The Farm Museum - 2004-12-05 22:12:43
lies on the westernmost edge of the county. We took I-94 to exit 153 and headed north for the hamlet of Waterloo, turning left at the T-intersection dead-end. The farm is 3 miles down.
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of the mossy cabin in foreground, the brick farmhouse we toured in background, and a wooden white windmill to the left.
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(different from the mossy-roofed cabin). Here we had cider and examined the cooking-hook over the fire.
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with the mossy-roofed cabin and kind of hankered after it. Hope you enjoyed this minitour of the Waterloo Farm Museum.
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precisely what year were they portraying?* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-05 23:21:57
did you photograph any of the building interiors, or the interpreters/presenters/docents?* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-06 11:07:30
Brett, there is more than one era portrayed; the chimneyed cabin is 1830-1840 (or earlier) and the farmhouse is said to be around 1870.
I did whip out my camera but was discouraged from taking flash photography; they said every flash "ages our objects 300 days" which sounded odd to me.
It was coming on dusk, with the kerosene lights lit in the gloom, so regular non-flash pictures wouldn't have worked.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-06 11:09:57
Here's a picture of the kitchen, huge stove, and back door, with upcoming events info below. * * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 12:42:43
hmmmm. Well, considering the fact i'm sure they don't have much money, nor paid staff, that doesn't look *too* bad. I will resist the urge to split hairs, but will say that museums like that would be much better off taking some more time with their p.r. photos that are supposed to be selling the place.
I may actually go see it, though, just because i feel that these little sites deserve all the business they can get.* * * * * * * * * * * *
Laura - 2004-12-06 12:49:30It was fun. I agree, their photo isn't that great, which is a shame, since there were so many things they could have taken a better picture of. It was clear that an awful lot of people had put an awful lot of time into preparing the whole site, which was meticulously furnished & decorated in period style. I might go again next year.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 13:24:28
i wouldn't say meticulous is the best word choice, nor would i say that it sticks to one period, but as I said it's a very low budget volunteer effort, so i'm sure they take what they can get. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-06 13:32:07
You are right, "meticulous" is in fact not the best word. Maybe "thoroughly" is a better one. But I was thinking about this earlier. When I visited the place, I realized that it was furnished, tastefully, with items that dated from slightly different time periods. But, then I thought: aren't all houses? I have stuff new and old at my house, and likely people hung on to stuff as long as possible then, so you'd end up with a bit of a hodgepodge of stuff from several different decades.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 13:54:35
yes, that's very true. But you probably don't have things from the FUTURE. This is where the trouble begins.
(photo we're discussing):
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(hmm...Brett's question is so interesting that it actually makes me wonder if I *do* have anything from the future...quick mental inventory...mmm, nope.)
Hmm, (scans picture closely) well, the lefthand woman's sweater is of course contemporary...but I'm curious to know what's striking your eye, Brett. This is a very enjoyable conversation, incidentally.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 14:01:24
my main complaint about this image is the fact they're trying to show off their screen door and end up showing off their automobiles. The woman on the left doesn't need to be there, as it's unclear whether she's a visitor or what she's doing there. I also don't understand why the stove appears to have a dutch oven lid sitting on it (well, i figure the stove doesn't work, or at least isn't used, but they do cook in the hearth).
The actual olde tyme lady needs some very basic lessons in period grooming and fashion (i'm assuming this is rural michigan 1870's that this house depicts?)* * * * * * * * * * * *
brett - 2004-12-06 14:05:42...beyond the above, it looks pretty close to correct. If I were the curator (a very frightening thought to the museum industry), I would not have multiple butter churns in the kitchen, and there would be a bigger wood box, and there wouldn't be a candle burning on the table for no good reason (as it's broad daylight).
Damnit, see what you did? You tricked me into splitting hairs!* * * * * * * * * * * *
Laura - 2004-12-06 14:09:01Oh, the cars outside, of course. Yes, that's the little parking lot. You're right, that's unfortunate. Yes, the first time I saw this picture I was confused by the presence of the lefthand woman, too. It's kind of jarring.
The stove was fired up when we were there, with bean soup cookin' away. By "the Dutch oven lid," so you mean...hmm, the black skillety thing on the left top? Also (please forgive my ignorance) I am very curious to know what you mean by "period grooming," Brett, if you don't mind. Thanks for all the info.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 14:10:53
the wood box should also be either by the door or the stove (there might be a second door off camera, though). I also don't feel 100% comfortable with wallpaper like that in a kitchen. i think a rural family would just have paper in a parlor or possibly sitting room, not a work room of any kind.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-06 14:12:56
Oops, you beat me to the comments. I don't think you're splitting hairs at all. It's a bit distracting to see duplicate items of things that they'd likely have only one of, like the churn. You're right about the candle. You're also right about the wood--I was just talking to someone last night who told me that that "contemporary people living as pioneer family" show on PBS had to be cancelled because they didn't cut enough wood and wouldn't make it through the winter. Sounds to me like you'd make a very good curator.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 14:14:49
i can't be positive because of the low resolution, but it looks like the lid of a little device used to bake in a hearth (which you would most likely not use if you have a functional stove).
grooming-
#1: makeup
#2: wristwatch
#3: Hair (she has bangs, it's not parted in the center, and a day cap is dubious by 1870). * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yikes, you beat me again. Is that the woodbox under the window? Seems highly unlikely they'd put a box, into which big heavy logs were being constantly tumbled, next to the then-pricey panes of glass.
There's a door "behind" the photo viewer and one to the left, to the large (kitchen-size) woodshed.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 14:17:10
the problem with grooming is a huge one at museums. the staffs are either unpaid or paid very little, and it's often a point of great personal offense to tell someone to make serious changes to their look. Jewlery items should never be an issue though (unless it's a wedding ring, which can be a problem with some). * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-06 14:18:56
Dang--you beat me yet again! Those are fascinating details about the personal grooming. You're very observant. Of course, the wristwatch. Sounds like you are quite knowledgable about such things. Quite interesting to read. Is there perhaps a book out there covering such details, one wonders? "Fashions of the Decades in America" or the like. That would be fascinating.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 14:19:27
a woodbox should just be close to the door the wood is carried in through, not so much because you break things but you drop stuff on the floor which then needs swept again.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-06 14:20:27
That makes sense.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 14:23:43
there are plenty of fashion books out there, but it takes some hunting to find good ones. Photographs are always the best reference, but are still difficult because prior to 1900 it's almost certainly the subject dressed up (as best as they can afford to) and not their daily costuming. if you can get a hold of actual textiles from the period, that's really the only way to be totally sure how things looked and how they were assembled.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 14:25:29
my region of expertise is early to mid-19th century. Once the industrial revolution really kicked in things get a little bizarre and outside of my range. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-06 15:00:51
Without meaning to pester you, I do have to wonder what you mean by "things get a little bizarre." I only ask because you had such interesting things to say about all the other points of conversation.* * * * * * * * * * * * brett - 2004-12-06 15:25:31
i just meant that, in so far as fashion goes, you start getting into "Ready-mades" ordered from catalogs or stores and the choices increase, prices decrease. I'm not going to list every effect the industrial revolution had on society, obviously.
Suffice it to say that it pretty well totally fucked it up.* * * * * * * * * * * *
Laura - 2004-12-06 15:33:11I have a theory that a lot of modern-day societal ills are more or less results of a total loss of contact with and knowledge of the land, a relationship that started fraying during the IR. Just my incredibly simplistic opinion (well, there's more to it than that but I don't want to bore you).* * * * * * * * * * * * yd - 2004-12-06 15:45:22
Yea, like the mideast. What is our oil doing in their sand?* * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2004-12-06 16:59:49
I'm inspired --- Maybe I'll try installing a rocking toilet this weekend.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-06 17:02:40
That was a definite highlight. The thing was huge--this big rocking chair. Can you imagine having that right next to your bed? Ick. No wonder they died like flies back then.* * * * * * * * * * * * Iss - 2004-12-07 14:55:52
I do believe that chamber pots were emptied every morning after people were dressed and it warmed up a little - taken out to the outhouse. The rocker-pooper chair was most likely for the aged or infirm - no nursing homes or aides for the elderly, and as a nurse, we have surprisingly similar chairs today for low-mobility people. Don't rock too hard! *splash** * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: