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News from Garfield Farm |
CAMPTON HILLS--On Sunday, October 3rd from 11:30 am- 4 pm, families and
friends can step back in time and discover life before modern
technology, at Garfield Farm Museum’s 29th annual Harvest Days
where the 175th anniversary of Campton Township’s founding will
be celebrated.
A public premiere of a 155 year old map of
Campton Township, a participatory archaeological dig at the farm of the
1835/36 Culverson log house/1841 Garfield log tavern, a visit by the
Surly Surveyor, and the Teller of Tall Tales & Tunes, Reid Miller,
are just some of the day’s special highlights.
In 1835, John Beatty from Pennsylvania was the
first settler to lay claim to land in what became Campton Township.
Then known as Fairfield, Beatty first claimed land along present day
Brundige Road in the southeast corner of Campton. Because of a lack of
water and timber, two months later, Beatty moved his claim to the
present day intersection of Ill Rt. 38 and LaFox Road. Still this did
not meet his needs and within 2 years he moved his claim just north of
the present day intersection of Campton Hills and LaFox Roads where his
farm house survives.
Within twelve months of his
arrival, other families came to Campton and a special display and
observation of early settlement will be held at Harvest Days. Part of
the celebration will feature the Surly Surveyor, a.k.a. Rob Nurre of
Wisconsin, who portrays an 1830s federal land surveyor that first
officially mapped this region. Timothy Garfield, who was also a
surveyor, mapped the township in 1855. His mapping has been assembled
into a 3 feet by 3 feet rendition showing the old roads and landowners
at that time. Modern day maps will be displayed for points of reference
as Nurre explains the mapping and land sales of 1840s Illinois.
This could well be the 175th
anniversary of Garfield Farm‚s first settlement as accounts
differ, but Sam Culverson of Ohio was the first to come to present day
Garfield Farm in 1835 or 1836. Garfield bought Culverson’s claim
of 440 acres in July of 1841.
Visitors can even search for the
evidence of the Culverson and Garfield families as the ongoing
archaeological investigation will allow them screen soil for artifacts
as part of the day’s events. Excavations are being made in the
“backyard” of the original log house and test pits will be
dug in an effort to find the original well that was on the farm when
the Garfield family moved here from Vermont in 1841.
At a deeper level, Harvest
Days provides children and adults an opportunity to learn about the
realities of our rural heritage. The historic demonstrations remind one
of the incredible amount of effort it took to survive in a
non-mechanized world. As wheat is run through the fanning mill,
children can see firsthand how the grain that made the mid-west so
important, was processed in the 19th century. Fall was the time to
harvest the bounty of the orchard, and apples were a versatile and
important crop. The flash of red and clatter of gears, the sweet
fragrance that arises as the apples are crushed, and the golden brown
cider flowing into the bucket captures the attention of young and old
alike at the cider pressing demonstration.
Chris Olsen will demonstrate
the invention of photography as he demonstrates and describes how the
first photographs were taken. His authentic approach makes one
understand why a "likeness" was so highly prized to remember loved ones.
The demonstrations of 1840s household and farm
skills at Harvest Days stimulate young minds to be creative in problem
solving. Their imaginations are even catered to by the words and tall
tales of Reid Miller, whose traditional yarns and songs fit the
historic setting of Garfield Farm. His performance features
1840‚s tunes, songs and tales like “Goin‚ Down to
Cairo,” “Buffalo Gals,” “Silly Jack,” and
“Old Dry Fry.” Miller plays banjo, ukulele, jawharp
and spoons as he weaves the fabric of “Tunes an‚ Tales of
Yesteryear!” to the delight of all ages. His dramatic renditions
provide audience involvement, belly-laughs and smiles galore. He
will have recordings and jawharps available for purchase, too.
Tours of the 1846 brick inn will be ongoing.
The tavern’s frame section and trim were just painted helping to
preserve this 165 year old landmark. Tavern tours often spark
conversations between grandparent and child as grandparents recall
their childhood visits to relatives‚ farms. Tours of the
museum’s prairie reconnect visitors to nature and its resilience,
as the last prairie flowers bloom and go to seed.
Visitors will also be able to view the
restoration work that has been done on the 1842 barn. The barn’s
south peak and wall were damaged in August 2005 by a lightning strike.
The wall was restored last fall and a restored roof was finished this
summer. The museum now can seek the funds of individual donors to
complete the barn’s restoration.
A bake sale will be held and refreshments will
be offered in the museum’s visitor’s center, the Atwell
Burr House. The event benefits the museum’s ongoing efforts to
restore the historic buildings and to provide educational programming.
Donations are $6 for adults and $3 for children under twelve.
The 374-acre Garfield Farm Museum is the only
historically intact former 1840s prairie farmstead and teamster inn
being restored by donors and volunteers from 2800 households in 37
states as an 1840s working farm museum. Garfield Farm Museum is located
5 miles west of Geneva, IL off ILL Rt.38 on Garfield Road. For
information, call (630) 584-8485 or email info@garfieldfarm.org.