tobacco important to the growers- themselves but also to the thousands of workers who depend upon each year's crop for their livelihood. It is impossible to determine the actual number of workers who are directly or indirectly dependent upon the Connecticut leaf tobacco industry. However, unofficial estimates fix the number of full and part-time employees on tobacco plantations at seven thousand. Those indirectly connected with the industry number tens of thousands. They include cigar-makers, employees of fertilizer plants and of cotton mills, cigar-box makers, wholesalers of leaf and cigars, and even clerks in neighborhood cigar stores. There is no historical record of the first white man to grow tobacco in Connecticut, but there is evidence that tobacco was raised at Windsor as early as 1640. In all probability, therefore, the first white tobacco grower was one of the original settlers. The leaf grown by the early colonists was the same as that raised by the Connecticut valley Indians for many years prior to the settlement by white men. According to contemporary historians it was variously called poke or ottomauch. The small round leaves of the Indian type were different from those which were early brought to the valley from Virginia. This latter variety had been introduced into Virginia from the West Indies in 1607. Dislike by the early New Englanders of the bitter taste of the native tobacco led to the substitution of the West Indian type for the original Indian variety. The principal use of tobacco by the Indians was for smoking in a pipe. Ordinarily the leaves and flowers of the plant were cured and mixed with sumac leaves and other ingredients, according to particular tribal formulae, and smoked in pipes. The pipe-smoking habit was adopted by the colonists who soon, however, began to discontinue the use of Indian tobacco and substitute the new leaf brought in from Virginia. The second known method of consuming tobacco was to roll the leaves into cigars and smoke it in that manner. This habit was known to exist among the Indians but was of less importance than pipe smoking. Nothing like the modern cigar, however, was known in New England until after 1760. Roger Williams reported that tobacco was largely used for smoking, but one kind was steeped and the "decoction" drunk. Little is known of this method of tobacco consumption. In 1640 occurred the first legislation in the Connecticut colony relative to the use of tobacco. This legislation was patterned after that of Massachusetts, which preceded it. Briefly stated, the law of 1640 provided that no one in Connecticut should "drink" any tobacco except that which "shall be planted within these liberties," unless that person had license to do so. The penalty for violation of the statute was five shillings "for every pound so spent." In 1646 this law was repealed and apparently the use of tobacco rapidly increased for in 1647 another was passed to lessen the abuse of the drug. In part it prohibited the use of tobacco to all under twenty years, and all others who had not already accustomed themselves to it, except on presentation of a certificate from someone “approved for knowledge & skill in physique, that it is useful for him." The first part of the above law has its modern counterpart in present-day tobacco legislation for minors and the second section had a recent version in liquor laws permitting physicians to prescribe alcoholic spirits to patients during the years of prohibition. The act of 1647 further provided that no one should use the weed publicly or in the "fields or woods" unless he were traveling at least ten miles. Nor was one allowed to take tobacco in any house in his own town in company with more than one other who "useth or drinketh the same weed with him at that time." Most of the controversy seems to have been waged over "drinking" tobacco and its ill effects, particularly idleness. Until the eighteenth century most of the tobacco raised in Connecticut was for private use. Some were, however, grown for sale to neighbors. During the early period, tobacco was grown in most of the towns of the colony. With the increase in the production of tobacco for sale it became noticeable that the soil and climate in the valley of the Connecticut were better adapted to the cultivation of the leaf than in any other section of the colony. Consequently, production tended to concentrate along the Connecticut river, in an area not over ten miles to the east or west of the river and extending from present Portland to South Hadley and Deerfield, Massachusetts, and even farther north. By 1700, tobacco leaf was being produced in Connecticut for export. Most of this trade was developed in the present Hartford County, and more particularly in and around Windsor. In 1739 there was a record of the export of some "221 weight" of tobacco to Barbados by Timothy Loomis of Windsor. One of the leading citizens of Windsor, Ebenezer Grant, developed into a considerable trader in tobacco, both for export and domestic sale. In his account book he recorded that he purchased and raised several thousand pounds of tobacco between 1744 and 1767. Some of these leaves were sent to the Simpson brothers of Boston and some to the West Indies. Grant was not the only trader in tobacco for there were recorded shipments from Simsbury in 1750, and from Suffield to England in 1753. A record as early as 1704 showed that tobacco was one of the principal articles of trade between Wethersfield and the West Indies. The growth and extent of Connecticut exports of tobacco were attested in 1753 by an act of the general assembly "to regulate the Curing and Packing of Tobacco and prevent Fraud therein." This act provided for the selection of two or more qualified men, at the annual meetings of the towns in which tobacco was grown for export, to be surveyors and packers of tobacco. Briefly, their duties were to have complete charge of the inspection and packing of tobacco for export; to separate out all "hands" of tobacco which were damaged even in part; and to pack or press no tobacco which was not judged sound, well ripened and cured, and good and merchantable. The act further provided that each packer must initial each cask packed by himself and stamp thereon the name of the town in which he lived. It also provided that he was not allowed, under severe penalty, to pack, press, or judge his own tobacco. For these services the packer or surveyor was to receive five pence per hundred weight so packed, and in addition three pence for every mile traveled in the performance of his duties. These fees were to be paid by the owner of the tobacco. After the middle of the eighteenth-century tobacco production in the Connecticut valley dropped off to a considerable extent. There were two main reasons for this. The first was the periods of war which cut heavily into export trade. The second was the introduction of cheap plug and pressed tobacco from Virginia. During the years immediately following the Revolution production of tobacco increased until, in 1801, the total crop of the Connecticut valley was twenty thousand pounds—the most ever produced up to that time. The position of importance occupied by Connecticut in the tobacco trade has been wholly due to the popularity of the cigar. Colonel Israel Putnam is generally credited with the introduction of cigars into Connecticut in 1762, upon his return from an expedition against Havana. At that time outcroppings of the new fad appeared in other parts of the world, particularly Germany. Once started, the cigar-smoking habit took hold instantly and increased by leaps and bounds. One plausible explanation of the popularity of the cigar in New England was its cheapness, for all people could afford to smoke. In Germany, on the other hand, only the moneyed and privileged classes could afford cigars. During the latter part of the eighteenth century and the early part of the nineteenth, in Connecticut, cigars were wholly a home product. Farmers' wives would fashion the crude cigars and they would be peddled by their husbands throughout the countryside in wagons, in conjunction with other articles of commerce. Modern cigar-making in Connecticut was born in 1810 when Roswell Viets started a cigar factory in East Windsor and his brother, Samuel, one at Suffield. Samuel Viets hired a Cuban cigar-maker, and twelve women were immediately put to work to "learn the trade." By 1831 several other Suffield men had taken up the manufacture of cigars. During the same period the industry was developed in other parts of the state. ADRIAN FRANCIS McDONALD
Thankful Arnold House Circa, 1794
Thankful Arnold House Circa, 1794
Kitchen
Kitchen
routinely performed diverse tasks. Preparing and Cooking Food: Thankful had a small cast iron cook stove, a modern innovation, which was sold after Joseph died. The reflector oven now on display was hers and would have come in handy after she lost her stove. The Arnold Family grew vegetables in the garden and kept a cow from whose milk they made butter and cheese. Baking (pies and bread) was once or twice a week. Like her contemporaries, Thankful cooked a variety of foods in her fireplace, from roasts to stews. Cooking was not carried out over a blazing fire, but on piles of hot coals placed on the open hearth. Cooking pots had legs and were called spiders. A variety of meals was not expected, either by the family or the boarders and more complicated meals were produced only occasionally, as at Thanksgiving. Baking was done in the beehive oven, which had to be preheated for baking day. Typically, it took up to two hours to heat up an oven and some ovens were erected so well that five successive lots of food could be baked without reheating the oven. Many ovens were large enough to hold 10 to 12 pie plates. Once the oven was heated to the desired temperature, the hot coals were raked out and often swept down with a damp broom. Breads were baked first, followed by puddings, pastry, cake/gingerbreads and then custards. Often a casserole of beans was put in the oven overnight and served for breakfast the next morning. Ovens featured a cast iron or heavy wooden door to retain heat during baking. Long handled peels were used to take items in and out of the oven. Baking was generally done once a week either on Wednesday or Saturday and a Dutch oven was used in between for quick breads, pies and cakes. Typical New England baked pies included egg, minced, chicken, apple, pumpkin and squash. Foot pies were made in conjunction with butchering and were made from the "cleaned" feet of the slaughtered animal.
tarnishing and rusting. Usually, a mixture of fine sand and water were used up against the board. Another ently used tool was the large wooden apple parer with leather belt and two-pronged metal holder. Apple s were one of the tools developed in the last quarter of the 18th century to improve the efficiency of food ration. In Haddam apples were one of the main food crops and small and large orchards were part of the England landscape until the second haft of the 19th century. Apples were used for cider, eaten raw and baked pies. They were also dried as a means of preservation. There are many other typical kitchen implements on y including a large dough box, bowls, cups, plates, jugs, and other tools. ards of cleanliness were becoming more rigorous in Thankful's time but were not what they are today. day really did take all day when clothes were washed in a tub and with a washboard. Dishes had to be ed every day, floors swept (remember that roads and paths were not paved and wood was hauled regularly in house, all of which brought in dirt), pewter and other metal objects (kettles, knives, etc.) had to be scoured olished, and chamber pots emptied daily. Thankful's kitchen features a wooden wash tub used for laundry. would have been a similar one for washing dishes. der to accomplish these many chores water had to be hauled inside from the backyard well. Although some s of the period had a well and pump in the kitchen, Thankful did have the convenience of an interior water y. r weekly tasks included ironing, which was a hot, tiring and physically demanding chore. More than one iron sually used; one heating up while the other was in use. Some irons, like the one in the Arnold kitchen, were ed on a trivet over a pile of coals, and care was required to make sure the bottom of the iron remained clean id not transfer ash to the clean clothes. Laundry chores were among the most disliked, and they were ently the first for which financially able women hired help. Other weekly duties included churning butter making cheese. Seasonal chores included slaughtering, candle making, soap making, and cultivating, planting arvesting the herb and vegetable garden. dition to indoor chores, women and children were also responsible for other outdoor work including ping kindling wood for the fires and tending to the cows. itchen features many other tools and furniture that were necessary in running an early 19th century kitchen ousehold. Hanging from the rafters are herbs drying for use in cooking, household cleaning and for cinal purposes.
from tarnishing and rusting. Usually, a mixture of fine sand and water were used up against the board. Another frequently used tool was the large wooden apple parer with leather belt and two-pronged metal holder. Apple parers were one of the tools developed in the last quarter of the 18th century to improve the efficiency of food preparation. In Haddam apples were one of the main food crops and small and large orchards were part of the New England landscape until the second haft of the 19th century. Apples were used for cider, eaten raw and baked into pies. They were also dried as a means of preservation. There are many other typical kitchen implements on display including a large dough box, bowls, cups, plates, jugs, and other tools. Standards of cleanliness were becoming more rigorous in Thankful's time but were not what they are today. Washday really did take all day when clothes were washed in a tub and with a washboard. Dishes had to be washed every day, floors swept (remember that roads and paths were not paved and wood was hauled regularly in to the house, all of which brought in dirt), pewter and other metal objects (kettles, knives, etc.) had to be scoured and polished, and chamber pots emptied daily. Thankful's kitchen features a wooden wash tub used for laundry. There would have been a similar one for washing dishes. In order to accomplish these many chores water had to be hauled inside from the backyard well. Although some houses of the period had a well and pump in the kitchen, Thankful did have the convenience of an interior water supply. Other weekly tasks included ironing, which was a hot, tiring and physically demanding chore. More than one iron was usually used; one heating up while the other was in use. Some irons, like the one in the Arnold kitchen, were warmed on a trivet over a pile of coals, and care was required to make sure the bottom of the iron remained clean and did not transfer ash to the clean clothes. Laundry chores were among the most disliked, and they were frequently the first for which financially able women hired help. Other weekly duties included churning butter and making cheese. Seasonal chores included slaughtering, candle making, soap making, and cultivating, planting and harvesting the herb and vegetable garden. In addition to indoor chores, women and children were also responsible for other outdoor work including chopping kindling wood for the fires and tending to the cows. The kitchen features many other tools and furniture that were necessary in running an early 19th century kitchen and household. Hanging from the rafters are herbs drying for use in cooking, household cleaning and for medicinal purposes.
Front Parlor
Front Parlor
formally entertained. Visitors may have been social callers or business associates. If any of the Arnold family were members of the Young Men's United Bible and Missionary Society, the auxiliary to the Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions or the Ladies Benevolent Society meeting would have been held here when it was the family's turn to host. The front door with sidelights of the house is found in this room and faces east towards Courthouse Green. The portrait of Thankful Arnold at age 67 is a reproduction of the original portrait done in 1843 by Higganum artist Obediah Dickinson and still in the possession of an Arnold Family descendant. The front parlor also displays the most choice pieces of furniture in the house including a Connecticut chest-overchest on loan from a Brainerd family descendant and an 18th century slant top writing desk once owned by the Burr family. The drawers of the desk only have one drawer pull making it more difficult to open but did save money on purchasing brass pulls. Haddam inventories indicate that most desks appeared in the homes of wealthier inhabitants. Most people had no need for a piece of furniture designed for such specific use. Town clerks, justices of the peace, ministers, storekeepers and merchants might own desks. On the floor is a reproduction canvas floor cloth. In the winter a woolen carpet would have been the floor covering of choice. Some parlors from this era may have held a bed as well. The rooms were truly multi-purpose.
nce that a stairway ever existed in this location. It is believed that in the first phase of the house there may been a ladder to the story above. Today the hallway houses chairs and an 18th century cupboard with nal blue-green paint and salmon colored interior. The stenciling on the wall is not original and was added g the 1963-65 restoration by Robert Wiggins of New Hampshire. The design is based on stenciling found Captain Elias Selden House in Haddam Neck.
Small Hall
The Bedchamber
The Bedchamber
The Attic
r to the open attic space, h is located underneath the o or saltbox roof. A portion attic is used for storage and es furniture and items the y is no longer using. A on of the attic is reserved for g herbs and the far eastern on is where the youngest of the family have set up "beds". Once the family d taking in boarders, the ed rooms were used by the g guests and the young boys required to sleep in the ished attic.
The Attic visitor to the open attic space, which is located underneath the lean-to or saltbox roof. A portion of the attic is used for storage and features furniture and items the family is no longer using. A portion of the attic is reserved for drying herbs and the far eastern portion is where the youngest boys of the family have set up their "beds". Once the family started taking in boarders, the finished rooms were used by the paying guests and the young boys were required to sleep in the unfinished attic.
Back Parlor
Back Parlor
parlor, where the family and boarders dined and socialized. The r cabinet is originally from a house in Glastonbury and was d during the 1963-65 restoration. The portraits on the south wall aac Arnold and his first wife, Mary Ann (Thomas) Arnold. Isaac he 11th child of Thankful and Joseph Arnold and lived in the as a child. He may have lived here later in life with his daughter . Isaac was an active member of the state Democratic Party, a inent businessman who ran the Arnold Quarry with his older er Samuel and son-in-law, John Ingersoll, and was financially ved in a number of enterprises. He owned bank stocks, loaned y and had investments in railroads, real estate, and commerce. most of his adult life he lived in a home along Saybrook Road of the Thankful Arnold House, but after the Economic Panic of he lost much of his property and returned to the house of his hood. It is believed the portraits were painted at the time of Isaac Mary Ann's marriage, when he was 22. The portrait is a copy by Otto Merkel of Philadelphia of the original done by Obediah nson in 1838. Mary Ann's portrait is also a copy of the original. he west wall is a portrait of a young boy believed to be Isaac ld Jr holding a whip and accompanied by a young dog. Isaac Jr, never have lived in the house but was an important figure in the y of the Arnold Family. As a young boy he attended Brainerd emy and Wesleyan Academy (later Wilbraham Academy) in aham, Massachusetts. He then attended the United States ary Academy in West Point and graduated in 1862 with a rank of Lieutenant. He served in the Army of the Potomac, Battery K, rtillery, engaged in Battles of Chancellorsville, Malvern Hill and ricksburg and was wounded at Chancellorsville. Isaac was oted in 1863 to 1st Lieutenant Ordnance Corps and served in the ance Corps until his death, commanding arsenals in several states ttaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He married Mary ta Apgar in Hartford in January 1864. They had six children: y, Charles, Mary, Lawrence, Lucetta and Ruth. It was Lawrence's saac Arnold who donated the Thankful Arnold House to the am Historical Society. Furnishings include a circa 1780 gany drop leaf table on which meals would have been served. n not in use the table would be pushed back against the wall and ble leafs dropped. A game of checkers sits on a table between the orth facing windows. Both family members and boarders, who d generally have been male, would have used this room to read, ize or play a game of cards or checkers.
back parlor, where the family and boarders dined and socialized. The corner cabinet is originally from a house in Glastonbury and was added during the 1963-65 restoration. The portraits on the south wall are Isaac Arnold and his first wife, Mary Ann (Thomas) Arnold. Isaac was the 11th child of Thankful and Joseph Arnold and lived in the house as a child. He may have lived here later in life with his daughter Sabra. Isaac was an active member of the state Democratic Party, a prominent businessman who ran the Arnold Quarry with his older brother Samuel and son-in-law, John Ingersoll, and was financially involved in a number of enterprises. He owned bank stocks, loaned money and had investments in railroads, real estate, and commerce. For most of his adult life he lived in a home along Saybrook Road south of the Thankful Arnold House, but after the Economic Panic of 1883 he lost much of his property and returned to the house of his childhood. It is believed the portraits were painted at the time of Isaac and Mary Ann's marriage, when he was 22. The portrait is a copy done by Otto Merkel of Philadelphia of the original done by Obediah Dickinson in 1838. Mary Ann's portrait is also a copy of the original. On the west wall is a portrait of a young boy believed to be Isaac Arnold Jr holding a whip and accompanied by a young dog. Isaac Jr, may never have lived in the house but was an important figure in the history of the Arnold Family. As a young boy he attended Brainerd Academy and Wesleyan Academy (later Wilbraham Academy) in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. He then attended the United States Military Academy in West Point and graduated in 1862 with a rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He served in the Army of the Potomac, Battery K, 4th Artillery, engaged in Battles of Chancellorsville, Malvern Hill and Fredericksburg and was wounded at Chancellorsville. Isaac was promoted in 1863 to 1st Lieutenant Ordnance Corps and served in the Ordnance Corps until his death, commanding arsenals in several states and attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He married Mary Lucetta Apgar in Hartford in January 1864. They had six children: Henry, Charles, Mary, Lawrence, Lucetta and Ruth. It was Lawrence's son Isaac Arnold who donated the Thankful Arnold House to the Haddam Historical Society. Furnishings include a circa 1780 Mahogany drop leaf table on which meals would have been served. When not in use the table would be pushed back against the wall and the table leafs dropped. A game of checkers sits on a table between the two north facing windows. Both family members and boarders, who would generally have been male, would have used this room to read, socialize or play a game of cards or checkers.
revival of historic awareness and appreciation for its past. In 1962 the town celebrated its tercentenary and the Haddam Historical Society prepared a commemorative exhibit to mark the celebration. As part of their fundraising efforts the Society sought out descendants of Haddam's early settlers. Many ancestors of "Haddamites" responded generously including Isaac Arnold of Houston, Texas, a great-great grandson of Thankful and Joseph Arnold. Mr. Arnold purchased the house in March of 1963 and provided funding for its renovation under the direction of Frances Phipps. Ms. Phipps was the president of the Haddam Historical Society and became the chairwoman of the Executive Advisory Committee of the Thankful Arnold House. The Executive Committee chose to restore the house to its early nineteenth century appearance and hired Paul Weld, who was well known for other early house restoration projects. The foundation was stabilized, termite infestation was eradicated, and a vault was added to safely store the family papers and other archival materials discovered in the house. The 1920s kitchen ell and the 1869 attic addition were taken down and the salt-box shape of the house was restored. Damaged floorboards were replaced, and more than 150 years of wallpaper and paint were removed. Featheredged paneling and a corner cupboard taken from other Connecticut houses were installed and paint colors popular during the early 1800s were applied to the interior woodwork. Weld's work uncovered the phases of construction which resulted in the current house plan, and his evaluation of the architectural details and clues which he uncovered are the basis for dating the building additions. From the time of his purchase Isaac Arnold of Texas always intended that the house should become the home of the Haddam Historical Society. It was opened to the public on May 29, 1965 and dedicated to "the memory of all descendants of Joseph Arnold, an original proprietor of Haddam in 1662." Upon Mr. Arnold's death in 1973, the title was transferred to the organization, where the story of Joseph and his sons, and Thankful and her daughters and granddaughters can be told. Haddam Historical Society
HFences
Period Appropriate
onstruction of hedges and ditches, which belong rather to the er than the landscape gardener.” In America, where the tasks of tioning, cultivating, and embellishing the landscape were dered inseparable, the distinction between farmer and gardener ess easily made. Frequent references to the fence in both the en and visual record place it among the most fundamental elements e designed landscape in America. A fence, as dictionary definitions , enclosed areas such as gardens, cornfields, parks, woods, or ps of trees. As G. Gregory (1816) noted, the feature could be ed by a hedge, wall, ditch, or bank. Terms for different fence types nd in American landscape design vocabulary: blind, board, close, e, cross, double, foss, hurdle, invisible, live, open board, pale/ g, palisade, picket, post-and-plank, post-and-rail, snake, sunk, s, Virginia, wattle, wire, worm, and zigzag.
choice of fence type was dictated by the materials available, local om, and the need at hand. For instance, worm fences (also called g, snake, split rail, or Virginia fences) did not require posts or holes and therefore were easily moved to accommodate changing use and avoided the problem of posts rotting in soil. They were useful in areas where rocky soil made it difficult to dig post holes wooded areas where trees made straight fence lines impractical. d fences offered a more solid line of defense against deer and ts but had less flexibility and required more labor and finished er. Such high fences were effective barriers for animals as well as ans, as attested by Robert Waln Jr.’s 1825 description of the board at the Friends Asylum for the Insane in Pennsylvania.
g fences created visual barriers and were sometimes erected to n unpleasant views or to provide privacy, particularly in urban ngs. For instance, in 1857 John Fanning Watson complained that he usual selfish style of Philadelphia improved grounds” at William ham’s Philadelphia residence, “the whole was surrounded and hid the public gaze by a high fence”. Fences were also used to direct aze, whether toward a house, or other focal point. In other cases, s such as sunken types (later replaced by wire fences) were desired heir inconspicuous presence in the landscape. Numerous iptions and horticultural advice columns praised the effect of structed views created by enclosures that kept animals or human c at bay with minimal visibility.
HFences
Period Appropriate
the construction of hedges and ditches, which belong rather to the farmer than the landscape gardener.” In America, where the tasks of partitioning, cultivating, and embellishing the landscape were considered inseparable, the distinction between farmer and gardener was less easily made. Frequent references to the fence in both the written and visual record place it among the most fundamental elements of the designed landscape in America. A fence, as dictionary definitions agree, enclosed areas such as gardens, cornfields, parks, woods, or groups of trees. As G. Gregory (1816) noted, the feature could be formed by a hedge, wall, ditch, or bank. Terms for different fence types abound in American landscape design vocabulary: blind, board, close, cradle, cross, double, foss, hurdle, invisible, live, open board, pale/ paling, palisade, picket, post-and-plank, post-and-rail, snake, sunk, trellis, Virginia, wattle, wire, worm, and zigzag. The choice of fence type was dictated by the materials available, local custom, and the need at hand. For instance, worm fences (also called zigzag, snake, split rail, or Virginia fences) did not require posts or post holes and therefore were easily moved to accommodate changing field use and avoided the problem of posts rotting in soil. They were also useful in areas where rocky soil made it difficult to dig post holes or in wooded areas where trees made straight fence lines impractical. Paled fences offered a more solid line of defense against deer and rabbits but had less flexibility and required more labor and finished lumber. Such high fences were effective barriers for animals as well as humans, as attested by Robert Waln Jr.’s 1825 description of the board fence at the Friends Asylum for the Insane in Pennsylvania.
Paling fences created visual barriers and were sometimes erected to screen unpleasant views or to provide privacy, particularly in urban settings. For instance, in 1857 John Fanning Watson complained that “in the usual selfish style of Philadelphia improved grounds” at William Bingham’s Philadelphia residence, “the whole was surrounded and hid from the public gaze by a high fence”. Fences were also used to direct the gaze, whether toward a house, or other focal point. In other cases, fences such as sunken types (later replaced by wire fences) were desired for their inconspicuous presence in the landscape. Numerous descriptions and horticultural advice columns praised the effect of unobstructed views created by enclosures that kept animals or human traffic at bay with minimal visibility.
ial and was used mainly in paled, post-and-rail or board, and m fences. Although types of wood that could be used were varied, cal paling fence utilized different types of wood. For example, wood, such as locust, cedar, or oak, was often used for posts; with tensile strength, such as oak, poplar, or pine, was used for and lightweight wood, such as pine, could be employed for the Although worm fences have been documented in Delaware, York, and as far north as Canada, they were so common in the water area that they were often identified as Virginia fences. mas Anburey even reported that New Englanders described a ken man’s impaired movements as “making Virginia fences”. In ern New England’s glacier-formed topography, abundant tone was used for stone walls, which sometimes were referred to ne fences. Fences could also be created from live plants, minantly thorn (hawthorn and buckthorn), although writers ding Edward James Hooper (1842) and Charles Wyllys Elliott ) recommended osage orange, cedar, Chinese arbor vitae, privet, honey and black locust, beech, willow, and hemlock. The tages of live fences were a matter of great debate, particularly in nineteenth-century publications that advocated the “new ulture.” These writings included those by the New York and achusetts Agricultural Societies, and later, in periodical form, the culturist. In addition to their durability and long-term cost gs, it was argued that live fences harmonized better with the unding landscape. A similar effect could also be achieved with fences, as suggested by Edward Sayers (1838), by training “vines reepers” to conceal old and unsightly fences. gates were used in the 18th century at such sites as Westover, on mes River, Virginia, and the Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg, on fences were employed for the fronts of elite dwellings and le institutions. It was not, however, until the second quarter of 9th century when the expansion of America’s domestic iron try and advances in cast iron made iron fences affordable for of more modest means. This availability is reflected in the more one hundred fence patents that were registered between 1801 and Treatises, such as those by A. J. Downing (1849) and William H. tt (1851), provided examples of fashionable designs to be installed nt of suburban yards. Elaborate iron-work fences were ularly popular as enclosures for urban parks, educational utions, and family burial plots. These plots, with their elaborate s, were favorite subjects in illustrated books of the new rural eries. te the variety of materials and designs, fences shared many mon functions. Garden fences, like walls, created micro-climates ants: southern façades were ideal for promoting early harvests of rees trained on espaliers or protecting tender nursery plants, northern sides provided sheltered, shady spots in long dry mers. William Cobbett (1819) emphasized the value of fences as rs in America, given its extremes of heat and cold in contrast to ore temperate English climate.
material and was used mainly in paled, post-and-rail or board, and worm fences. Although types of wood that could be used were varied, a typical paling fence utilized different types of wood. For example, hard wood, such as locust, cedar, or oak, was often used for posts; wood with tensile strength, such as oak, poplar, or pine, was used for rails; and lightweight wood, such as pine, could be employed for the pales. Although worm fences have been documented in Delaware, New York, and as far north as Canada, they were so common in the Tidewater area that they were often identified as Virginia fences. Thomas Anburey even reported that New Englanders described a drunken man’s impaired movements as “making Virginia fences”. In southern New England’s glacier-formed topography, abundant fieldstone was used for stone walls, which sometimes were referred to as stone fences. Fences could also be created from live plants, predominantly thorn (hawthorn and buckthorn), although writers including Edward James Hooper (1842) and Charles Wyllys Elliott (1848) recommended osage orange, cedar, Chinese arbor vitae, privet, holly, honey and black locust, beech, willow, and hemlock. The advantages of live fences were a matter of great debate, particularly in early nineteenth-century publications that advocated the “new agriculture.” These writings included those by the New York and Massachusetts Agricultural Societies, and later, in periodical form, the Horticulturist. In addition to their durability and long-term cost savings, it was argued that live fences harmonized better with the surrounding landscape. A similar effect could also be achieved with other fences, as suggested by Edward Sayers (1838), by training “vines and creepers” to conceal old and unsightly fences. Iron gates were used in the 18th century at such sites as Westover, on the James River, Virginia, and the Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg, and iron fences were employed for the fronts of elite dwellings and notable institutions. It was not, however, until the second quarter of the 19th century when the expansion of America’s domestic iron industry and advances in cast iron made iron fences affordable for those of more modest means. This availability is reflected in the more than one hundred fence patents that were registered between 1801 and 1857. Treatises, such as those by A. J. Downing (1849) and William H. Ranlett (1851), provided examples of fashionable designs to be installed in front of suburban yards. Elaborate iron-work fences were particularly popular as enclosures for urban parks, educational institutions, and family burial plots. These plots, with their elaborate fences, were favorite subjects in illustrated books of the new rural cemeteries. Despite the variety of materials and designs, fences shared many common functions. Garden fences, like walls, created micro-climates for plants: southern façades were ideal for promoting early harvests of fruit trees trained on espaliers or protecting tender nursery plants, while northern sides provided sheltered, shady spots in long dry summers. William Cobbett (1819) emphasized the value of fences as shelters in America, given its extremes of heat and cold in contrast to the more temperate English climate.
divisions within a property owner’s estate, such as those between field, meadow, pasture, orchard, and yard; and, within the garden itself, fences separated areas such as the flower garden, kitchen garden, and nursery. The form of the fence often reflected its position or function. For example, post-and-rail fences would mark the boundaries and the divisions of the fields, while a palisaded brick wall served as a retaining wall along a slope, and a picket fence delineated the geometrically regular garden adjacent to the house. Not surprisingly, the public view of the property was often framed by more ornamented fence types, and aspiring owners could draw from pattern books, such as that by William and John Halfpenny (1755), for inspiration. Numerous images, including Caroline Betts’s painting of Lorenzo on Lake Cazenovia show a more elaborate treatment given to the fences in front of houses in contrast to the pale or post-and-rail fences that lined roads and enclosed meadows. William Cobbett (1819), in this vein, described a hierarchy of fences from the “rudest barriers” to the “grandest” and “noblest,” along with “every degree of gradation” in between, and Asher Benjamin (1830) recommended that the size of front fences be suited to the scale of the house. Fences were critical for keeping livestock in and garden pests contained. During the early years of settlement when livestock (such as pigs) were not restrained, colonists fenced their garden plots, while animals wreaked havoc on the open fields of Native Americans. In large estates, above-ground fences or sunken fences around the house were used to separate animals grazing in the open land of larger, more naturalistic landscape parks from more densely planted areas immediately surrounding the house, as depicted in Francis Guy’s 1805 painting of Perry Hall in Baltimore. Urban gardens faced their share of potential intruders as well, both animal and human, and fences were an important element in defining urban public spaces such as commons, squares, roads, and parks. Fences were symbolic, as well as practical, boundaries. Churchyards were often fenced, in part to protect them from wandering animals, and in part to demarcate the sacred space within. The similarity of yard-like enclosures created around family burials suggests an expression of the eternal domestic unit represented within. In both images and actual landscapes, fences around residences signified the division between personal property and the world beyond. This boundary made the presence and treatment of openings, such as gates, particularly important as they marked the passage between these realms of the public and the private. Residential fences were also a visual statement of their owners’ resources and abilities. For example, in William Dering’s portrait of George Booth, the fence in the background divides the near and middle grounds. Dering extended the view into the distant, irregular landscape, but signaled the proprietor’s control over the space within the confines of his fence with the regular plantings and trimmed path. Countless representations of houses offer a similar demarcation, usually from the reverse perspective, showing the area surrounding the dwelling separated from the larger landscape by a fence. This division of domestic space is seen in modest gardens from Eunice Pinney’s Mother and Child in Mountain Landscape to more elaborate estates such as Janika de Fériet’s The Hermitage. Descriptions by travelers, such as Timothy Dwight, also demonstrate the significance of fences as an indication of the prosperity or decline of an area. Timothy Bigelow (1805) described the Shaker Village of Hancock, New York, as “much better fenced than any other in [the] vicinity”. With some pride, a writer in the Horticultural Register in 1836 found Maine wanting in comparison to Massachusetts since there was “not that attention paid to the appearance of fences about the dwellings, door yards, &c. as with us”. In something of an horticultural parable the Horticultural Register (1837) described the proprietor who spent all his money on his house leaving it to stand “dreary and alone. . . an unsightly broken fence to enclose it” while, with more foresight, “a more finished appearance is presented; the house is neatly painted. . . and a picket fence encircles it”. Elizabeth Kryder-Reed
My Little Cabin at Avery Hill Farm
My Little Cabin at Avery Hill Farm
Gourds
. ….For, when it is ripe, the Rind dries, and grows as as the Bark of a Tree, and the Meat within is so umed, and dried away, that there is then nothing left but eed, which the Indians take clean out, and afterwards he Shells instead of Flagons and Cups; as is done also in al other Parts of the World.“
Gourds
Uses. ….For, when it is ripe, the Rind dries, and grows as hard as the Bark of a Tree, and the Meat within is so consumed, and dried away, that there is then nothing left but the Seed, which the Indians take clean out, and afterwards use the Shells instead of Flagons and Cups; as is done also in several other Parts of the World.“
I
doing some research I located a source in North Carolina. This company disassembled early log cabins carefully numbering the logs for reassembly in a new location. They had a cabin just the right size for our location and purpose. It was a simple on room design complete with flooring and a tin roof. I could be shipped next Spring. How exciting. Time passed and it wasn’t long before our cabin arrived on a warm June day. We had hired the help of our skilled carpenter and friend Mark Holdridge to help us. After unloading the trailer, the men sorted the logs and boards in piles making them ready for the next days work. The cabin went up quickly. Marks keen eye kept everything squared and it wasn’t long before we stood admiring our assembled project. We had even added a small porch and a sleeping loft inside. As perfect as it was sitting snugly in the woods facing the pond there was something missing. We pt our heads together and at the same time we all said a chimney! Mark knew just the man for the job his friend and skilled stone mason Ken Geer. Mark made some quick changes to the end wall. Then Ken Geer and his crew built a beautiful stone chimney. Ken even found us the perfect early stone fireplace to put in place inside. It was perfect, absolutely perfect.
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The motor dried quickly in the hot summer sun and before long we were finished. Our cabin was finished. the past several years I had been carefully saving just the right antique pieces to furnish that someday cabin. I was time for the fun part! An early wood box by the door for firewood, a small table with chairs to set in of the hearth for those fireside meals, an early rope bed complete with a trundle for sleepy grandchildren, an unk at the foot of the bed with a peg rack on the wall and a small cupboard for personal items, then an early oard base with a stone vessel on top to hold water by the door. Benches and a large barrel were placed on the . Our cabin was complete, and a dream come true. Connie Reeve
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size. The motor dried quickly in the hot summer sun and before long we were finished. Our cabin was finished. Over the past several years I had been carefully saving just the right antique pieces to furnish that someday cabin. Now I was time for the fun part! An early wood box by the door for firewood, a small table with chairs to set in front of the hearth for those fireside meals, an early rope bed complete with a trundle for sleepy grandchildren, an old trunk at the foot of the bed with a peg rack on the wall and a small cupboard for personal items, then an early cupboard base with a stone vessel on top to hold water by the door. Benches and a large barrel were placed on the porch. Our cabin was complete, and a dream come true. Connie Reeve
Milkweed
100 miles a day from breeding grounds in North America eir winter habitat in the oyamel fir forests of Central co. During their migration and summer breeding period, monarchs drink the nectar of a variety of plants and ers, such as yarrow, primrose but will depend most heavily single genus of plants — the milkweeds as the only food e for their offspring. Just as they have evolved to travel the route every year using an internal compass, monarchs also acquired the instinct to lay their eggs on no other plant.
Historic Homes Magazine website: historichomesmagazine.com
ow treatments.
Primary Colors Instill Richness with Simplicity
Historic Colors line, reflect not only the natural pigments colonists worked with, but also how colors were perceived in earlier times: by candelight: through small or heavily draped windows: browned by fire smoke and age.
Gathering on he Farm
let's goAntiquing HHM
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sburg, operty.Pennsylvania” The show willon beSaturday, held at 1042 October Bullfrog 7th,Road, Fairfield, They are giving away $50.00 cash prizes ylvania from 9 a.m. to four 3 p.m. Admission to the show is free of gate opens at home 9:00 a.m. Sign up you .the The farm is the of Linda andwhen Joe Bowden. The log line cashdates prizes. n of for thethe house to 1740, and the stone, to 1830. In 1930, ition was added to the stone portion. The Trader’s Cabin d the house dates to 1720. From the 1730s into the 1740s, it was ling for Swedish explorer Hans Steelman, an Indian trader and reter. he Battle of Gettysburg and prior to Confederate troops g South, diaries tell stories of temporary bivouacs/camps set the farm. The Bowdens’ raised sheep on the land, and the and barn are registered by Historic Gettysburg as historic ures. The Trader’s Cabin remains among the earliest structures area.
HHM real estate guide
17th-century colonial houses were built primarily from wood, following styles found in the southeastern counties of England. Saltbox acres in North Maine. Jonathan opportunity Chesley to Berwick, constructed back ain time 1716 were some of the simplest of homes constructed in the New England colonies. The Saltbox homes exquisite home began in theto 1920’s style homes Cape Cod homes is located onand antravel incredibly spacious 10,000 sq ft site on the Offering 3000 feet ofstyle living offers reminiscent a for captivating of square thesteep old glimpse days into New and has evolved Interior known their roofwhile among the back the house made for easy construction among colonists. The Cape Cod style homes were a southern end ofsince. historic Point space, this home isthe accompanied by a neighborhood. Beautifully England's enjoying rich architectural amenities. heritage. features of21st thiscentury over 5000 sq.17th ft. of common home in the early New England these homes featured a simple, rectangular shape commonly used by colonists intact, historic details include 6 fireplaces withcolonists, interesting two-car garage and adjoining post & Nestled The house in the is a 5heart classic ofNew Durham, England house include bedrooms and 4 NH. full antique tilewith surrounds, wooden beam stone walkways. It has barn center-chimney 310bedrooms, cape 2and 3/4 resting baths, on the3interior shutters, wide plank baths, fireplaces classic pine floorboards, and unique design. Bridge Street, bedrooms, 3 baths. Pocket shutters modern same fieldstone kitchen foundation with granite as it balustrade did antique details like wide-plank grace the considered by many while be the the sixmost countertops. almost 300windows, years 2.40 ago. acres. 3tobedrooms, floors. The house sits on 49 acres in beautiful street on the wood-burning hearths addtowarmth & point, also the closest downtown Newport, RI and the 2 baths,is4.22 in Killingworth, Ashford, CTacres character. Newport Shipyard, and a half a block to Newport Harbor. Listed Ricardo and Carol Rodriguez Kelly &William Associates Raveis CT by: Jay Listed by:Banker Portside Real Portsmouth Estate GroupNH Real Estate Caldwell Realty Listed Rare by: opportunity Rose Ciardiello to William restore Raveis a Real true historic treasure 207-619-7571 $894,900 603-334-1900 203.255.6841 $895,000 $824,900 Estate 203-314-6269 $800,000
Once a family compound. 4 Bedrooms, 3 1/2 Baths, 6 Fireplaces. 3,214 sqft. Listed by: Michelle Kirby 401-862-7873 Gustave White Sotheby's Realty Kathleen Greenman 401-848-6727 Gustave White Sotheby's Realty $2,250.00
HarlowDestination HHM Farm
HarlowDestination HHM Farm
H
been an important farming town. Farm has been in our family since 1917 and has been certified organic since 1985. Paul Harlow, the owner, is the third generation to farm here. Harlow’s aren’t unique —Westminster, located in the fertile Connecticut River Valley, with some of the best agricultural soils in the country, has been an important farming town. randfather, Paul G. Harlow, bought Harlow Farm in 1917 after graduating from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. He had grown up in husetts and visited his Westminster West cousins during the summers (Harlow’s had been in Westminster since the mid-1700’s). and his wife, Sarah, were diversified farmers, as many were in those days. They milked cows, grew vegetables and, in the 1940’s, ran a farmstand he Log Cabin Market, near where today’s Harlow Farmstand sits. Paul G. also served in the Vermont Legislature, on the Vermont Liquor Board M Board of Trustees, and, later, as a side judge in the county court. ied of scarlet fever when she was just 36, leaving Paul G. with eight children, including a set of twins born a few weeks before her death. The twins on adopted by family friends, but the other children were raised by the eldest, Dorothy, and Sarah’s mother. World War II, their sons Roger and Hollis (“Hocker,” named after an Indian on a radio show), began a full-scale dairy on the farm, shipping milk to ows Falls Creamery in milk cans. Later, Roger and his family moved to Florida, while Hocker stayed on the Westminster farm. He and his wife, , had four children.
y's Generation
est, Paul, worked alongside his father from early on. After selling the dairy herd, in 1965, they grew hay and sweet corn they trucked to grocery p and down the valley. They continued raising asparagus. The two-acre bed just north of the house produced for a quarter of a century, and ng asparagus was one of the chores that Harlow children learned early on. Customers came to the house to buy the bunches off the back porch. tending Castleton and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, Paul bought the farm from his parents, in 1975. He and his wife, Susan Edgar, farming organically on just a quarter-acre in 1976, and soon found that organic practices were good for the soil and what it grew. Within 10 years, ole farm was certified organic. It was one of the earliest organic vegetable farms in New England and is still one of the largest. the farm, Paul and Susan ran a farmstand for a few years. They helped start Deep Root Organic Truck Farmers, the first organic cooperative in ngland, along with several other short-lived local co-ops. Those were hard years. On many days, Paul worked all day on the farm, caught a few hours sleep, and then drove to Boston to buy produce for the farmstand.
Still, the farm crew wasn’t too tired to play a competitive game or two of volleyball in the backyard, after the day’s work was done.
A Family's Farm Harlow Farm now includes the original home farm and Harlow Farmstand, owned and operated by brother Dan Harlow. It includes Kestrel Farm, also located in Westminster, which was owned and operated by brother Tom Harlow in the 1990s, and River View Farm in Putney. All three farms have been conserved through the Vermont Land Trust. Harlow Farm was named Vermont Sustainable Farm of the Year in 1998, the second year the award was given. Now Paul and many hard-working employees raise about 150 acres of organic vegetables, sold at the farmstand and at grocery stores and cooperatives in New England and along the East Coast as far south as Florida. Lettuce, which grows well in the rich, well-drained soils of the Connecticut River Valley, is one of our largest crops. We also grow lots of beets, carrots, sweet corn, squash, kale, and cabbage. We raise organically fed cattle, pigs, turkeys, and chickens, who eat well on farm pastures and excess vegetables – one steer can eat 10 to 15 pounds of beets and carrots daily. There are 800 free-range laying hens that are fed organically and take advantage of the rich diversity of worms and bugs around the farm.
Harlow Farmstand The farmstand has been owned by the three Harlow brothers and operated by Dan Harlow since it opened on this site in 1991. The building was designed and built by a crew of Harlow’s, led by our cousin, Chris Harlow—who was definitely the talent and skill behind the project. It replaced a farmstand that had been operated by Paul Harlow and before that in the 1920’s by our grandfather, Paul G. Harlow. The farmstand sells not only produce from Harlow Farm but also vegetables and fruits from several local farms.
Westminster—a Farming Town In the early part of the last century, most of the town’s farms were diversified, growing any number of crops and livestock, including the famous Merino sheep, and most had some dairy. Apples grew well on the hillsides. The H.C. Baxter and Brothers cannery at Westminster Station bought sweet corn from local farmers and processed thousands of cans every year. Cabbage was an important crop, too. Along with a variety of vegetables including cabbage and onions, Grandfather Paul G. Harlow grew tobacco on the home farm, the northern-most extension of tobacco growing in the Connecticut River Valley. The tobacco was used for cigar wrappers.
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collect them all !
and experience all four seasons your camera app on www.historichomesmagazine.com
order gift for today! your phone
yourself or others
*Indulge in stunning interiors and historic homes *Ad Free
Resources HHM Back Roads Find
ww.instagram.com/conniegleed Adrian www.haddamhistory.org Elizabeth www.harlowfarm.com www.wdsmuseum.org www.vchm.org Francis Kryder-Reed McDonald Avery Hill Farms Connie Reeve averyhillfarm@gmail.com
Resources HHM Back Roads Find www.instagram.com/conniegleed Adrian www.haddamhistory.org Elizabeth www.harlowfarm.com www.wdsmuseum.org www.vchm.org Francis Kryder-Reed McDonald Avery Hill Farms Connie Reeve averyhillfarm@gmail.com
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