Winter-Spring 2012 Old Salem Magazine by Old Salem Museums & Gardens

J ohn S iewers h ouse • T he 52 S how • L ightning R ods of S alem

Winter–Spring 2012

Old Salem Museums & Gardens consists of three museums: The Historic Town of Salem is a restored Moravian congregation town dating back to 1766, with costumed interpreters bringing the late-18th and 19th centuries to life. Restored original buildings, faithful reconstructions,

 South Main Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Phone 336-721-7350 | Fax 336-721-7335 www.oldsalem.org

201 1 –20 12

and historically accurate gardens and landscapes make the

b oar d of truste e s

Historic Town of Salem one of America’s most authentic

Mr. Anthony L. Furr, Acting Chairman Mr. Paul Fulton, Vice Chairman Mr. F. Hudnall Christopher, Jr., Treasurer Mr. Richard Gottlieb, Secretary Dr. Eugene W. Adcock, III Ms. Betsy Annese Dr. Anthony Atala Mr. Michael J. Bozymski Mr. Nicholas B. Bragg Mr. Robert Brown Mr. Craig D. Cannon Mr. J. Haywood Davis Mr. W. Ted Gossett Mr. James A. Gray, III Dr. Edward G. Hill, Jr. Mr. Michael Hough Mr. Henry H. Jordan, II Mr. Stanhope A. Kelly Ms. Judy Lambeth Mrs. Chris Minter-Dowd Mr. Anthony Montag Mr. L. Glenn Orr, Jr. Mr. C. Edward Pleasants, Jr. Dr. Thomas H. Sears, Jr. Dr. Allston J. Stubbs, III Mrs. Margaret D. Townsend Mr. William Watson Mr. Samuel H. Wauford, Jr.

history attractions. The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), collects, exhibits, researches, and educates the public about the decorative arts made and used by people living and working in Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, from the 17th century to the beginning of the Civil War. The Gardens of Salem consist of award-winning restorations that create a landscape reminiscent of early Salem where utility, practicality, and beauty are united.

Winter/Spring 2012 This Publication is produced by Old Salem Museums & Gardens, which is operated by Old Salem Inc., a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit educational corporation organized in 1950 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Old Salem Museums & Gardens logo and name are registered trademarks, and may not be used by outside parties without permission. © 2012 Old Salem Museums & Gardens Edited by Betsy Allen, Editorial Associate Publication Design by Hillhouse Graphic Design, LLC Photography by Wes Stewart, except when noted otherwise

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

Ex-Officio Members: Mr. Franklin C. Kane | Ms. Molly A. Leight Dr. Susan Pauly | Ms. Kathleen Staples

On The Cover:

Carpenter’s apprentice Walt stands atop a log he is hewing for the Miksch House bake oven (see article on page 11).

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

Volume 7, number 1

Contents

Winter/Spring 2012

introducing ragan folan

What’s new on the Old Salem bookshelves • 6 Finding the story of slavery through Southern art; exploring God’s Fields. Historic Lightning Rods in Salem

•8 In 1752, Benjamin Franklin specified this system to protect buildings.

miksch house: The journey of food from seeds to the table • 11 an antique with a mind of its own • New Benefactors of Salem make Old Salem their “third place.” ▼ Page 14

Restoring the historic 1844 John Siewers House.

Sixty Years Later • 17 Furniture of the South and the 1952 Show.

Page 5 Ragan Folan, Old Salem’s seventh President and CEO. ▼

Historic Lightning Rods in Salem—history with a spark. ▼ Page 8

•5 Old Salem welcomes its Seventh president.

A 1952 exhibit laid a foundation for MESDA’s formation and growth. ▼ Page 17

New to the Collections • 22 Tennessee furniture from the Mary Jo Case Collection.

Friends of Old Salem • 26 One family’s story of an incredible value.

Building a Legacy, Helping Friends • 27 The Frederic Marshall Society members’ list.

The Frank L. Horton Society • 29 Building a collection, helping friends.

Naturalization Ceremony • 31 ▼

Page 33 Hearthside Cooking is just one of the hands-on learning opportunities at Old Salem.

Winter/Spring 2012

Saving Seeds, part of the Miksch House story. ▼ Page 11

The site of the nation’s first July 4 celebration celebrates new citizens. Don’t miss the party!

Calendar of events • 32 There’s lots to do at Old Salem—lunch time, evenings, weekends, and more. Limited openings available for Summer Apprentices and Summer Camp.

Selling North Carolina since 1766

North Carolina products currently available in our retail stores and online include delicious baked goods from Winkler Bakery including Moravian cookies, cheese stars, and sugar cakes as well as assorted nuts, Miss Jennyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pickles, Open Season Sweet Potato Butter, Fireside Foods Blackjack BBQ Sauce (Mild and Hot), and Milly's Dillies (Dilly Beans). Check out our new area featuring North Carolina products in the Old Salem Marketplace in the Visitor Center!

Shop online at oldsalem.com Shop by phone 877-652-7253

introducing Ragan Folan, old Salem’s new President

as a past chairman of Old Salem’s Board of Trustees and a good friend of both the museum and Ragan Folan, it is my honor and pleasure to introduce you to Old Salem’s seventh President and CEO. I first met Ragan Folan and her husband during a social function celebrating Summit School’s new library. The Folans impressed me and we quickly developed a friendship that I value greatly. Ragan Portaro Folan is a native of Ohio who went to school in Virginia. She was introduced to Old Salem on an orientation tour of Winston-Salem in 1999, when her husband, McDara, was joining the legal staff at the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company. The Folans have three children. Caitlin teaches fifth grade at Summit School in WinstonSalem, McDara is a student at UNC-Asheville, and McKenzie is at Woodberry Forest School in Madison County, Virginia. They enjoy traveling with their children, particularly at Christmas, when they can coordinate their busy schedules. Ragan earned her undergraduate degree in commerce at the University of Virginia and an MBA at the University of Richmond. She worked for IBM Lotus in sales and management prior to starting her own firm, Winghaven Consulting, where she continued as an independent marketing consultant for IBM. After settling her immediate and extended family in North Carolina—including her mother and two brothers—Ragan became involved in a wide variety of worthy Winston-Salem endeavors. She has served on the boards of Summit School, Friends of Brenner Children’s Hospital, the Winston-Salem Children’s Museum, and the Second Harvest Food Bank. She has also been on Old Salem’s Board of Trustees since 2004. She is also on the board of the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education Foundation and serves on UVA’s National Committee on University Resources (NCOUR). When she manages to find a little personal time, Ragan likes to read and collect (“in a small way”) antique silver and Limoges porcelain. Having been on Old Salem’s board for eight years, serving as chairwoman for the past two, Ragan is thoroughly familiar with the museum. She sees the top challenges for the institution going forward as raising the necessary funds to execute our strategic plan. She believes this plan will ensure that Old Salem, MESDA, and our historic gardens will be enjoyed by future generations. That challenge includes continuing to encourage our friends near and far to enjoy the wonderful resources and programs offered at Old Salem and MESDA. Please join me in welcoming my friend Ragan to her new role at the Old Salem Museums & Gardens. She is a woman of vision and I know the museum is in capable hands. She will do a phenomenal job of managing the complex relationships associated with Old Salem and MESDA. You’ll be hearing from her personally in the next issue of this magazine.

Thank you, Winter/Spring 2012

Ragan Folan, Old Salem’s seventh President and CEO

old salem museums & gardens administration Ragan Folan President & CEO Eric Hoyle Vice President Administration & CFO Tom Connors Vice President Development John Larson Vice President Restoration Robert Leath Vice President Collections & Research Paula Locklair Vice President Education

BordenH anes

Book Reviews

What’s new on the Old Salem bookshelf Slaves Waiting for Sale: Abolitionist Art and the American Slave Trade By Maurie D. McInnis | 280 pages, $40.00

ave reviews for scholarly tomes are rare. Maurie McInnis’s Slaves Waiting for Sale deserves every word of the generous praise her peers and reviewers have written about her newest book. “With ingenious research and imaginative writing…,” McInnis “unites places and facets of life too seldom joined,” said Edward L. Ayers of the University of Richmond. The book “epitomizes the best of scholarship,” according to Bernard L. Herman of the University of North Carolina, who goes on to say it is “beautifully crafted, compellingly argued and powerfully original.” Slaves Waiting for Sale focuses on the paintings of a young British artist, Eyre Crowe, to explore the slave trade in the American South. In 1853, Crowe traveled with William Makepeace Thackeray on a tour of the United States. During their trip, Crowe visited a slave auction in Richmond, Virginia. Fascinated by what he saw, the artist made sketches he later developed into a series of illustrations and paintings, including the 29” by 39” oil-on-canvas work that shares its title with McInnis’s book. The business of selling slaves at auction is examined across the South, from Richmond to Charleston to Atlanta to New Orleans. McInnis uses literature, works by other artists, archaeology, news sources, and personal accounts in her analysis. Though her subject is grim, her treatment of it is mesmerizing. “It’s a book that will speak to readers in many different fields,” observed E. B. Robertson of the University of California, Santa Barbara. This reader, who generally prefers fiction to fact, found Slaves Waiting for Sale compelling. m —Betsy Allen

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

God’s Fields: Landscape, Religion, and Race in Moravian Wachovia By Leland Ferguson | 256 pages, $74.94

od’s Fields is a detailed study of the eighteenth-century religious and social beliefs and practices of the Moravian community of Salem, North Carolina by a twenty-first-century professor of anthropology. The result is a “fascinating examination of the tension of race relations in the antebellum South…” that “is hard to put down,” according to Christopher E. Hendricks, author of The Backcountry Towns of Colonial Virginia. Ferguson has devoted thirty years to archaeological research on African American history and race relations. For many of those years his focus has been on Old Salem and Wachovia—including archaeology at St. Philips African Moravian Church—through a partnership between the Department of Anthropology of the University of South Carolina and Old Salem Museums & Gardens. In addition to archaeological findings, his book is also a personalized perspective of the history of the Salem Moravians. Early in the book Ferguson says, “Historians most often search for answers in the written record. Archaeologists also do research in libraries and archives, but our usual work world is outdoors. We tend to look to the ground and the landscape to answer questions.” Connecting landscape and community intent provides some of Ferguson’s most intriguing conclusions about Salem, especially his analysis of town planning in regard to dualisms: secular and sacred; male and female; white and black. Although God’s Fields presents some contradictions and varying interpretations on Ferguson’s subject, he does explain that, “archaeological and historical research offer answers to… questions and raise new ones along the way. Some questions, however, go beyond scholarly research.” Despite those limitations, God’s Fields is a valuable contribution to written record of the restoration of Old Salem, especially Ferguson’s documentation of the archaeological investigation at St. Philips African Moravian Church. The author’s personal viewpoint of the evolution (or devolution) of racial tensions in Salem and then Winston-Salem is a worthy bonus. m —Betsy Allen Both of these books are available at Old Salem’s Museum Store in the Horton Museum Center or online at www.oldsalem.org. For more information, call 877-652-7253. Winter/Spring 2012

Historic

Lig

hroughout Salem, metal rods can be seen

By Lauren Shepulski and Sunni L. Goodson

stretching above rooftops and chimneys, only

to run down the sides of buildings and disappear deep into the ground. In addition to the other architectural legacies that the town offers, the Moravians have placed these devices on buildings since the late eighteenth century in hopes of saving their buildings and loved ones from lightningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inexplicable and destructive force. For some time it had been posited that lightning was a form of electricity, but Benjamin Franklinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s numerous eighteenth-century experiments advanced the contemporary knowledge on the subject. Having noticed that a sharp, iron needle could neutralize a charged metal sphere, he believed that a metal rod attached to a building could attract lightning from a cloud and pass it safely to the ground. By 1752, he specified this system to protect buildings. Opposite page: Victorian lightning rods often employed decorative glass balls, as seen on Cedarhyrst, located next to Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Acre and completed in 1896.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

ghtning Rods in Salem Lightning rods were first introduced in Salem in the late eighteenth century. In 1787, congregational minutes note that both the Single Brothers’ House and the Miksch House had been struck during a violent storm, apparently providing incentive for installation of lightning rods. In 1788, Salem adopted building codes, although the placement of lightning rods was not explicitly covered; however, a “beginning was made with putting [them] on the larger buildings.” Shortly after the building codes were approved, lightning rods were placed on the Single Brothers’ House, the community store run by T. Bagge, the Salem Tavern, and the Geimein Haus. The popularity of lightning rods in Salem seemingly increased in the decade that followed. A 1798 drawing of the Boys’ School shows that the building was fitted with a lightning rod at some point. This pattern of increased installation of lightning rods continued into the nineteenth century. In 1874, the last entry regarding rods in the congregational minutes book, recorded that,

Winter/Spring 2012

“The lightning rod [on the church] was declared to be useless and might as well be taken down.” We may never be entirely sure if Salem residents stopped using lightning rods in the early twentieth century before the restoration of the town began; however, twenty-eight historic rods remain on twenty buildings today, supporting the idea that some residents remained convinced of their efficacy and protection. While the use of lightning rods is widespread throughout the historic district, the public’s understanding of lightning and rod construction is not as complete. During a thunderstorm, clouds develop strong electric fields that cause “leaders” of negative ions to migrate toward the ground. As these leaders descend they intensify the electric fields at ground level, causing “streamers” of positively charged ions to rise up from well-exposed objects, such as buildings or lighting rods. Lightning leaders coming down through the atmosphere will connect to any streamers within range, allowing the electrical charge in the cloud to descend through this connection. If that charge passes through a non-conductive or highly electricalresistant object, such as an unprotected building, the damage can be severe and start a fire. If the charge comes in contact with an object that has very little electrical resistance, such as a lightning rod, the current passes to the ground and is safely discharged. Contrary to eighteenth-century beliefs, lightning rods do not attract lightning. Prevailing winds are the greatest factor in the position of positive ions (streamers) in the air and thus determining where lightning will strike.

It is important that the joints of a lightning rod were uniform and complete to prevent electricity from shooting out of weak spots, an occurrence called a “sideflash.”

Iron joints for lightning rods, created in forges by Salem’s gunsmiths or blacksmiths, could be welded, hooked, and fastened, as seen on the Single Brothers’ House.

Lightning Rods in Salem

continued

Lightning rods do not discharge clouds of their incorporated lightning rods into their design, own accord (another myth held by eighteenthsuch as that seen on Home Moravian Church. century people). Lightning rods are important features of old Lightning rods vary in their exact materials buildings because they represent historic conand design. The first lightning rods were made struction techniques and provide information of wrought iron or copper and were of solid about the chronology of a house. Nonetheless, construction. Wrought iron was origithey also present various preservanally preferred to steel or other irons tion issues such as atmospheric corbecause its low carbon content was a rosion. This occurs when a film of deterrent of rust and oxidation. Forged moisture containing gases like oxyin the shop and welded together onsite gen, carbon dioxide, and pollutants through various types of joints, rods is formed on the surface of the iron, would extend several feet above the causing a breakdown in the strucchimney, pass through a conductive ture of the material. However, with material, straight to a grounding device regular maintenance and care historic such as an embedded anchor which lightning rods can be preserved and was meant to distribute the charge into retained for the benefit of future The 1860 weathervane the earth and neutralize it. The rod generations. was then fastened in place to the house and lightning rod, Home The next time you’re walking through the use of iron staples or pins. Moravian Church. around Salem, take a moment and Lightning rods from the nineteenth look at the rooftops and chimneys of century often had decorative glass balls near the the buildings to appreciate the beauty and utiltop of the rod, as seen on the Cedarhyrst buildity of the lightning rods… unless it’s about to ing in Old Salem. The glass balls were initially storm—then quickly head to safety of Winkler thought to be indicative of whether the rod was Bakery and enjoy some sugar cake! m functioning properly, but it is now known that Lauren Shepulski and Sunni L. Goodson were the glass balls were purely ornamental, serving as interns in 2011 at Old Salem from the Univerbranding identification for the manufacturer. In sity of North Carolina at Greensboro time, weathervanes atop ridges and cupolas also

Wire is used to connect two pieces of wrought iron to complete the lightning rod on Home Moravian. PHOTOGRAPH BY lAuReN sHePulski.

historic

Above: Pins driven into mortar joints hold a lightning rod in place on the Inspector’s House.

PHOTOGRAPH BY lAuReN sHePulski.

A drawing of the Boys’ School shows that the building was fitted with a lightning rod by 1798. Old Salem Collection.

The Cape Fear Bank building, Main Street has two lightning rods on opposing chimneys for added protection. 10

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

MikschH ouse

The

From Seed to table:

by Bill Cissna

The 1771 Miksch House.

he little yellow house across from Winkler Bakery is once again an integral part of the Old Salem experience. Visitors to the Matthew Miksch House are now privy to an entirely new story of colonial living in Salem: the journey of food from seeds to the table. In the first five years of the fledgling town of Salem, housing for builders and residents alike was entirely communal in nature. The First through Fifth houses, followed by the Single Brothers’ House (1769) and the Gemein Haus (1771), provided shared living spaces. In 1771, however, a simple dovetailed log house, quickly covered in clapboards and painted yellow to suggest sophistication, arrived just north of the Salem Square on Main Street. It became the town’s first private family home, built for Matthew and Henrietta Miksch. The Miksches were related to Bishop Spangenberg through Matthew’s mother and had moved to Salem after seven years in Bethabara. Salem’s administrators provided the couple with advice on Continued on page 12

Chet Tomlinson shows a group of school children how to plant potatoes in the Miksch family garden.

Winter/Spring 2012

MikschH ouse

The

Fro m Seed t o t ab l e

(Above, top to bottom) Cindy Kepley rolls out dough to make pie crusts in the Miksch kitchen; Carpenter’s apprentice Walt hews a log for the Miksch House bake oven.

Continued

how they might make a living and meet certain needs of the town. Following those suggestions, the Miksches’s began farming and gardening and also opened a shop in their house. The Miksches’s pioneering ways and the arrival of other small homes on narrow rectangular lots in Salem prompted the term “family gardens” to first appear in town’s written records in 1775. By that time, Br. Miksch sold “hardy plants” to townspeople and others; and he processed and sold snuff, small tobacco twists (for chewing), and large twists (for smoking). In addition, the couple baked and sold gingerbread. The Miksches’s greatest impact on Salem was their experimentation and expansion of family gardening at a time when the town’s planners were realizing that communal farms outside of town

would not fully meet the agricultural needs of a growing Wachovia. The organized, well-kept gardens that would mark many Salem lots began with the Miksches’s businesses—and are directly represented on their property in today’s Old Salem. The restored Miksch House and reconstructed manufactory behind the house (originally built in 1782–1783, primarily for tobacco products) have become the centerpiece for a more thorough integration of the museum’s long-standing horticultural programs into visitors’ overall exposure to the past. The close connections between seeds, plants, trees, harvesting, and feeding a family are capably explained by Old Salem Historic Trades interpreters Chet Tomlinson and Cindy Kepley. From Tuesday through Friday every week, they conduct the day-to-day actions that late-eighteenth-century residents such as the Miksches would have considered vital to themselves and the community. “While we do spend some time discussing the Miksch businesses specifically,” Cindy notes, “we tend to focus the story here on what we call ‘seed to table.’ In short, what constituted the entire process from the first planting to putting food on the table.” Year round, visitors see those practices at work—as they might have been in the 1770s and at that particular season. The Miksch family gardens are planted by Old Salem’s Horticultural Department staff using heirloom seeds for plant species appropriate for the era. Those plantings are harvested, preserved and laid up for use by Old Salem interpreters for hearthside cooking demonstrations during the winter months.

(right) A table is set in the Miksch House; (far right) The Miksch bake oven under construction. 12

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

“We felt that, in the past, the [museum’s] trades, domestic, and gardening interpretations weren’t really connected,” Chet notes. “Now, at the Miksch House, they come together. I anticipate that there will be days when I can take something out of the garden that will go into the kitchen for peeling or trimming and use. The peelings will go into a compost pile, and I’ll take from an older compost pile to spread back on the garden. Essentially, the whole cycle can be seen in a few hours.” Though it’s difficult to know for sure in the first year of this new interpretive approach, the spring and early summer will be an exciting time for Cindy and Chet. “You have to remember that the residents would have gone for several months of cold weather with no fresh produce,” Cindy says. “The first anticipated growth in the spring garden is asparagus. You would still be using up the stored goods, but at last there’s something fresh!” Chet planted carrots, beets, cabbages, and other goods in late February, while fresh onion and garlic will be among the earliest harvested produce. By the end of April, the gardens should be in full swing. Another project at the Miksch House adds to the interpretation. The Miksch business had an outdoor bake oven, not unlike the one onsite at the Vierling House (the Miksches’s daughter, Martha, eventually married Dr. Vierling). On the footprint of the original oven, another has been reconstructed. Interpreters plan a weekly bake session on Fridays.

Winter/Spring 2012

The reception at the Miksch House to the new approach has been “great,” according to Chet and Cindy. “Visitors during the week have really liked it, especially the kids,” Chet notes. Regardless, the new iteration of the Miksch House—complete with intriguing maps and surveying tools on display in its main room—helps to better understand the complexity and timeconsuming nature of surviving and thriving in the earliest days of Salem. m Bill Cissna is a freelance writer, playwright and novelist living in Kernersville, North Carolina.

“we tend to focus the story here on what we call ‘seed to table.’” —Cindy Kepley

Diane Ott Whealy: The “Seed Saver”

n conjunction with Slow Food Piedmont, Old Salem hosted Diane Ott Whealy for a lecture and workshop on March 13–14 this year. Ott Whealy is the co-founder of Seed Savers Exchange and currently serves as the non-profit’s vice president of education. Since its founding in 1975, Ott Whealy has helped grow Seed Savers to include more than 13,000 members and to create Heritage Farm, an 890-acre headquarters in Decorah, Iowa. Seed Savers Exchange is dedicated to the preservation and distribution of heirloom varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, flowers and herbs. It is one of the largest non-governmental seed banks in the U.S. Ott Whealy brought her recentlypublished book Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver, which outlines the Seed Savers story (256 pages; $25; available at Old Salem’s stores on at www.oldsalem.com)

13 13

An Antique with a Mind Restoring the 1844 John Siewers House

by Betsy allen with Kathleen Keyser

Restoring a historic house is a daunting endeavor—for anyone. Over the years, Old Salem Museums & Gardens has restored nearly two-dozen buildings in the Historic Town of Salem. About the same number have been undertaken by private homeowners. The resulting streetscape seen in Old Salem today is an impressive result of a dynamic alliance of museum professionals and individuals attracted to preserving history. The 1844 John Siewers House on Main Street is one of two recent restorations completed by private homeowners. The other is directly across the street from the John Siewers House: the 1831 Kuehln House. Watching those two stately homes brought back to their original splendor over the past few years has been gratifying for anyone interested in Salem’s architectural heritage. The John Siewers House is nearly ready for its new owners to move in. Kathleen and Jerry Keyser have been restoring their “huge antique with a mind of its own” for nearly four years. Though they are the ninth owners of the house, theirs is its first actual “restoration” (working to accurately depict the features and character of a building to a particular period of its history). Previous work on the John Siewers House had been classified as a “preservation” (simply sustaining the existing form and integrity of a building). The Keysers purchased the house with an essentially original interior, only a few alterations for modern conveniences, and no obvious exterior additions except for a small dormer on the rear roof. Despite its strong state of preservation, the couple would need to address some serious issues through the restoration process.

This is the restoration story of Old Salem’s newest residents in their own words:

e first visited Winston-Salem for a niece’s wedding at Graylyn a few years ago. A Salem Academy and Wake Forest graduate who knew of our interest in historic preservation, she recommended we stay in Old Salem during all the festivities. We spent a delightful week at the Zevely Inn and vowed to return when we had more time. Little did we know at that point that our youngest daughter would soon follow her cousin at Salem Academy as a boarding student. Frequent trips from the North

led to a decision to move South to see blue sky regularly. Winston-Salem made the short list, along with two Virginia towns, and the active search for a new home began. One snowy afternoon in Ohio we received a call from our daughter saying there was a “For Sale” sign in the window of a house in Old Salem. What followed became the latest chapter in the history of the 168-year-old John Siewers House. Having completed three adaptive-reuse renovations of less-important historic properOld Salem Museums & Gardens

of its Own

ties, Jerry was slightly apprehensive about the project, but the house won him over. Very few major changes had been made to the house during its long history, so the original historic features spoke for themselves. Our immediate and primary goal was to treat the house as the fine antique it is and bring it back to its original splendor. We also wanted to restore or repair where possibleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and if not possible, replace with of-the-period historic materials. The search for craftsmen who were sensitive to the true preservation of historic features while creating a home adapted to twenty-first-century standards was important and an ongoing challenge. We have learned many lessons in the past few years of repairing and restoring our fine antique. While we have been eager to move in, we realized early in the process that artisans and craftsmen cannot be rushed. Outwardly, visible signs of our progress are the new wood-shingled roof, original window and shutter restorations, the front portico column and railing, gutter and downspout repairs, and brick re-pointing with period lime mortar. Less visible but as important are the installation of a geothermal heating/ Winter/Spring 2012

cooling system, termite elimination and damage repairs, interior plaster wall fixes addressing the wet cellar walls, and restoration of the original heart pine floors without sanding. Being sensitive to the environment was always one of our objectives and we recycled unused materials whenever possible. A hazardous materials abatement contractor was hired to remove and properly dispose of the twentieth-century, asbestos-laden, heating system. We knew we were on the right track with our project when the friendly ghost who regularly tapped Jerry on the head as he descended the cellar stairs during the early, disruptive, stages of the project was apparently appeased and has not been heard from since! Downsizing our residence and transitioning to urban living had been subjects of

Top left: The John Siewers house, 1930s. Top right: The John Siewers House, 1950s.

Kathleen and Jerry Keyser

Restoring the 1844 John Siewers House continued

many discussions during our search for a new home. Since we were looking forward to having lots of company and entertaining—we have large extended families—we needed space to do so in a location family and friends would be excited to visit. Our Old Salem house perfectly fits the bill. One sister had her wedding in our new backyard, we’ve had an open house party for neighbors, friends, and historic preservationists, and we hosted an open house for Old Salem staff and volunteers for them to see our progress. Kathleen has even had her neighborhood book club meet in the unfinished house just so they could see what we’ve been up to.

We feel very much at home here. Kathleen is glad to be back in the South. Jerry feels a special connection to the Moravians here with one of his ancestors, Dirck Keyser, who in 1688 settled just doors away from where Count Zinzendorf would start the first Moravian school in America (in Germantown, outside Philadelphia). While we have many stories about our Old Salem restoration project, we both agree the best feature of our move has been becoming an integral part of a living history town. It is people who make a neighborhood. Old Salem is lucky to have a caring, dedicated museum staff during business hours as well as friendly, actively involved resident homeowners 24/7. m Below: A view of Main Street with the John Siewers House on the right and the recently restored 1831 Kuehln House on the left. Left: The back of the house features a full porch, overlooking a spacious back yard, perfect for entertaining and family events.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

YearsLater:

Furniture of the Old South

by Daniel Kurt Ackermann

An image from the 1952 show.

n January 11, 1952 a van from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts arrived in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Its driver had with him a list of thirteen objects selected by Helen Comstock of The Magazine ANTIQUES and her regional representative in North Carolina, a young man named Frank L. Horton. Ten days later, the exhibit “Furniture of the Old South: 1640–1820,” almost always referred to today as “the 1952 show,” opened at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) in Richmond. The result of a partnership between the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, The Magazine ANTIQUES, and the VMFA, the exhibit grew out of a comment made by Winterthur’s first curator, Joseph Downs, at the 1949 Williamsburg Antiques Forum. Downs made the consequential statement that “little of artistic merit was made south of Baltimore.” The exhibit proved conclusively that Downs’s perception was incorrect. The exhibit also laid the groundwork for what would become the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA). Winston-Salem in the 1950s was home to several pioneering collectors of southern decorative arts, including Frank Horton and Ralph P. Hanes. The importance and breadth of their collections were Winter/Spring 2012

YearsLater:

FuRnituRe oF tHe old SoutH

significant. In fact, Winston-Salem’s collectors provided more objects to the 1952 show than any other city with the exception of those from Richmond and Charleston, South Carolina. As Helen Comstock’s regional representative for North Carolina, Frank Horton was responsible for identifying important southern objects for the exhibit. Horton led Comstock to the collection in the house on Reynolda Road that he shared with his mother, an important collector herself; to the collections of the Wachovia Historical Society and Salem College in Old Salem, where he was working on the nascent restoration effort; and to the collections of Ralph P. Hanes and his son R. Philip Hanes, Jr., among others. Ralph P. Hanes began collecting antiques in the 1920s, choosing southern objects instead of the New England and Mid-Atlantic antiques favored by many of his contemporaries. Hanes and his wife Dewitt Chatham Hanes were style-setters and inspired a generation of collectors in and around the South. In the late 1920s, Dewitt Hanes’s mother Martha Thurmond Chatham moved a circa 1830 plantation house from South Carolina to the family’s Winston-Salem estate to serve as an appropriate home for herself and her growing collection. Frank Horton’s experiences with the 1952 show in Richmond laid the groundwork for MESDA, which he and his mother, Theo L. Taliaferro, would found in 1965. When the van left for Richmond on January 11, Frank’s mother fretted about the missing pieces of her décor, writing in her diary that, “It took an hour to get the house looking decent. But I like it better now, especially Frank’s den.” It was a feeling that many of the South’s earliest collectors came to know well in the years to come as Frank Horton encouraged them to donate their most prized antiques to MESDA. Today, two dozen of those seminal objects exhibited in Richmond in 1952 are part of the collection of MESDA and Old Salem. “Furniture of the Old South: 1640-1820” was on exhibit for just over a month; but its importance to the study of southern decorative Newspaper clipping of Frank Horton when he purarts continues to this day. The show inspired a generation of collecchased the court cupboard in 1947. tors and scholars to look to the South. Two decades after the exhibit, MESDA launched its celebrated research program. Just as Helen Comstock had enlisted field representatives to scour the region, Frank Horton hired field researchers to do the same thing, each of them with camera and notebook in hand. Frank’s research program continues, and to date the MESDA Object Database contains more than 20,000 records of furniture, paintings, metalworks, ceramics, textiles, and other decorative arts made in the early South. Alice Winchester, the editor of The Magazine ANTIQUES in 1952, wrote in her preface to the exhibition catalog that Helen Comstock had discovered, “in Southern furniture a new field of unsuspected richness, and laid the foundations on which all future students of the subject must build.” Her words were as true then as they are now, even sixty years later. m 18

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

a Selection of furniture

Exhibited at the 1952 Show now at meSda Court Cupboard 1660–1680 MESDA’s court cupboard is the earliest known example of furniture made in the American South. When Frank Horton acquired it in 1947,, a local newspaper ran a picture of Frank and the cupboard with the headline “Rare Cupboard is Rescued From Meat Storage Duty.” Frank called the cupboard “a museum piece if there ever was one.” The cupboard went on exhibit at MESDA when the museum opened in 1965 and has been on exhibit ever since.

Probably James City, Virginia White oak, yellow pine, and walnut HOA: 49-7/8"; WOA: 50"; DOA: 18-7/8" Gift of Frank L. Horton (acc. 2024.6)

The court cupboard’s loan tag from the 1952 show.

Desk and Bookcase 1720–1735 Discovered in eastern North Carolina, this desk and bookcase is the earliest example of the form known in the South. Frank Horton’s mother, Theo L. Taliaferro, purchased it from a dealer in South Hill, Virginia in the 1940s. When MESDA opened in 1965 it was placed on loan to the museum and was dontated to the collection in 1971.

Winter/Spring 2012

Northeastern North Carolina Walnut, yellow pine, cypress, red oak, and poplar HOA: 81-1/2"; WOA: 40-1/8"; DOA: 33-5/8" Gift of Theo L. Taliaferro (acc. 2023.2)

YearsLater: Chest on Chest 1765–1775 Charleston, South Carolina Mahogany and cypress HOA: 78"; WOA: 46-1/2"; DOA: 25-1/8" Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph P. Hanes (acc. 946)

Chest of Drawers and Miniature Chest of Drawers Possibly by Amos Alexander (1769–1847) 1790–1800 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Walnut, light-wood inlay, and yellow pine HOA: 54-5/8"; WOA: 32"; DOA: 19-1/4" Gift of Charlotte and R. Philip Hanes, Jr. in honor of Thomas A. Gray and his multiple contributions to MESDA and Old Salem (acc. 5594.1-2)

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph P. Hanes found this chest on chest (also known as a double chest) in Charleston, South Carolina in the 1930s. According to a scrapbook kept by Mrs. Hanes, the piece was acquired from “Mrs. Brux who had one son” and lived “on the wrong side of the Battery.” It was donated to MESDA in 1962, making it one of the earliest gifts to the museum.

These two objects are the most recent additions to MESDA’s collection from the 1952 show, given to the museum in the summer of 2010 by R. Philip Hanes, Jr. In 1952, both of the chests of drawers were in the collection of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. Phillip Hanes, Jr., at Chatham House, the circa 1830 Upcountry South Carolina plantation building moved to Winston-Salem by Mrs. Hanes’s mother, Martha Thurmond Chatham. They remained at Chatham House until they were given to MESDA.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

An image from the 1952 show. The library bookcase on the right was later purchased by Frank Horton and his mother and given to MESDA.

Corner Cupboard The Wachovia Historical Society has been collecting important objects for more than a century. Its collection includes many of the most iconic objects made by the Moravians in Piedmont North Carolina and the society was vital to the initiatives to restore the town of Salem. Old Salem Museums & Gardens was a direct result of those efforts and the museum now administers the collection of the Wachovia Historical Society. This corner cupboard was made by some of the first Moravian craftsmen in North Carolina for Adam Spach. An important ally for the recently arrived Moravians, Spach lived in what is now Davidson County, about ten miles from the Moravian settlement at Bethabara. The cupboard spent more than a century in Spachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house before becoming part of the Wachovia Historical Society collection. One of the earliest examples of furniture made by the Moravians in North Carolina, the corner cupboard traveled to Richmond to be exhibited at the 1952 show. Today, it can be seen in the Salem Tavern, where it represents the kinds of goods that Moravian craftsmen of Salem and Bethabara produced.

Winter/Spring 2012

1760â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1775 Bethabara or Salem, North Carolina Yellow pine and paint HOA: 82-5/8"; DOA: 33" Wachovia Historical Society (acc. C-432)

Daniel Kurt Ackermann is Associate Curator of MESDA at Old Salem Museums & Gardens.

new to the Collections

Tennessee furniture from by robert a. Leath

s a museum founded by a collector, MESDA has always appreciated the passion and enthusiasm of the collecting community. We are especially grateful to one of the South’s greatest regional collectors, Mary Jo Case of Kingsport, Tennessee. In an incredibly generous gift/purchase agreement, Mary Jo has aided MESDA in acquiring five outstanding examples of East Tennessee furniture for the collection.

Jackson Press 1830–1840 Jefferson County, Tennessee Cherry, cherry veneer, and tulip poplar HOA: 91", WOA: 41-1/2", DOA: 20" MESDA Purchase Fund (Acc. 5660.1)

Part of a small group of furniture with histories of descent in the counties just north and east of Knoxville, this Jackson press descended in the Trobaugh family of Jefferson County. Two larger press forms and two clock cases can be attributed to the same unknown cabinetmaker that made this press. The use of cherry veneers on the rails and stiles of the paneled case ends, and the framed top construction of the lower section, suggest the maker’s exposure to urban craft traditions in cities such as Knoxville. The scrolled pediment with a flame-twist finial and delicately carved rosettes is particularly successful and serves as a marker for associating it with clock cases from the same shop.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

the Collection of Mary Jo Case Work Table 1820–1830 The simplicity of this table, containing only a single drawer and displaying finely tapered legs, could easily cause one to pass it by in a darkened room, but it is a rare and bright star with its use of highly figured walnut on all exterior surfaces. The cabinetmaker’s carefully selected material is striking under proper lighting and mimics the creatively painted surfaces of contemporary examples more commonly associated with New England. The liveliness of the walnut’s graining elevates this simple utilitarian object to sculptural status. Significant for future research on this table, the highly figured walnut lumber appears on a small number of case pieces with origins in upper East Tennessee.

East Tennessee Figured walnut and tulip poplar HOA: 29", WOA: 27", DOA: 23" MESDA Purchase Fund (Acc. 5660.5)

Chest of Drawers With a long history of descent in the Droke family of Sullivan County, Tennessee, this early chest of drawers features fluted quarter columns over gadrooning at the front case corners. The chest has survived in remarkable condition considering its relatively early date of manufacture, including its original finish. Stylistic associations with the Shenandoah Valley suggest that its maker was George Wolford, a close neighbor and associate of the Drokes who moved to Sullivan County from the town of Woodstock in Shenandoah County, Virginia in the early nineteenth century. A nephew of the Shenandoah County potter Frederick Wolford, George apprenticed with carpenter and joiner George Clower in the 1780s

Winter/Spring 2012

Attributed to George Wolford (1768–1840) 1790–1810 Sullivan County, Tennessee or Shenandoah County, Virginia Cherry and yellow pine HOA: 42-1/2 42-1/2", WOA: 40", DOA: 21-1/2 21-1/2" MESDA Purchase Fund (Acc. 5660.3)

new to the Collections

Continued

Slab Sideboard Christian Burgner (1811–1886) 1840–1860 Greene County, Tennessee Cherry, walnut, and tulip poplar HOA: 58-1/2", WOA: 68", DOA: 27" MESDA Purchase Fund (Acc. 5660.4)

This walnut sideboard that retains its original surface is significant both in scale and design. Its highly expressive and monumentally shaped gallery evokes stylized wave forms and links it to a number of similar but less exuberant sideboards, or slabs, with long histories in Greene County and Washington County, Tennessee. This particular sideboard descended directly in the family of cabinetmaker Christian Burgner of the Horse Creek community in rural Greene County and has survived without alteration or restoration.

Corner Cupboard 1800–1820 Washington County, Tennessee Cherry with lightwood inlay and tulip poplar HOA: 92", WOA: 48", DOA: 29" MESDA Purchase Fund (Acc. 5660.2)

Robert A. Leath is Chief Curator and Vice President of Collections & Research at Old Salem Museums & Gardens. 24

Perhaps no decorative motif is more definitively associated with East Tennessee corner cupboards than the so-called “rope and tassel” inlay seen above the doors and down the stiles of this extravagantly inlaid piece. The belt of three drawers ties this cupboard to a plainer, unadorned example from the same shop. Especially intriguing is the evidence for polychromatic shading on all of the inlays which, when restored, will reveal the ambition of the artisan’s original design. This outstanding example of East Tennessee furniture descended in the Murray family of Jonesborough and may be the cupboard listed in the estate inventory of Ephraim Murray (d. 1835), a successful surveyor and planter who moved to Baltimore County, Marlyand to Washington County, Tennessee in the early 1790s.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

The

NBenefactors ew of Old Salem

Making Old Salem their “Third Place”

here is a lot more “new” going on in Old Salem than one might expect for a town founded in 1766. On any given evening, you may find a group of young adults (and others who are more “young at heart”) participating in a hearthside cooking class in the Single Brothers’ Workshop or enjoying drinks outside the Salem Tavern before a behind-the-scenes tour of MESDA. They might also be at the museum playing in a foosball tournament in the Visitor Center, dining on wood-fired pizzas at the Horton Museum Center, trick-or-treating during Halloween, or Easter egg hunting with other young families. These energetic young adults are the New Benefactors of Old Salem (NBOS), and they are making Old Salem their “Third Place”—a gathering point for friends away from home or work! With more than a hundred members, the New Benefactors are committed to strengthening support for Old Salem through a variety of

by hayes wauford

young-professional and family-oriented events. They create programs and activities that raise public awareness for the museum and support the museum through increasing donations and visitation. As a 29-year-old and member of the NBOS since it’s founding in 2010, my wife, Amy, and I have loved our involvement in the NBOS, and our continuing relationship has resulted in completely new ways for us to experience Old Salem. The museum has become more than a destination for our out-of-town guests—we now experience Old Salem as a regular gathering place with our contemporaries who may be passionate about Moravian history, southern furniture, restoration, gardens, or just having a good time with great people. While the NBOS is intended for young professionals, the group is open to all ages. Come experience Old Salem in a new way—we’d love to have you! For more information on the New Benefactors, please contact Frances Beasley, Director of Development, at (336) 721-7331 or fbeasley@ oldsalem.org.

New Benefactors of Old Salem, Executive Committee Members Mr. Michael Cashin Ms. Krissy D. Cooley Mrs. Lynn Dwiggins Ms. Caitlin Folan Mr. Steven Gallo Ms. Elizabeth Harrington Ms. Kara Holden Mr. Jesse V. Keever Mr. Tanner G. Robinson Mrs. Meredith R. Stubbs Mr. Alexander “Z” Stubbs Ms. Anna E. Warburton Mrs. Amy G. Wauford Mr. Hayes Wauford

Photos: (left) New Benefactors gather at the Horton Center for a social. (top) Members of the New Benefactors leadership committee.

Winter/Spring 2012

There is no better value . . .

Friends of Old Salem By Sandra Beasley

PHOTOGRAPH BY Michael Beasley

ur family of eight has been blessed to live in the Winston-Salem area for ten years. We’ve had a family membership with Friends of Old Salem for the past nine years and have enjoyed many rich experiences at the museum. During that time we’ve homeschooled our children, ages 5 to 18, and all of us have been so enriched through the tours of Old Salem’s museums and the outstanding music programs, puppet shows, and community functions.

Where else could we have the opportunity to enjoy music performed on a marvelous, historic, hand-made pipe organ? We treasured the presentation by two women who survived the Holocaust, and had the chance to share their artwork and actually meet them. Through lectures we’ve learned about Abraham Lincoln and early photography and also participated in a two-hundred-year-old community celebration of Independence Day. We’ve attended concerts by the Celtic music group Puddingstone and seen a presentation by a beloved children’s folk artist that included a beautiful slideshow presentation

about soldiers during World War II connecting with one another on Christmas Day. We’ve heard a large hand-bell choir, learned about cooking over a fire and making apple cider with hand-made implements, and enjoyed folk tales

Our family has made such wonderful memories at Old Salem because of its rich historical heritage . . . There is no better value for a family membership in the nearby area. and songs during Christmas time that teach history, culture, and creativity. The list of our experiences is long and varied, but every one of them has been top-notch and memorable. Our family has made such wonderful memories at Old Salem because of its rich historical heritage, and it is where people who are committed to sharing and enjoying life and history come together. The museum staff works hard every day to provide exceptional programs and events. And, for our one-income family, we are especially grateful that it all comes with an extremely reasonable price tag. There is no better value for a family membership in the nearby area. We are thankful for Old Salem and wish to support its continued blossoming in our wonderful community. m For more information on becoming a Friend of Old Salem, please contact Frances Beasley, Director of Development, at (336) 721-7331 or fbeasley@oldsalem.org or visit www.oldsalem.org/ friends-of-salem

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

Building a Legacy, Helping Friends The Frederic William Marshall Society The Marshall Society was established in 1986 to recognize the accomplishments of one of Salemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most historic figures and its founder, Frederic William Marshall, and acknowledge the commitment of individuals who make unrestricted, annual, gifts of $1,000 or more to the institution. m

Frederic William Marshall Society Members as of January 31, 2012

Mr. William S. Carpenter and Mr. Ruskin K. Cooper

Ms. Nella Purrington Fulton

Mr. and Mrs. Austin H. Carr

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony L. Furr

Dr. and Mrs. Eugene W. Adcock, III

Mr. and Mrs. Henry M. Carter, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Kirk Glenn, Jr.

Mr. Gary J. Albert

Mr. and Mrs. Randy Casstevens

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Gray

Mr. and Mrs. John A. Allison, IV

Mr. and Mrs. Hobart G. Cawood

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Gray, III

Ms. Betsy J. Annese

Mr. and Mrs. Lee A. Chaden

Dr. Caryl J. Guth

Drs. Katherine and Tony Atala

Mr. and Mrs. W. Kendall Chalk

Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Hanes, Sr.

Mrs. Louise Austell

Mr. and Mrs. F. Hudnall Christopher, Jr.

Mrs. Helen C. Hanes

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce M. Babcock

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff T. Clark

Mr. and Mrs. James G. Hanes, III

Mr. and Mrs. Leslie M. Baker, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas N. Connors

Mr. and Mrs. F. Borden Hanes, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Beach

Mr. and Mrs. David L. Cotterill

Mr. and Mrs. Travis F. Hanes

Ms. Peggy Scholley and Mr. Luke C. Beckerdite

Mrs. Ann Courtenay

Dr. and Mrs. Edward G. Hill, Jr.

Mr. J. Scott Cramer

Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Bell, Jr.

Ms. Linda A. Hobbs

Mr. and Mrs. J. Haywood Davis

Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Blixt

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin M. Hough

Mr. and Mrs. C. Wayne Dodson

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Blunk

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hough

Mr. Sam L. Booke, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Douglas, III

Mr. and Mrs. Eric N. Hoyle

Mr. Harold J. Bowen, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Driscoll

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Bozymski

Mr. Noel L. Dunn

Mr. Nicholas B. Bragg

Mrs. Phyllis H. Dunning

Dr. and Mrs. Malcolm M. Brown

Mrs. Mary M. Eagan

Mrs. Elisabeth Janeway and Dr. David V. Janeway

Mr. Robert J. Brown

Mr. and Mrs. David C. Eagan

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher N. Jones

Mr. and Mrs. John H. Bryan

Mrs. Aurelia G. Eller

Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Jordan, II

Dr. and Mrs. Henry W. Burnett

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander C. Ewing

Mr. and Mrs. Stan Kelly

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Burress, III

Ms. Cynthia J. Skaar and Mr. Ernest J. Fackelman

Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Kelly, Jr.

Mrs. Stewart T. Butler Mr. and Mrs. Craig D. Cannon

Mr. and Mrs. Victor I. Flow, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. McDara P. Folan, III Mr. and Mrs. Lee L. French

Winter/Spring 2012

Mr. Paul Fulton, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. David A. Irvin Dr. and Mrs. Francis M. James, III Dr. and Mrs. Richard Janeway

Mr. and Mrs. Jerome D. Keyser Mr. Linwood R. King, III

continues on page 28 27

You are cordially invited

Donors who make unrestricted annual gifts of $1,000 or more are members of the Frederic William Marshall Society. Frederic William Marshall was the architect behind the creation of Salem and he helped plan, finance, and build the backcountry town. Members of the Frederic William Marshall Society receive the Main Benefits Package and other benefits, including invitations to exclusive programs, events, and unique travel opportunities. To join, or for more information, call 336-721-7331 or visit OldSalem.org.

Frederic William Marshall Society Members as of January 31, 2012 (continued)

Mr. and Mrs. R. Frank Murphy

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel R. Taylor, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Neely

Mr. and Mrs. John C. Thomas

Mr. and Mrs. T. David Neill

Mr. and Mrs. Darryl Thompson

Mr. and Mrs. James W. Kluttz, Sr.

Dr. and Mrs. John J. Nicholaides, III

Mr. and Mrs. David G. Townsend

Mr. and Mrs. J. Gilmour Lake

Count and Countess Christoph Nostitz

Dr. and Mrs. William W. Truslow

Ms. Judy Lambeth and Mr. Jerry L. McAfee

Mr. and Mrs. Sam C. Ogburn, Sr.

Mr. and Mrs. John L. Turner

Mr. and Mrs. L. Glenn Orr, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Randall S. Tuttle

Dr. Susan E. Pauly and Dr. Stephen H. Dew

Dr. and Mrs. James M. Walter, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. L. Gordon Pfefferkorn, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. William R. Watson

Mr. and Mrs. C. Edward Pleasants, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. S. Hayes Wauford, Jr.

Mr. John C. Larson The Honorable Molly A. Leight Mr. Curtis G. Leonard and Mr. Wayne Cardwell Mr. and Mrs. Douglas R. Lewis

Dr. Catherine A. Rolih and Dr. Richard B. Weinberg

Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Little

Chancellor Donald J. Reaves and Dr. Deborah R. Reaves

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Livengood

Dr. and Mrs. John W. Reed

Ms. Adrienne Amos Livengood

Mr. and Mrs. John C. Whitaker, Jr.

Mr. Clay V. Ring, Jr.

Dr. and Mrs. Dan Locklair

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Willingham

Mr. E. Norwood Robinson

Mr. Joseph P. Logan

Mr. and Mrs. Jackson D. Wilson, Jr.

Mrs. Sara R. Long

Ms. Wynn Tanner and Mr. Michael L. Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. William T. Wilson, III

Dr. and Mrs. Stephan B. Lowe

Mr. and Mrs. Tanner G. Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lucas

Mr. R. Gary Rohrer

Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Mayville

Mr. Dalton D. Ruffin, Sr.

Dr. and Mrs. William McCall, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Schindler

Dr. and Mrs. John D. McConnell

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. Schwall

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas R. McKinney

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Sears, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. John B. McKinnon

Mr. and Mrs. Everette C. Sherrill

Mr. and Mrs. Dalton L. McMichael, Jr.

Mrs. Kelly Green Sowers and Mr. Jeffrey Sowers

Mrs. Martha Fowler McNair Mr. and Mrs. John G. Medlin, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Spach

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Weisner

Mr. William F. Womble, Sr. Mr. and Mrs. William F. Womble, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wroblewski Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Young

Lifetime Members of the Frederic William Marshall Society Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Barron Mr. and Mrs. David E. Doss Mrs. James A. Gray, Jr.

Mrs. Ann Lewallen Spencer

Mr. and Mrs. F. Borden Hanes, Jr.

Robert Strickland Family Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Hanes, Sr.

Dr. Samuel Patrick Stuart

Mrs. Helen C. Hanes

Mr. William J. Murgas

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander B. Stubbs

Mr. Clay V. Ring, Jr.

Mr. Richard W. Murgas

Dr. and Mrs. Allston J. Stubbs, III

Dr. Roy E. Truslow

Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Murphy

Col. and Mrs. Charles H. Taylor

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Millican Ms. Christine D. Minter-Dowd and Mr. Daniel V. Dowd

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

Building a Collection, Helping Friends

The Frank L. Horton Society In 1965, Frank L. Horton, together with his mother Theo Taliaferro, founded the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA). They were passionate about acquiring, conserving, researching and exhibiting important examples of southern craftsmanship. The Frank L. Horton Society was formed to recognize Friends of MESDA who make a financial gift of $1,000 or more and who share Frank Horton’s passion and dedication to the museum. Gifts of $2,500 or more may be designated to support a specific part of MESDA’s mission.

Frank L. Horton Society Members as of January 31, 2012

Mr. and Mrs. McDara P. Folan, III

Anonymous

Mrs. Constance P. Godfrey

Dr. Gloria S. Allen and Mr. Vincent J. Hovanec

Mr. W. Ted Gossett

Dr. and Mrs. Henry F. Frierson, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Marion A. Gee, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Anderson

Ms. S. Revelle Gwyn and Dr. Meyer E. Dworsky

Ms. Martha Ashley

Mrs. Mary E. S. Hanahan

Ms. Sara Lee Barnes

Mr. and Mrs. Cleve G. Harris

Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Beck

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher H. Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Dan W. Boone, III

Mrs. Linda Kaufman

Mrs. Beverly H. Bremer

Mr. Robert A. Leath

Mr. Christopher Caracci and Mr. James Boswell

Mr. Leland Little

Mr. and Mrs. Wayne G. Case Dr. and Mrs. H. E. Comstock Mr. and Mrs. Thomas N. Connors Mr. and Mrs. Macklin Cox

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lucas Mr. and Mrs. Gregory May Mr. Richard I. McHenry Mr. and Mrs. Michael McNamara

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. Crabtree, Jr.

Ms. Christine D. Minter-Dowd and Mr. Daniel V. Dowd

Ms. Catherine G. Ebert

Ms. Betty C. Monkman

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. Evans

Dr. and Mrs. John H. Monroe

Mr. and Mrs. Oscar P. Fitzgerald

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Montag

Winter/Spring 2012

Frank L. Horton and his mother, Theo L. Taliaferro, outside their Old Salem home on Church Street about the time that they established MESDA. Mr. and Mrs. C. Tracey Parks Mr. Elbert H. Parsons, Jr. Mr. Sumpter T. Priddy, III Mr. and Mrs. Peter H. Ring Mr. and Mrs. Alfred F. Ritter, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene B. Roberts, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. David F. Rowe Dr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Sears, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Barry R. Sidden Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bland Smith Ms. Susan U. Stallings Ms. Kathleen A. Staples and Mr. Joe Ashley continued on page 30 29

Donors who make unrestricted annual gifts of $1,000 or more through the Friends of MESDA program are

Frank L. Horton Society Members as of January 31, 2012 (continued)

considered members of the Frank L. Horton Society. Frank L. Horton was the co-founder of MESDA with his mother, Theo L. Taliaferro. Members of the Frank L. Horton Society receive the benefits of Friends of

Dr. and Mrs. James M. Walter, Jr.

MESDA, including invitations to exclusive programs,

Mr. and Mrs. David A. Williams

events, and unique travel opportunities.

Frank L. Horton

Mr. and Mrs. D. Anderson Williams Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan H. Witherspoon Dr. and Mrs. David S. Witmer

The Honorable and Mrs. Robert W. Duemling Mr. Edward Durell

Lifetime Members, Frank L. Horton Society Mr. and Mrs. William C. Adams Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Arnette Mr. and Mrs. Alban K. Barrus Mrs. Whaley Batson Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin H. Caldwell, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph B. Cheshire, Jr.

Mrs. Jean Ebert Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Gray Mr. C. Boyden Gray Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Gray, Jr. Mr. Thomas A. Gray Mr. and Mrs. William L. Gray Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay C. Grigsby James G. Hanes Memorial Fund

Mr. Robert B. Hicks, III Mrs. Miles C. Horton, Jr. Dr. and Mr. Lucia R. Karnes Kaufman Americana Foundation Mrs. Linda Kaufman Mr. and Mrs. Frank Liggett, III Mr. and Mrs. George E. London Mrs. Barbara Mason Ms. Anne McPherson Mr. and Mrs. A. Hewson Michie, Jr. Count and Countess Christoph Nostitz

Dr. and Mrs. H. E. Comstock

Mrs. Judith E. Hanes

Mr. James Craig

Mr. and Mrs. Eldridge C. Hanes

Mrs. Elizabeth W. Crockett

Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Hanes, Sr.

Ms. Judy Aanstad and Mr. Bradford L. Rauschenberg

Douglas Battery Company

Mrs. Helen C. Hanes

Mrs. Margaret Pollard Rea

Mr. and Mrs. James W. Douglas

Mr. and Mrs. James G. Hanes, III

Mr. E. Norwood Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Douglas, III

Mr. and Mrs. Cleve G. Harris

Mr. and Mrs. James M. Robinson

Mrs. Lola H. Harris

Mrs. Jean Rooney Routh

Mrs. Mildred W. Paden

Mrs. Emyl Jenkins Sexton and Mr. Robert Sexton Mr. Henry Taliaferro R.T. Vanderbilt Trust Mr. Edward J. Wannamaker, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John T. Warmath Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Williams, II Ms. Rosalind Willis and Mr. Gregory J. Olson Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Willis

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

Welcoming new american Citizens n a t u r a l i z a t i o n C e r e m o n y â&#x2DC;&#x2026; July 4, 2012, 10 a.m.

PHOTOGRAPHs BY TYleR cOX

n the 4th of July, come to Salem Square in Old Salem

and celebrate with dozens of people from a number of different countries who will become new American citizens during an official Naturalization Ceremony. The ceremony, conducted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services staff, will take place on the same spot where the first official July 4th celebration in the United States took place in Salem in 1783. This will be the second year that Old Salem has hosted a Naturalization Ceremony. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. with celebratory music, the Pledge of Allegiance, and speeches by several dignitaries, including a keynote address. Perhaps the most moving and inspiring part of the event will be the administration of the Oath of Allegiance and the presentation of certificates to the new citizens.

Celebrate Freedom Admission to the Naturalization Ceremony is free. For more information, please check our website, www.oldsalem.org, or call (336) 721-7350.

Winter/Spring 2012

Calendar of Events Winter/Spring 2012 MAY

17 Thursday

3 Thursday

Garden Workshop: Companion Planting Learn how to encourage beneficials, foil pests, and grow a delicious and beautiful garden. 12— 1 p.m. (bring lunch). Free. Frank L. Horton Museum Center. To register, call 336-721-7357.

Garden Workshop: Heirloom Flowers in the Modern Garden Explore how old plant varieties fit into the concepts of garden design today. 12–1 p.m. (bring lunch). Free. Frank L. Horton Museum Center. To register, call 336-721-7357.

10 Thursday

Hearth Cooking Class: Man Does Not Live By Bread Alone Enjoy an evening of hearth cooking. Bake bread and churn fresh butter. Make a vegetarian dumpling dish called “Green Frogs in a Broth.” 6—8 p.m. $40 or $36 for Friends of Salem. Single Brothers’ Workshop. Registration required, call 1-800-441-5305.

5 Saturday

10 Thursday

Slip Trail Pottery Class Join Old Salem’s master potter, Mike Fox, to decorate two slip trailed plates. Slip trailing was used to decorate many types of Moravian Pottery. 6–9 p.m. $35 or $30 for Friends of Salem. Single Brothers’ Workshop. Registration required, call 1-800-4415305.

Wooden Rake Museum Class Make a traditional wooden garden rake like those used in Salem. 9 a.m.— 4:30 p.m. $95 or $85 for Friends of Old Salem. Registration required, call 1-800-441-5305.

9 Wednesday

Preservation Month Lunch & Learn: The Wachovia Landscape As part of National Historic Preservation Month, lecture entitled “Wachovia Landscape,” presented by Dr. Mo Hartley, Director of Archaeology, OSM&G. 12 to 1 p.m. Free (bring lunch). James A. Gray, Jr. Auditorium, Old Salem Visitor Center.

10 Thursday

Garden Workshop: Pressed Flower & Shell Craft Utilize your creativity with natural materials to design and fabricate a Mother’s Day gift. 12– 1 p.m. (bring lunch). $6 fee for materials. Frank L. Horton Museum Center. To register, call 336-721-7357.

12, 19, 26

19 Saturday

Spring Festival: Celebrating Historic Herbs Celebrate spring with a full-day of fun activities including garden viewings, hands-on activities, hearth cooking and more! 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Included in All-in-One Ticket, Adults/$21; 6-16/$10.

Saturday

FARMERS MARKET: Old Salem’s Cobbleston Farmers Market brings fresh, local farm products back into the heart of the city! 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Free. Located behind T. Bagge Merchant at the corner of West St. and Salt St.

16 Wednesday

Preservation Month Lunch & Learn: From St. Philips to Happy Hill As part of National Historic Preservation Month, lecture entitled “From St. Philips to Happy Hill: The African American Landscape of Salem” presented by Cheryl Harry, Director of African American Programs, OSM&G. 12 to 1 p.m. Free (bring lunch). James A. Gray, Jr. Auditorium, Old Salem Visitor Center.

19 Saturday

Pottery Fair on the Square Second annual pottery fair featuring more than 30 artisans and their wares. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Salem Square. Free

24 Thursday

Garden Workshop: Heirloom Tomatoes Learn about Heirloom Tomatoes, which offer unsurpassed flavor and beauty in a variety of colors and shapes. 12–1 p.m. Free. Meet at Market Fire House, Walk to Wachovia Gardens. To register, call 336-721-7357.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

Pre-registration for programs is requested if indicated. See page 34 for details, call 336-721-7350 or 800-441-5305 or visit www.oldsalem.org for more information. 26 Saturday The Vintage: A National Gathering of Vintage BMWs Hundreds of vintage BMWs from all over the country will be displayed in the Old Salem Historic District. 10 a.m. –4 p.m. Old Salem Historic District. Free. 30 Wednesday Preservation Month Lunch & Learn: Forsyth County’s Agricultural Heritage As part of National Historic Preservation Month, lecture entitled “Forsyth County’s Agricultural Heritage,” presented by Heather Fearnbach, Historic Preservation Consultant. 12–1 p.m. Free (bring lunch). James A. Gray, Jr. Auditorium, Old Salem Visitor Center

13 Wedneday Juneteenth Luncheon Celebration of Juneteenth, the country’s longest-running observance of the abolition of slavery. The event will include a guest speaker, ethnic food and a tour of St. Philips African Moravian Church. $15 if purchased by June 5, $20 after June 5. To register, call 1-800-441-5305. 14 Thursday Garden Workshop: Organic Pest Controls Introduces many alternatives to conventional herbicides and pesticides. 12–1 p.m. (bring lunch). Free. Frank L. Horton Museum Center. To register, call 336-721-7357.

25 Thursday–Friday, July 20

J UL Y 2–20 Monday–Friday

31 Thursday

Garden Workshop: Growing Peppers Covers the seed starting, transplanting and harvesting of this native to South America and one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. 12–1 p.m. (bring lunch). Free. Frank L. Horton Museum Center. To register, call 336-721-7357.

2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Saturday

Summer Apprenticeship Program (Grades 9 –11) A two week hands-on experience with the Old Salem Historic Trades staff. Apprentices will gain hands-on experience with textiles, flax and wool as well tinsmithing, blacksmithing and leatherworking. $250 or $225 for Friends of Old Salem. Application deadline: May 1. Visit oldsalem.org/summercamps for info and to register.

25–29 Monday–Friday

7 Thursday Garden Workshop: Shade Gardening Explores the many opportunities to create beautiful places where there is little to no direct sunshine. 12–1 p.m. (bring lunch). Free. Frank L. Horton Museum Center. To register, call 336-721-7357.

Winter/Spring 2012

Five Yesterdays Summer Camp One-of-a-kind summer learning experience. Participants are introduced to textiles, pottery, fireplace cooking, leatherworking, and woodworking. Grades 3-5: July 2-6; 9-13 and 16-20. Grades 1-2: July 24-36. 9 a.m.– 12 p.m. 175/$140 Friends of Salem. Registration deadline: May 30. Visit oldsalem.org/summer-camps for registration and information.

7, 14, 21, 28

18–29 Monday–Friday

J UNE

MESDA Summer Institute The 2011 Summer Institute explores the material culture of the Southern Backcountry, with a particular focus on the decorative arts of Tennessee and Kentucky. Tuition: $2,000. MESDA, Frank L. Horton Museum Center. Visit mesda.org for application and information.

Five Yesterdays Summer Camp (Grades 6-8) One-of-a-kind summer learning experience. Participants are introduced to textiles, pottery, fireplace cooking, leatherworking, and woodworking. 9 a.m. –12 p.m. $175 or $140 for Friends of Salem. Registration deadline: May 11. Visit oldsalem.org/ summer-camps for registration and information.

Saturday

4 Wedneday Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony Enjoy hands-on activities, music, games, food and fun as well as a moving naturalization ceremony at 10 a.m. 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Included in All-in-One Ticket, Adults/$21; 6-16/$10.

4, 11, 18, & 25 Wednesdays

Tannenberg Organ Recitals Free organ recitals at noon. July 4: John Coble; July 11: John Pavik; July 18: Mary Lou Kapp Peeples; July 25: William Osborne. Free. James A Gray, Jr. Auditorium, Old Salem Visitor Center.

Calendar continues on page 34

Calendar of Events continued Winter/Spring 2012

Saturday Garden WorkShop: introduCtion to BeekeepinG introduction to Beekeeping highlights the basics of this satisfying and productive addition of bees to your garden. 10 a.m. Single Brothers’ Workshop. to register, call 336-721-7357.

4, 11, 18, 25

Saturday

FarmerS market: old Salem’s Cobbleston Farmers market brings fresh, local farm products back into the heart of the city! 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Free. located behind t. Bagge merchant at the corner of West St. and Salt St.

7, 14 & 21 tuesdays kniFe and Sheath muSeum ClaSS Join us over three evenings as we use pre-made knife blanks to make a simple non-folding knife and leather sheath. 6:00–9:00 p.m. Single Brothers’ Workshop. $180/$160 Friends of Salem. to register, call 336-721-7357.

thursday Garden WorkShop: herBal FirSt aid learn about the gathering of fresh and dried herbs and their preparation for an herbal kit to keep at home or take when traveling. 12:00–1:00 p.m. (bring lunch). Free. Frank l. horton museum Center. to register, call 336-721-7357.

thursday heath CookinG ClaSS: Summer SavorieS make a summer-inspired meal at the hearth, including 19th century “tomata catsup,” 18th century egg and bacon pie, potato balls and peach cream. 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. Single Brother’s Workshop. $40 or $36 for Friends of Salem. registration required, call 1-800-441-5305.

thursday

WAllY sTeMBeRGeR / sHuTTeRsTOck.cOM

AuGuSt

handCut dovetail ClaSS learn how to hand-cut the traditional cabinetmaker’s joint, the dovetail. 6–9 p.m. Single Brother’s Workshop. $40 or $36 for Friends of Salem. registration required, call 1-800-441-5305.

18 Saturday Garden WorkShop: herBal FirSt aid learn about the gathering of fresh and dried herbs and their preparation for an herbal kit to keep at home or take when traveling. 10:00 a.m. Single Brothers’ Workshop. to register, call 336-721-7357.

23 thursday Garden WorkShop: Seed SavinG “Seed Saving” instructs in the age-old tradition of saving seeds from your own plants – it’s easy, economical and satisfying 12–1 p.m. (bring lunch). Free. Frank l. horton museum Center. to register, call 336-721-7357.

25 thursday 200th anniverSary oF the War oF 1812 a day of special activities to commemorate the anniversary, including hands-on activities, demonstrations, music, and more. 9:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. included in all-in-one ticket, adults/$21; 6-16/$10.

Read about Seed Saving, page 15.

Pre-registration for programs is requested if indicated. Call 336-721-7350 or 800-441-5305 or visit www.oldsalem.org for more information. Group rates are available for holiday events. Call the Group Tour Office Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at 1-800-441-5305, toll free. Your All-in-one ticket to Salem includes admission to many events. Some events, when noted, require an additional ticket and reservations. For more information on tickets and pricing, call 336-721-7350. Hours: old Salem visitor Center is open tuesday–Saturday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:30-5:00 p.m. exhibit buildings are open tuesday–Saturday 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except Sunday when they are open 1:00–4:30 p.m. old Salem museums & Gardens is closed on mondays, easter, thanksgiving day, Christmas eve & Christmas day. the MeSdA Auditorium is located in the Horton Museum Center. Museum Class Registrations: please call 800-441-5305 to reserve a place in any of the museum Classes.

Workshop Registrations: please call 800-441-5305 to reserve a place in any of the workshops. MeSdA Seminar Registrations: please call 336-721-7360. note: all outdoor programs will be held weather permitting.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens

JOIN US FOR AN

ALL-AMERICAN SUMMER

MAY 25 – SEPTEMBER 9

june 13 Noon – 2:oo p.m.

JUNETEENTH LUNCHEON Celebrate Juneteenth, the country’s longestrunning observance of the abolition of slavery.

july 4 9:3o a.m. – 4:3o p.m.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION & NATURALIZATION CEREMONY Enjoy hands-on activities, music, games, food and fun as well as a moving naturalization ceremony.

august 25 9:3o a.m. – 4:3o p.m. 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR OF 1812

Commemorate the anniversary with a day of special activities, including hands-on activities, demonstrations, music, and more.

For a full list of events, classes & concerts, visit oldsalem.org