Chores and tours: 1840s Days offers a glimpse into pioneer life
Anyone familiar with the popular video game, "Oregon Trail" might know how hard it was to live in the 1840s.
Friends and family contracting the measles, drowning when trying to ford a three-foot river and bandits stealing 20 boxes of bullets during the night were just some of the many difficulties one could encounter on the trail.
For officials at Garfield Farm, though, the 1840s lifestyle is all around them, and will be on display this weekend for guests to observe.
The Garfield Farm Museum 1840s Days and Homespun Summer Market will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13, and promises an innovate look into life in the 1840s through guided tours and demonstrations.
Jerry Johnson, executive director of the farm, said visitors will be able to tour the restored 1846 brick inn, including stops to the kitchen, ballroom, bedrooms, ladies parlors and surrounding barns.
"The horse barn is especially noteworthy because, when constructed in 1849, it served as the town's medium for relaying news," Johnson said.
"When the railroad was built later that year, business from the farm was essentially terminated, because all of the barn's customers went to the greater technology of the train."
Visitors will also have the opportunity to observe some of the farm's rarer breeds of animals. Unlike the Rare Breeds show late last month, the animals in attendance are the farm's personal residents, and may or may not have been related to animals used in the 1840s.
At least two demonstrations will provide a unique look into the 1840 lifestyle. Johnson said a photographer and blacksmith will each utilize the technologies available to them at the time, such as scything a bale of hay or dressing up to match the culture.
An archaeological dig also hopes to reveal more information about the title owners to the land. Johnson said recent archaeological digs have revealed the foundation of the original house cellar, and the current dig is searching for any clues or items, with a focus on a trash well, that can help tie the past with the present.
The Homespun Summer Market, unrelated to the festival, will be held in the Burr House visitor center during the festival from noon to 6 p.m. Johnson said the market will feature local crafters' and artisans' handmade products.
Admission to 1840s Days is $6 for adults and $3 for children, but the market is free. For more information, call (630) 584-8485 or visit garfieldfarm.org.
<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go</p>
<p class="News"><b>What:</b> Garfield Farm's 1840s Days and Homespun Market</p>
<p class="News"><b>When:</b> Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 12 and Sunday, June 13; market open until 6 p.m.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Garfield Farm, five miles west of Geneva off Route 38 on Garfield Road</p>
<p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> $6 for adults and $3 for children. No charge to attend market.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Details:</b> (630) 584-8485 or <a href="http://garfieldfarm.org" target="new">garfieldfarm.org</a></p>