I want to take a moment to chat about a couple things.

First, social media. I decided a while back to trim my Facebook account. When I first made the FB account, hundreds of people who read my Citizen’s Companion articles “friended” me. While it was nice, the reality is the vast, vast majority of my followers really want to hear about millinery or Fanciful Utility, not my daily whinings or cat posts. I invite you to follow/like my millinery and/or Fanciful Utility pages. They are “Anna’s Millinery by Anna Worden Bauersmith” and “Fanciful Utility by Anna Worden Bauersmith.”

Second, working seasonally. I work on my projects according to the seasons. This is particularly true for millinery. It is rare that I will offer a straw piece in the early winter, just as it will be rare for me to offer a winter hood in the summer. Here is my general seasonal timeline (keep in mind, for most of the year I am working after work.)

• January – Hand recovery or maybe some Winter millinery
• February & March – Start spring straw millinery during recess
• April, May – Spring straw millinery, sewing cases.
• June – crazy busy at work
• July, August – Summer straw millinery (possibly may take requests depending on time.)
• September & October – Winter millinery
• November – Gifties for the shop
• December – My time to focus on my gifts.

(Previously published in 2009)

Most everyone who knows me well knows I am by far not a fan of cold winter weather. I am continuously cold to the bone and fearful of ice all winter long. Between my general dislike of winter and the impending cost of keeping our homes warm we will all be facing this winter, I couldn’t help but be curious about the techniques our 19^th century counterparts used to keep themselves and their homes warm in the winter cold.

            To get a general understanding of how our mid-nineteenth century counterparts saw their winters, let us look at some reports on the weather and descriptions of the home in winter. These reports come from the January 10^th, 1856 New York Times presenting a cold spell of weather from a few major cities:

In New York City – “Yesterday was a very cold day. The thermometer at sunrise was 4 degrees below zero, and throughout the day it ranged from 8 to 20 above. The wind blew fresh all day from the northwest. The mean temperature of the last fifteen days has been unusually low, being 19 deg, at sunrise, and 24 deg. At 8 P.M. We seldom have so long a continuance of consecutive cold. Excepting only on the 3d inst., the thermometer has not risen above the freezing point once during that time, even at the warmest part of the day.”

In Boston – “The weather is much colder, The mercury at sunrise yesterday indicated 29^o; at 11 o’clock, 33 ^o; at 6 ½ o’clock, 22 ^o; at 8 ½ o’clock, 14 ^o; and at midnight only 4 ½ ^o above zero. The wind was light from the southwest of the day, but went around towards the northwest in the evening. –Boston Advertiser, 9^th inst.”

In Philadelphia – “The Mercury was lower in Philadelphia, this morning, then it has been for many years. On the 20^th of January, 1852, the thermometer was 2 ¼ ^o below zero. On the 7^th of February, 1855, the thermometer was at zero. We well remember that day. It was the only occasion last Winter upon which the mercury got below Zero. – Philadelphia Bulletin, 9^th”

In Newark – “During the present Winter we have not experienced such severe cold as was felt here last night and early this morning. They day promised to be as moderate as could be desired; but late in the afternoon the thermometer fell rapidly, and during the night reached, in one part of the City, 5 ^o below zero, in another, 9 ^o, and in another 10 ^o. If these reports are to be relied upon, last night was even colder than the memorable 7^th of February last, which was at the time, said to be the coldest weather felt here since the year 1850. – Newark Adv.”

Two weeks later the Times  prints a letter from Lawrence, Kentucky reporting “Excessive Cold” in Leavenworth causing some to evacuate to Lawrence. “Matters have not changed materially for the last three days, nor is there any serious apprehension that they will for the next three. At Leavenworth the waters have settled clear again, so far as pertains to anything outward that the public can discern. Four of five more ‘fugitives’ have arrived in town from that place during the last twenty-four houses, and Mr. Minard, who attempted to return to his family on Wednesday, came back last night, having learned that scouting parties were on the alert for him, and that it was for him to be seen in that vicinity. He has decided, together with the others from that place, to take up his residence in Lawrence until Spring, for personal safety. …This is called the coldest Winter known here for twenty years. There is about six inches of snow now upon the ground, and the weather is by no means severe, today. Wednesday morning the thermometer was 12 ^o below zero, but for the last two days it has stood above zero. The ground is frozen about 18 inches deep, and the river about the same. Several nice ice-houses have been well packed with ice since the cold weather began.”

Mrs. Stowe describes in her House and Home Papers what she considers a typical household living through the winter:

“It is a terrible thing to reflect upon, that our November to May, six long months, in which many families confine themselves to one room, of which every window-crack has been tightly calked to make it air-tight, where an air-tight stove keeps the atmosphere at temperature between eight and ninety; and the inmates, sitting there with all their winter clothes on, become enervated both by the heat and by the poisoned air, for which there is no escape but the occasional opening of a door.

“It is no wonder that the first result of all this is such a delicacy of skin and lungs that about half the inmates are obliged to give up going into the open air during the six cold months, because the invariably catch cold if they do so. It is no wonder that the cold caught about the first of December has by the first of March become a fixed consumption, and that the opening of the spring, which ought to bring life and health, in so many cases brings death.

“We hear of the lean condition in which the poor bears emerge from their six months’ wintering, during which they subsist on fat which they have acquired the previous summer. Even so, in out long winters, multitudes of delicate people subsist on the daily waning strength which they acquired in the season when the windows and doors were open and fresh air was a constant luxury. No wonder we hear of spring fever and spring biliousness, and have thousands of nostrums for clearing the blood in the spring. All these things are the pantings and palpitations of a system run down under slow poison, unable to get a step farther.

“Better, far better, the old houses of the olden time, with their great roaring fires, and their bed-rooms where the snow came in and the wintery winds whistled. Then, to be sure, you froze your back while you burned your face, your water froze nightly in your pitcher, your breath congealed in ice-wreaths on the blankets, and you could write your name on the pretty snow-wreath that had sifted in through the window-crack. But you woke full of life and vigor, you looked out into the whirling snow-storms without a shiver, and thought nothing of plunging through drifts as high as your head on your daily way to school. You jingled in sleights, you snow-balled, you lived in snow like a snow-bird, and your blood coursed and tingled, in full tide of good, merry, real life, through your veins – none of the slow-creeping, black blood which clogs the brain and lies like a weight on the vital wheels!” (Beecher, 1874 quoting Stowe)

In drastic comparison we find the poor living in homes ill equipped to withstand blowing winter snow or able to purchase what is needed to keep a family warm. A New York Times writer paid a visit to tenant houses and shanties during the winter of  1855. Of one shanty he describes: “The door, which opened from the wood-house into the room, had a large gap over it, and another under. The wooden walls had great chunks, in which the snow filtered. There was no fire in the little stove, and the mother and two little children lay head by feet in the bed, under a covering of some bits of old carpeting, a thin shawl, and a piece of an old blanket. Newspapers were used to keep off the snow. They shivered as they lay, and the woman, with a chattering tone, said she was waiting for her husband, in hopes he would find something to bring home. A chicken was frozen to death under the table. It was a wretched place.” (February 12, 1855)

DEALING WITH FREEZING, ICE, AND SNOW

In the modern world we deal with issues of ice sealing our car doors closed, our water pipes freezing in less heated parts of our house, and snow piling up in our driveways. While we have de-icer, electrically heated pipe insulation and snow-blowers, what did our predecessors do to face the complications of winter head on?

Icy steps transcend the centuries. Looking at domestic advice books, we see using salt to melt and soften the ice was used then similar to now. “ICY STEPS – Salt strewed upon the door-steps in winter will cause the ice to crack, so that it can be easily removed. (Child 115) Eliza Leslie gives us more specific directions for maintaining the steps and to prevent ice along with subsequent injuries.

“THE FRONT DOOR – It would be well if all door-steps were furnished with hand-rails. Without them, there is much danger of slipping down in icy weather, or at night, or for persons that are lame. …. A foot-scraper is an indispensable appendage to a front door. As soon as a snow has done falling, and before it has time to freeze, it should be immediately cleared entirely away from the door-steps, and pavement. It is then an easy task, but a very difficult one after it has frozen. To say nothing in regard to the danger of persons slipping down on the ice, and being severely injured, (of which there are instances every winter,) an ice door-step or pavement has a wretched and slovenly appearance, gives a mean aspect to the house, and is altogether [unclear] for if you have not a man-servant to clear it away with a space or large shovel, you can get it done for a trifle by the poor men who go about for that purpose after a snow, and to whom such a job is frequently an act of charity. We have seen stout little boys, the sons of gentlemen, fid great pleasure and good exercise in shoveling the snow from the front door in a bright winter morning. Also, let the pavement and steps at the back door be cleared from the snow as soon as possible. If, however, the snow has been allowed to freeze on these places, keep the ice always well covers with ashes, or sprinkle salt on it. Every winter there are limbs broken, and lives endangered, from falling on icy pavements or frozen door-steps; accidents that would never happen, if every citizen did his duty in keeping his own premises free from ice, and if the public bodies were equally vigilant in having the snow immediately cleared away from the vicinity of the public buildings.”(Leslie 330-331)

I am particularly fond of her suggestion of making use of the boys eager to clear the steps of neighbors. She continues to suggest, as many other advice writers did as well as a few newspaper articles, the wearing of carpet slippers or moccasins. “If obliged to walk on snow or ice: carpet moccasins are excellent preventives from slipping; and so are broad-soled India-rubber shoes, of the thick old fashioned sort. (Leslie 331)

Water sources freezing was a concern for everyone whether water was supplied by a pump or running water. If you have a pump outside, Child suggests: “In winter, always set the handle of your pump as high as possible, before you go to bed. Except in very rigid weather, this keeps the handle from freezing. When there is a reason to apprehend extreme cold, do not forget to throw a rug or horse-blanket over your pump; a frozen pump is a comfortless preparation for a winter’s breakfast.” (Child, 16)

For those with plumbing in the house insulation with straw or cloth is suggested.

“When frost appears to be approaching, water-pipes should be covered with straw or cloths, or anything which will keep in the heat and prevent freezing; but in order that this may be done, the pipes should be place where they can be conveniently got at, and not hidden in some inaccessible recess in the wall if the outside of the house, so much the better, for cracks in the pipe, which are not observed so long as it is filled with ice, will soon show themselves when a thaw comes and the water rushed through them down the stairs, or forces its way through the ceilings into bedrooms, drawing-room, dining-room and kitchen” (Stevens 64)

I was surprised to find a suggestion from Eliza Leslie regarding sky-lights during the winter.  “Care should be taken that all the wood-work of the sky-light (as well as the glass) fits   tightly; otherwise it will not only leak from rain, but from melting of the snow, when it thaws. As soon as the snow has ceased falling, some one should go up and remove it at once (while it is still soft) from the skylight, which will otherwise be entirely darkened; and, if the snow freezes on it, may probably remain obscured for some weeks.” (Leslie 328)

KEEPING WARM WHEN OUT AND ABOUT

In either century, we often find we need to go out and travel in the depths of winter for both necessity and for pleasure. Numerous methods of keeping warm were used to keep warm while in the carriage, sleigh, or wagon.A description of sleighing in the New York Times covers some of the basic clothing for a winter outing. “On with rough coat and warm gloves, thick soled books, and throat wrapper… hire a gallant sleigh; drive round to —-‘s house; receive there a consignment of shawls, wrappers, and buffalo robes, surmounted with a pretty Winter bonnet, relived by the sight of a delicate kid-gloved hand, peeping out from the comfortable mass.” (New York Times January 17, 1853)  A Quaker girl from Wheatland, NY used hot bricks to keep warm during an excursion to Bergen.  (January 19, 1856) Another suggestion from Eliza Leslie is to use little baskets lined with fur to put your feet in while riding in a carriage or sleigh. (321)

KEEPING THE HOME WARM

            A key part of keeping the home warm in the mid-nineteenth century was the use of a fire-place and/or stoves. A home could be heated with wood or several other fuels. Homes using wood to heat and/or cook with needed to plan ahead seasonally and yearly to have the right wood. Wood needed to be seasoned, dry, not freshly cut and green. Eliza Leslie suggests laying out wood for winter fuel in the summer due to the cost of the wood. Beecher says to purchase wood in August and September saying it is cheapest and most plentiful then. This is a slightly later time than Leslie’s suggestion, possibly a slight geographical variation from Philadelphia to New York. Each domestic advice author had different preferences for types of wood. Leslie’s suggestions for woods:

“The best wood for fuel is hickory, and the next is oak. Locust is also very good; so are walnut, beech, and maple. Birch is tolerable. Chestnut wood is extremely unsafe from its tendency to snap and sparkle, and to throw its small coals all round. Pine wood is of little value as house fuel. It blazes freely at first, but when its resinous qualities have exhaled, (which is almost immediately,) the sticks turn black, and seem to moulder away without emitting any heat. Pine chips, however, from the rapidity with which they ignite, are excellent for kindling.” (Leslie 121)

Comparatively, Beecher considers the best woods to be hickory, hard maple, white ash, black birch, yellow  birch, beech, yellow oak and locust in that order. She considers elm, soft maple, white birch, pepperage, and pine to be inferior fire woods along with chestnut, butternut, cedar, sassafras, red oak and buckeye.

The other fuels available in the mid-century included charcoal, anthracite coal, coal, coke, and bituminous coal or English coal. It takes approx. 3 tons of anthracite to heat during 1 season in the middle states, more in colder areas. It needs to be ignited with charcoal or chips of dry wood. It needs to be replenished about every six hours (Leslie 134) Also according to Leslie “It goes further, lasts longer, gives out more heat, with less waste from slate-stones and ashes, and leaves better cinders when it is extinguished; and good cinders may always be turned to account by burning them over again.” Bituminous is softer than anthracite, emits more smoke, and produces more dust and ash. It creates a less intense heat and a bright blaze. It is imported from England and from the Appalachian region. Bituminous is softer than anthracite, emits more smoke, and produces more dust and ash. It has a less intense heat, bright blaze.

Coke was considered a very convenient and economical fuel for spring and autumn because it emits a moderate heat. It makes fewer vapors than other coal. It ignites quickly and makes a bright fire. “Charcoal is extremely useful to burn in portable furnaces for making sweetmeats, and cooking various little things.” (Leslie)

“For those, who use anthracite coal, that which is broken or screened, is best for grates, and the nut-coal, for small stoves. Three tons are sufficient, in the Middle States, and four tons in the Northern, to keep one fire through the Winter. That which is bright, hard, and clean, is best ; and that which is soft, porous, and covered with damp dust, is poor. It will be well to provide two barrels of charcoal, for kindling, to every ton of anthracite coal. Grates, for bituminous coal, should have a flue nearly as deep as the grate ; and the bars should be round, and not close together. The better draught there is, the less coal-dust is made. Every grate should be furnished with a poker, shovel, tongs, blower, coal-scuttle, and holder for the blower. The latter may be made of woolens, covered with old silk, and hung near the fire.” (Beecher, 1854, p281)

Living Spaces – Parlors, Dining Rooms, Kitchens

In living spaces, such as the parlors, dining rooms, and kitchens a key concern in domestic advice books is the drafts in a room. As many of us know from our own homes, drafts can come from doors, windows, fire-places, and mysterious places we try to seek out. Securing the cracks, crevices and gaps at the onset of winter helps keep a room draft free and feel warmer. These are Eliza Leslie’s suggestions for stopping drafts:

“Before the cold season commences, the window-sashes of the chambers should be made tight, and the doors secured against the admission of currents of air when shut. This will scarcely be necessary in a very well built house, where the doors and windows all fit perfectly, and where the wood-work, being well seasoned, has not shrunk.

“When there are large cracks at the bottom of the door, have a thick slip of wood nailed on the floor outside. A similar slip may be nailed along the side of the door-case where it opens. We have seen these lathes covered with green baize only. Also, keep the key always in the lock, as a strong draught of air rushes through an open key-hole. For inferior rooms you may nail a stout slip of listing (the selvage of cloth) all along the outside of the crack; taking it off in the spring. We have seen, in old fashioned houses, gilt or brass nails round the crack of a door; and as it was considered ornamental as well as useful, it was left there all summer. A long narrow bag, made of carpeting or thick cloth, and filled hard with sand, will somewhat lessen the draught at the bottom of a door, if laid on the floor outside.

“For the outside doors, and those of the best rooms down stairs, it is usual, to have a broad, thick, brass ledge fastened to the floor, so as to screen the crack at the bottom of the door.

“In the chamber of an invalid, it is well to have a tall, standing screen, place just within the door, that when it is opened, the rush of cold air may be felt less sensibly.

“In a very severe climate, where it is thought best not to raise the sashes during the winter, they may be made air-tight, by pasting slips of thick paper over the cracks, fitting them neatly; or by nailing all round the window-frame, laths covered with baize. Some persons stuff the cracks with wadding, put in with knife or scissors. There is frequently, however, great difficulty in removing the wadding in the spring; bits of it working in so far, and sticking in so fast, as to prevent the sash from going up and down. A window-sash may be kept very tight, by merely sticking into the cracks little wedges of wood two or three inches long, and about and inch and a half wide, and shaved quite thin towards one of the ends.” (Leslie 322-323)

I still haven’t figure out how the last suggestion works with piece of wood this thick.  Leslie also points out some houses in the north have double sashes. (Leslie 232)

Another method to make a room more comfortable is through the use of carpets and curtains. While most advice authors do not directly discuss the use of carpets and curtains in the winter, they do suggest taking carpets out in the summer, replacing them with straw matting as well as not leaving heavy curtains up in the summer to allow fresh air to enter the room.  Both of these recommendations suggest that curtains and carpets were seen as adding warmth and comfort during the winter.

One more suggestion is like a portable heater. “Small portable foot-stoves of perforated tin, set in a wooden frame, and containing a little iron pan to be filled with hot coals, are excellent for keeping the feet warm in the winter, when sitting still. They cost but a trifle, and no house should be without them, particularly where wood is burnt.” (Leslie 321)

Bedrooms, Beds and Sleeping

A comfortable bed was essential to a good night sleep and, as some were learning in the mid-century, important to health as well. There were numerous suggestions to take the winter chill from the bed and make it more comfortable in the winter. Combining a feather-bed on top of the mattress provides more insulation with-in the bed. For sheets, linen was the preference for summer while thick cotton was preferred for winter as it was considered warmer. For blankets, Leslie suggests a progressive series of up to three blankets.

“Except in very cold climates, it will not be necessary to allot more than three blankets to each bed; beginning with one in the autumn, and adding the second and the third as the weather grows colder. The blankets should be larger every way than the bed, to allow for tucking in, and for turning down at the head. Blankets of the best quality will last many years. At the close of spring they should always be washed before they are put away. Where the winters are very severe, eider down quilts and cotton comfortables are frequently used, in addition to one or two blankets.” (Leslie 310)

Bed curtains are useful in keeping the immediate sleeping area warm.

“We think, however (to say nothing of the dreary and comfortless appearance of a curtainless bed, in cold weather, particularly when a sick person is lying in it,) that the winter climate of most parts of America is such to render curtains highly desirable at that season, to all who can conveniently procure them. It is not necessary to draw them closely all round; but if the heads of the sleepers were always screened from the cold air of a cold room, there would, perhaps, be fewer tooth-aches, rheumatic pains, coughs, and sore-throats.” (Leslie 304)

To warm the bed or to keep it warm while you are sleeping, a few options are suggested. The warming pan is a long-handled, often brass pan, which is filled with hot coals. It is placed under the sheets with the upper layers of bedding turned down. The pan is moved about to heat the bed. This is a temporary heating since the pan must be removed. A brick, heated in the stove or fireplace can be wrapped in a thick old cloth and placed in the bed. The wrapping must be secure and thick enough to prevent the burning of the bed clothing or the bed’s occupant. It is suggested the brick remain at the foot of the bed through the night. [Author’s note – if you plan to try to use a brick as a heating device, be sure to use a brick safe for heating.] A hot water bottle can also be used to warm the foot of the bed. This bottle is described as a “large black bottle” with a cork. This is also wrapped in cloth. This bottle must loose its heat sooner than the brick because Leslie suggests having a second bottle ready to replace the first. Another suggestion is for a bed-tin filled with water:

“If any of the family keep late hours, it is unkind to keep a hard-worked housemaid up for the purpose of warming the bed. This may be avoided by having a bed-tin, filled with boiling water, and covered with flannel, placed in the bed by the servant before she goes to her own room. At any hour it will only be necessary to move this tin about a little to have the whole bed comfortably warm. The water will remain hot for many hours, and if left at the foot of the bed under the clothes, will keep the feet quite warm.” (Bowman 63)

KEEPING YOURSELF WARM

The right clothing can make all the difference whether you are inside or out in the cold. The New Orleans’ Daily Picayune has a January 10^th, 1864 advertisement for S.N. Moody’s who lists several warm items for the cold weather.

“Scarlet and White Shaker Flannel Undershirts and Drawers.”

“Woolen, Merino, Cashmere and Canton Flannel Undershirts and Drawers.”

“Heavy Hosiery of Every description.”

“Traveling and Campaign Wool Overshirts”

“Seasonable Gloves of Every description.”

“Wool and Cashmere Mufflers.”

“Silk and Wool Scarfs and Ties.”

“Wool stockings”

“Flannel wool drawers and petticoats”

Since many other resources are available detailing clothing for different weather conditions, I will briefly summarize the suggestions for what to wear. Warm stockings and socks were a must. These can be made of thick cotton or wool. Under-clothing such as drawers or petticoats can be made from wool flannel. A quilted petticoat can be especially warm in extreme cold. Leslie gives this description for how to make a quilted petticoat from two old dresses:

“The skirts of two silk dresses will make a very good winter petticoat, interlining them with cotton wadding. They should first be ripped apart, ironed smoothly, and turned. If you have not a quilting-frame at hand, you may quilt a petticoat on a large table, or by spreading it on a bed. The most convenient way will be to quilt the breadths separately, (each with its wadding and lining,) and then sew them together afterwards. They should be quilted in large diamonds, with three or four rows along the bottom of the petticoat, which ought afterwards to be bound with very stout ribbon or broad galloon.

“A wadded petticoat may be made without quilting, by tacking or basting sheets of wadding to the lining, as is done in making a cloak or pelisse. It should be basted with very strong sewing-silk in long needlefuls; taking care to tie firmly the end of every fresh needleful to the end left of the last. Run several straight rows along the bottom after you have put on the outside silk.”

(Leslie 314-315)

For sleeping, night-gowns of white flannel can be worn instead of cotton or linen. The Workwomen’s Guide suggests “dressing-gowns are generally made of warm materials, for the winter, as flannels, either printed or plain, merino, shawl, either the real or imitation, and for gentlemen, of cloth or jean.” (p68) In the morning at home a double or quilted wrapper can be comforting. Directions for double wrappers and quilted wrappers can be found in Leslie’s book on pages 400-403. Shawls were the most frequent recommendation for keeping warm. Wristlets and knee warmers were knitted accessories meant to keep these areas warm. [Knitting directions can be found in Knitting A La Mode and Knitting Two A La Mode.] When looking at outer garments, we see a variety of coats worn far more frequently than a cape. These coats, accompanied by a warm hood can keep out most of winter’s chilling winds. Directions for hoods can be found in Leslie’s book on pages 403-405.

Types of clothing in the winter not only helped keep you warm, it also served to protect you from the dangers of several sources of fire in the home. Mrs. Leslie details how and why it is important to dress children in woolen clothing in a section of her book where she addresses the very important topic of fire safety. “Children, in winter, should be dressed entirely in clothes of woollen or worsted, as these are less liable to catch fire and blaze, than linen or cotton. Even their aprons should be of worsted; for instance, bombzet or merino. Small children should never be left alone in a room in which there is a fire; and their sleeping apartments should, on no account, have the doors locked. Every winter, we have at least one instance of a little child perishing horribly, by the mother leaving it alone, tied in a chair, and placed near a fire, while she is engaged in a distant part of the house, or perhaps gone out on some errand. This is a practice too dangerous for any circumstances to excuse. So is that of the parents going out in the evening, locking up the house, and leaving all the rest of the family in bed. Such parents, on coming home, may find their house on fire, and their children perishing in the flames.” (Leslie 148)

“TO MAKE COTTON COMFORTABLES.  – These are soft thick quilts, used as substitutes for blankets, and laid under the bed-spread. One of them is equal in warmth to three heavy blankets; and they are excellent in cold winters for the persons who like to sleep extremely warm. In chambers with fire, or in a room that has had a fire all day, a comfortable will generally be found too warm a covering, except in severe weather. IT is best to use them in cold apartments only. If the house should be crowded with guests, so as to cause a scarcity of beds, a thick comfortable may be found a convenient substitute for a mattress.

Author’s reflection

Now for a confession: in the cold of winter, I am very happy to became obsessed with this hobby. Not only do I have an excuse to stay at home doing research or sewing, I also happen to have a few useful items hanging around. On extremely cold mornings, I wear my quilted petticoat or wool flannel petticoat to work. It keeps my achy legs nicely warm in the car during the morning drive. My wool wristlets are great to wear while typing or writing. One of my many shawls is a must in my cold classroom to either keep my shoulders or knees warm depending on the day’s lessons. Another favorite are my wool stockings.

This brings me to a favorite method of keeping warm which happens to be a gap in my findings. I grew up with what we called “soap-stones” decorating the fireplace mantle and speckling antique shops. In my first apartment, I found these warmed nicely when stored in the gas kitchen stove heated by the pilot-light and warmed the chill from my bed. I also used these fairly regularly when I first began reenacting during events in the early spring and the cold fall. But, I was unable to find period documentation of these particular stones by the name soap-stones. I did find references to the use of bricks in the bed and to stones from Cornwall, which could retain heat for an extended period of time. At a recent antique show numerous dealers displayed these stones, each labeled as soap-stones. Either these stones were not yet used, not written about, or were called something else. I would love to hear from anyone who can shed light on this subject.

Works Cited:

•  Beecher, Catharine Esther. A Treatise on Domestic Economy, for the Use of Young Ladies at Home. 1854
•  Beecher, Catherine. Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt-Book. New York: Harper, 1856.
•  Beecher, Catherine. Miss Beecher’s Housekeeper and Healthkeeper. New York: Harper, 1874.
•  Bowman, Anne.  The Common Things of Every-day Life. London and New York: 1857.
•  Mrs. Child. The American Frugal Housewife: Dedicated to Those Who are Not Ashamed of Economy.  New York: Samuel S. & William Wood, 1841, 27th edition.
•  Daily Picayune. January 10, 1864, p. 2, c. 4. Vicki Betts’ newspaper research.
•  Haskell, Mrs. E. R.. The Housekeeper’s Encyclopedia of Useful Information for the Housekeeper. New York: Appleton, 1861.
•  Leslie, Eliza. Miss Leslie’s Lady’s House-Book: A Manual of Domestic Economy. Philadelphia: A. Hart, Late Cary & Hart, 1850.
• New York Times. 1850-1865.
• Stowe, Harriet Beecher (Christopher Crowfield). House and Home Papers. Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1865.
•  Stevens, Rev. Edward T.. Domestic Economy for Girls. London: Longmans, 1877.
•  The Workwoman’s Guide. London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., 1840.

It seems this year we have had quite the mix of temperatures for “fall” across the country, or even in one area during the week. Here, Monday was quite frigid while Tuesday morning the wind had a lovely warmth to it, and by the end of the week, it looks like we will be back to frigid again. It does make planning and packing a creative challenge. From the looks of it, many people at events this past weekend found that out. I’m pretty sure I saw a frozen over bucket of water. So, that leaves us with the question:

Are You Ready for Your Cold Weather Events?

November tends to have cemetery services and even candle-light tours in honor of Veteran’s Day. A good many attend Remembrance Day activities in Gettysburg, which can be delightfully mild or down right blustery.

December brings Yuletide and Christmas events for many living history sites. Communities may also have festive caroling or even a Dickens festival.

January and February are perfect for social sledding events. I believe this is also when some groups do Winter of ’64 weekends in the depths of the snow.

March brings maple sugaring events when it can still be snowy or just plain wet, with the promise of cold.

For each of these events, attendees deal with ….. Cold!

(and also wet and wind and ice.)

How to be Ready for Your Cold Weather Events

Keep in mind – Layers are the Key to Warmth. This means your:

1. Underpinnings
2. Dress
3. Outerwear
4.  Accessories.

Your underwear  acts as your warmth protector and your moisture protector. Even though it is cold, you still sweat. You need to pull that moisture away from your body without it feeling retained in the fabric near your skin. Consider the following that can help you keep warm:

• Wool flannel or wool knitted drawers
• A flannel Chemise (this can get Very warm) (post-war description)
• Wool, quilted and knitted petticoats
• Wool stays
• Wool stockings

Aspects of your dress to consider:

• A wool dress (This doesn’t need to be a heavy weight or even a medium-heavy weight)
• Warm clothes  such as a sontag, “hug me tight” or a knitted waist coat

Your Outerwear acts as warmth, wind and moisture protection. You want a garment that will protect you from the wind and snow, while minimizing the restriction on your movement and not requiring you to hold it in place.

• Coats such as paletots, pardessus, and sacques (2)
• Mantles
• Cloaks

While your outerwear protects your core, your Accessories help keep your hands and head warm. Consider these:

• Shawls
• Gloves, mitts, mittens
• Hoods including quilted, wadded and knit
• Scarves and Nubias
• Muffs
• Fur
• Knitted knee warmers

What did they say about dressing for the cold?

The following passage, published in The Home Monthly, comes from an area often struck with frigid cold and an incredible amount of snow, Buffalo, NY, in 1859

Winter Clothing – Style and Material

We do now propose keeping our readers in the latest Parisian style, for we have no Genio Scott, Genin or Brodie to consult, and we hardly think we shall fail of our purpose without them. We do not choose to cater to fastidious fondness for the very latest pattern, and encourage ladies in exhausting their entire time with thoughts in the “where-withal shall we be clothed.”

Every lady ought to be dressed well, if not her purse will permit, but that does not mean to cast off a garment, because something later than that has appeared in the fashionable world, and that too with no regard to the better uses to which such expenditures could be put. But of course we need not mention this, for that sort of woman would scarcely read a magazine without fashion plates.

To dress meanly with no reason for so doing, and above all, to make religion an excuse for shabbiness, as Timothy Titcomb says, is abominable. It lessens our usefulness. We should be as beautiful as we can make ourselves, but that is not accomplished by any means in following the rule of fashion plates.

Merinos, and all wool Delaines are the most sensible as well as most durable of all materials for out-door wear at this season. Cut with pointed basques on slender figures, and trimmed neatly, with a dainty cambric collar and sleeves, and you have a costume suited to all ordinary occasions for winter wear. One’s own taste and length of purse should be the guide for extraordinary ones. Large plaids on small people, stripes on very tall ones; and Bayedere on short persons, are all equally unbecoming. Indeed, all conspicuous patterns weary the wearer who has refined taste, as well as the beholder. Above all thinks, consult, if possible, in an indirect way those you love best as to color, &c., provided your complexion will permit a choice.

The prettiest and most serviceable bonnet for winter is a black velvet. It admits of remodeling, and can be worn with propriety with any colored outer garment, and any color about the face.

The loose sacque or raglan of ladies’ cloth, is exceedingly convenient, as well as pretty and inexpensive for a cloak, as not trimming is required – nothing but a binding neatly stitched on.

The same material to be used for children’s wear, both boys and girls. Pretty wool cheques are cheap and durable for girl’s winter dresses, and boy’s coatees for the house. Above all things, don’t let them be made too short at the top and bottom of the garment. Many a mother’s pride has been gratified by the praise bestowed upon the fair neck and rounded limbs of her child, and after her heart has been broken, while laying them from her sight forever. Which will your choose?

Dress them warmly and let them out into the frosty, fresh air to grow rounder and fairer, albeit no one but yourself see how fair. We did not purpose saying this much, but it is written. Quarterly we will endeavor to suggest whatever is worthy of mention among the novelties of the season, always keeping our peculiar views of substantiality and beauty side by side.

New Materials

The challies which are offered at very reasonable prices this fall, are pretty, and seem likely to be the most durable of any commone dress goods that we find. They are nearly all in bayadere stripes – some of them high colored, but where warmth and durability are required we think they will be found very desirable. There is also a new material of Angola wool for dresses – heavier than wool delanes or merinos, which we judge to be very desirable for these qualities, viz: strength and durability, unless the satin stripe that adorns it should be found to fray out. – Dresses of this material can be bought in New York at $6, the pattern. This comes the nearest to ladies’ cloth of anything we have seen. The high-colored printed cashmeres – merino styles – are offered as low as six shillings per yard, while we found recently at Stewart’s the best colors of printed French merinos at a dollar per yard. The bright chintz, patterned, all wool delaines are offered lower than ever before. But no delaine can be as cheap as a good merino at least to those who wear their dresses out. We are glad to see more durable material for dresses coming into market. Much time and labor in dress-making will be saved by those who emply these materials. It is also a saving of expense, for the cost of making and trimming a dress of good, and of worthless material is very nearly the same. Every lady, then, should feel that time and labor are wasted in the making up of flimsy material and even if her means should be at first seem too limited to purchase that which is better, she should make a special effort to save up “capital to economize with”.

(bayadere stripes = horizontal stripes)

A couple comments on being introverted or extroverted influencing interpretive technique in a FB discussion really has me thinking about those aspects and interpretation.

I am an introvert. The fancy personality tests tell me so. I happen to agree.

Being an introvert effects how I do many to most things on a daily basis. I’ve been aware of that for a couple decades now. I hadn’t thought much about how being an introvert effects how I interpret and educate until just now.

On first reflective thought, I can see introvert-ism in my preferences for the space I interpret, the rhythm of discussion, organization of space, how I greet people…. Breaking some of this down further, this is what I see:

I work better in a designated space; a space that is my space. This is most apparent in my enjoyment of the Dressmaker’s Shop as the millinery. Those two rooms are a defined space that become my space. In many ways it becomes my stage (see below on taking on roles.) This space, as I lay it out, provides a space for me and spaces for visitors. When there are just a couple visitors, be it a couple or a parent and children, conversations can be nearly one on one or follow the interests of the young children as the move about the room. When there is a larger assortment of visitors, they seem to find themselves comfortable spots to bunch in. Despite fitting a surprising number of people in the building, at no time does it feel like “presenting” to a large group. The space is just right for conversation and discussion. I particularly enjoy when conversation develops in to this rhythm of discussion where ideas work back and forth around the room.  Interestingly, the millinery’s space is nearly the same size as my favorite teaching space that I use for small discussion groups.

Thinking about space further, I have to say this showed in how I like/liked to have tents set up. While I do like rows for safety and order, I like squaring off pairs or trios of tents in a |__| arrangement. I know when I did it, some people thought it was odd. I saw it as creating a space in the middle for demonstration. Now, I’m realizing it was also about creating that defined space. I am also recognizing my spacial preference appear in scripted and semi-scripted instances. I do better in roles where I am in the space as visitors arrive and stay in that space. I do not do as well with roles where I need to move in and out of a space. I noticed this when I did a small piece on women traveling. I had a great deal of trouble sinking myself into my role. I now wonder if the move into the space and move out of the space was the factor there.

Looking at what actually happens in my interpretive space. When people come in, I can see them individually. I can see what they look at first, where (or to what) they naturally are drawn. This gives me cues as to what each may want to talk about. I can also get hints about how to talk to them in their body language and facial expressions. I can’t really explain the details of “this means this, that means that.” It is more of an instinct thing. Or, at least I thought it was an instinct. It may just be an introvert thing. But, what it comes down to, in truly connecting with a visitor, it has nothing to do with what I want and everything to do with what the visitor.

I have had more than a few people be surprised when I say I am an introvert. Usually, their argument is that I don’t appear to be an introvert at events or during presentations or such. I assure them I am. In those instances, I am taking on roles be it as milliner me, traveling me, teacher me, presenter me, and so on. I love taking on those roles and being that part of me. But, those are temporary chunks of time.  I think it must be that I love particular roles, such as those when I am interpreting, much more than others because I can do them for longer periods of time. In my late teens and 20s, I thought of it as event prep, adrenaline at an event and post event crash. Which brings me to…

Some have learned about my battle time nap. This is my quintessential rest and recharge time. Whether or not I actually fall asleep during a battle, that alone, quieter time is essential for me. Without that solace, the strings just unravel. Without it, I may, I will hit a wall and be done. (okay, so on occasion there is also the factor of “feed the girl” as Bevin caught in Zoar.) The other aspect of battle skipping is simply that for this introvert, the action and loudness of a battle performance is not my thing. In some ways, for me a battle is the musical of the entertaining world. For the life of me, I can not follow what is going on in a musical. Really.

Those who have known me for a while may be wondering “what about when you did that and that and that” be it the socials, scenarios, fashion shows, vignettes, talks, etc. I used to run around all day doing? Well, each of those were roles. Also, each of those were task oriented activities that I spent a sometimes insane amount of time prepping for and researching. Yup, I am realizing my obsessive planning and researching may indeed be the equivalent of my looking up maps, menus, weather and who is who of modern social events.

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Want to know more? I took a peak at some articles on introverts as teachers thinking that was the closest I would likely find a large number of articles on. Take a look at video Confessions of a Passionate Introvert by Harvard professor Brian Little. (warning there is a bit in there that may not be good for young or sensitive ears.) (This article from Duke University is a good lead in.)

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ADDING: While brushing my teeth, I had a flashback to when I was working at FFES as a home visitor. When I had longer office days, I could be found not working at my desk but under my desk. It was not only quieter there, it was like a little cave that turned off all distraction. That led me to thinking about how I needed a cabin of my own when I worked resident camp. That was definitely my quiet recovery space.

Did you know that many of the articles I previously wrote for various publications are available for you to read via Google Drive?

. ***Just Click Here to go to the folder of articles.***

This list currently includes:

• To Net or Not to Net
• The articles on Trunks, rugs/carpets and Folding Chairs
• The Social Movement Series
• The articles on interpretation and connecting with your audience.
• Useful How-tos.

I wrote this article back in 2010 for publication. As it was well read at the time, I followed it up with a “Connecting with Your Audience Supplement” and “Additional Resources for Connecting with Your Audience.”

There is an excellent discussion going on in a FB thread today that prompted me to want to reshare this article. Here it is as I wrote it a half decade ago. While some things have changed, I hope most thoughts are still applicable.

Most of our research and efforts are focused on aspects of history and material culture. This article focuses on our audiences who have chosen to spend their time with us rather than the materials and theories of history. Just as each of us looks for different aspects in our own living history experiences, so do the people who come out to visit our events and sites. In order to provide the very best program experiences for our visitors, we must understand what they are looking for. When considering our audience for each event we must ask ourselves two questions:

            Who is our audience?

            What is our audience looking for?

            In recent years, museums have put a great deal of effort into understanding what their audiences are looking for. As reenactors and living historians we are likely well aware of school children as a group. These same children also come with their families making a unique audience. In surveys, museums found senior men, senior women and families are each looking to fill specific interests when they attend historic events. (A few acquaintances were kind enough to share survey results for museums and historic sites that are not yet published. Due to this unpublished state, I can not make direct references, just inferences.) In 2007, the Reach Advisors surveyed museum and site visitors to look at who visits sites, how often and why. The Reach Advisor’s survey looked beyond who visited and how often to what the visitors were looking for. According to  Susie Wilkening and Erica Donnis in their History News article, mothers in their 30s and 40s (likely those of  young and school age children) are looking for activities that “actively engage their children and make history come alive.”

Families with Young Children

            In many ways we can look at this audience group as young children with families, rather then families with young children because the parents’ primary focus is usually that of their children’s experience. For many of us, this is special audience we often do not know what to do with. We may think of a toddler handling an antique piece of china we brought to the event or pulling on a tent rope and cringe. As a former art gallery manager, I can fully understand. I will never forget the time a three or four year old girl with hands covered in chocolate ice cream wanted to touch a bronze sculpture. As a person responsible for the artwork, my instinct was to protect the sculpture. But, what stands out along with that “eegads” was the excited look on that toddler’s face. She was drawn in by the tiny cobs of corn in that sculpture that screamed ‘touch me’.

So, how do we create an environment that captivates a young child’s attention, satisfying their needs and the needs of their parents?

We need to create an environment that is engaging for young children and informative for parents. My cousin, a mother of twin three year olds, and her mothers’ group shared with me what they are looking for when visiting museums or events. Mothers of toddlers are looking for a variety of hands-on experiences that engage their children’s senses and interest. Activities (or crafts) where the children can build, create and experience attract both children and parents. Staff (that’s us) who talk with the children on their level and not just the parents are a big parent pleaser.

If you are developing an area specifically for children several of the points offered by the moms’ group are useful. At the top of the list is safety. For moms this doesn’t just mean an area safe from injury but also one that is easy to keep an eye on the kids. This allows the parents to give their children a level of independence while being able to monitor where they are easily. Choose an area somewhat contained to help the parents see where their children are. An area bordered by the side of a house and a fence would work well. Avoid unsafe conditions that will attract children such as fire pits or tent ropes. The next point was a bit of a “duh” moment for me. My cousin explained how important it is to have activities with a variety of energy levels including built-in down times. When planning a day’s activities for scouts or pioneer day camp, I always controlled the level of activity scheduled through the day keeping in mind the heat and needed rest times. Of course it makes sense to the same planning for public events.  For toddlers, down-time can be something like the opportunity to read or look at colorful pictures with mom or dad quietly. It could also mean sitting and petting a calm animal like a rabbit. Going another step beyond down-time is a quiet place. At events where there will be a battle, it is very helpful to the parents of babies or toddlers to know of a building where frightened or upset children can be calmed. This could be a building far from the noise, an art gallery, or restaurant.

School Groups

            We have the opportunity to work with school groups in several different venues. A teacher may invite you into his or her classroom to talk with the students. A group of presenters may be given a large presentation area or a rotating presentation format. A class or whole grade of classes may take a field trip           to the site you are at. Whether you are going into a classroom or a class is coming to a presentation day, there are a number of things to keep in mind to make the visit a success.

            First, keep in mind these groups will be larger then those we see on the weekends. If you are presenting in front of a classroom, you will need to keep everyone’s attention. If groups are rotating through presentations, when organizing the program the planning group should keep the groups as small as possible. The smaller the group, the more attention you can give to each student. To me, an ideal size group is about a dozen students. This group can move quickly from station to station and each member can see fairly easily in most situations. Somewhat larger groups can be managed. But, in my opinion, significantly larger groups are a disadvantage to the students, chaperones and presenters because it is difficult to see, hear, ask questions and stay focused.

            Second, make sure what you are talking about relates to what the teachers are covering. You don’t have to cover what the teacher has already covered. But, it helps to expand on what the students have already learned, highlight a particular area of interest for the students or deepens the students’ understanding of what they have learned. Learn what your State’s learning standards are in the areas of History, Social Studies, and Literacy/English Language Arts. There are many ways to implement these standards into your presentations. Talk with the teachers you work with. Learn what their districts’ curriculum maps include. Ask what teaching points they would like you to emphasize. (By working with a school’s curriculum maps you help your teachers justify your visit to the district.)

            Third, remember to bring the historical, social or material culture topics you are presenting home for the students. Help them to relate to what you are talking about. You can do this by connecting the far away to their home or by connection the long ago with the now. For example, if you are in an area outside of the active war zones, find a local person with a connection to the war who you can share information on with them. A popular method of sharing history about everyday life is to tell a story about a day in the life of someone the students can relate to. As you tell the story, choose items from a basket or bag that has to do with the character’s experiences. Go beyond showing the objects by giving students a chance to hold and examine the items.

            There are numerous resources for teachers using historic sites or artifacts for teaching history on the internet. These resources often include lesson plans, worksheets, activities and additional resource suggestions. Review some of these to see what museums and historic sites have implemented in their educational programs. This is a chance for you to learn what others are doing. It also lets you know what is available for teachers if one asks for program subject matter you don’t cover.

School Age Children with Their Families

            School age children come with family groups including parents, grandparents and friends. The 2007 Reach Advisor’s survey found that when all children in a family reach elementary school, their family’s attendance at historic museums and sites increase significantly. Another important piece of information this survey found was that school age children tended to be accompanied to museum by their grandparents more often then their parents, and when accompanied by a grandparent instead of a parent they are more likely to attend history museums and sites compared to other museums. (I can tell you from personal experience as a child this was the case for myself and my cousins.) When family groups come through, you need to engage both children, parents and grandparents. 

Those children returning to a site or museum they previously visited as part of a school group may act like mini-tour guides for their family members. This is great! In these cases, the child may want to share what he or she has learned as soon as you greet them. This is a wonderful opportunity to let the child show what he or she knows. It also shows you, and the parents, what the child is interested in. You can now expand further about what they have been talking about.

This is a very hands-on group. Bring items children can handle and look at. These can be reproductions or sound originals that won’t be damaged. Items such as dishes, pottery, kitchen utensils, tools, clothes, and blankets are good examples. Opportunities for kids to “try” is very important. Depending on their age, kids can card wool, try a drop spindle, crochet, knit, sew on a quilt or shirt, tear and roll bandages, ball lint, pack a box, write a letter, weave a part of a basket, the list goes on.  Games and toys are a big attraction for children and families, which can keep attention for a good deal of time. If an area is designated for games and toys, be sure to include a wide variety including active and quiet games, games and toys for large groups, small groups and individuals. Another option to an area for games and toys is to incorporate a toy or game at a number of interpretive locations. Let families know in the program these are there for them to locate.

            When engaging children keep in mind learning styles and interests vary according to a child’s personal learning style and age. This chart gives a brief outline:

Retired Men and Women    

            Retired men and women visit as couples, with grandchildren and part of tour groups. (I’ll talk about tour groups separately) When visiting on their own or with each other, retired adults are an audience you can spend a good amount of time with talking.

From experience, and supported by the Reach survey, retired adults tend to prefer third-person interpretation over first-person interpretation. Conversation with retired adults rolls nicely when discussing a site, material culture, and other aspects of history without the framework of first-person interpretation. Those who are from the area or those who are members may choose to just see a few things each day, getting the most out of each area. I remember one museum visitor who came in a couple days a month to look at one or two pieces of art then visit one building.

            Retired adults and those reaching empty-nester age tend to show the interest divide between the sexes. Susie Wilkening and Erica Donnis point out adults over 50 tend to associate authenticity with original buildings and artifacts. The differences they found between men and women at this age are that women tended to want a place of respite and escape from the modern world where they can leave their lives behind while men looked for experiences they can participate in, in a hands-on way. (“Authenticity, is Everything”) A good example of when this difference was evident was when I had a retired husband and wife visiting our camp location set up in the parsonage yard. The husband examined my dishes while the wife wandered the flower garden.

Tourist groups

            This a special audience for a number of reasons. The one I find most relevant is not the size of the group but the time constraints they often face. Much of the time, tour groups have a tight schedule that gives the members a limited amount of time at a site. To often this amount of time is less then most family or friend groups would spend at a site. I would suggest designing highlight cards with different themes to help members of a group focus their visit on what interests them most. For example, at a living history museum a selection of different cards highlighting interest areas such as a) arts & architecture, b) industrial arts & crafts, c) domestic arts & cooking, d) developing a community, and e) an abbreviated timeline would be available to groups with limited time at the museum. In the case of a weekend reenactment event, similar cards could be developed helping visitors on a schedule get the most of their visit. Cards at a typical event with full military and civilian activities could include focusing on military life, battle tactics & history, civilian life and domestic arts.

Tips for Reaching Your Audience

Display Eye-Line – When creating displays, consider the eye-line of different audiences. Place items that may be of particular interest or items you would like your visitors to ask about in an easy eye-line. By placing a variety items that would be of interest to the different visitors you open the door to engage those visitors. Choose items that you can readily talk about. Remember, children and those in wheel chairs will see displays from another angle. Sit in a chair or on the ground in front of your display or set up. What do you see? What don’t you see? Are there things you should see? Are there things you shouldn’t see?

Welcome your audience to converse – Welcoming your audience into conversation can be very easy with some and challenging with others. Some visitors will see you as there for them and feel comfortable asking you just about everything. Other visitors will be very uncomfortable asking questions. This can be because the person is shy themselves or they are respectful of what they see as your private space. Just because a visitor doesn’t talk with you first doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in talking with you.   A suitable greeting or personal introduction is the first step towards inviting your visitors into a talking with you about the history or scenario you are part of. Don’t jump directly into giving them detailed information; wait for your visitor to respond to you. This lets them know you are each part of this educational experience. (Avoid yes or no questions, as this does not invite open discussion. Try to use questions that invite the visitor to expand on their thoughts or understanding.)

            While writing this article, the topic of ‘ice-breaker questions’ came up. We often hear questions that we sometime seem as silly such as “aren’t you hot?” or “why do you all wear long dresses?” These may be the first question that came to the mind of a nervous visitor. I think we should do our best not to treat these questions as silly or ones that bother us, but rather as questions which are conversational ice-breakers. For example, if you are asked if you are hot, don’t just answer yes or no. Be honest. If you are hot talk about ways you might cool down in the time period or what you are wearing that might be helping with the heat such as your layers, crinoline, veil, parasol, etc. Talk about the differences between modern clothing and period clothing. Find a way to make the most about an ice-breaker question.

Find their interest – When you welcome your audience into the conversation, this is also an opportunity to feel for what they are interested in. You can offer a few points of discussion after greeting them. These points are just ones you touch on without expanding on. This allows your visitor to let you know what he or she is interested in. The hope is that they will ask or comment on one of the points you mention, or bring up something they are interested in. If not, watch where their eyes are traveling and use some of the items you have set in eye-line as conversation prompts.

Do Not Fluff – One thing to keep in mind when working with any of our audiences is don’t fluff. Our audiences can and often are quite knowledgeable. They will likely know if you are telling them something that is incorrect. Be honest with your audience on what you know and what you don’t know.

Know the Fluff – There are so many stories that have been propagated over the years that either simply wasn’t ever true, has been found not to be true, or has been exaggerated.  In accuracies tend to fall into two categories, propagated inaccuracies and folklore, often local folklore. Propagated inaccuracies are pieces of incorrect information that has been spread by reenactors, educators, museum staff, etc over the years such as “women had their ribs removed to wear their corsets tighter”.These propagated inaccuracies are occasionally brought up by visitors who learned this information from previous visits, educators or books. It is important to provide our audiences with the most up-to-date research on these topics. Keep in mind it can be confusing, frustrating or even embarrassing for visitors to have their knowledge base corrected. Keep this in mind when sharing the new information with them. Folklore can be a little more challenging to address. I truly believe that folklore and local stories are very powerful and important. Even if their roots are loosely footed in accurate history, these stories may be strongly rooted in the hearts of those connected to it. It is important to know the folklore story and as much is known about the actual history. When talking with visitors about folklore type stories, share your information by adding it to the story with the intention of making it more complete rather than from the approach of correcting the story. (I, personally, have one firm rule – Never challenge a family story. It is great to add information to the story, to fill in the gaps. But, family stories are deeply connected to your visitor’s self-identity. Correcting any aspect of their story is like correcting them.)

Tips for Helping Your Audience Reach You

Advertising/PR/Marketing – Make sure people know there is an event. This may in the hands of the event hosts, host site or organizing committee. Each area’s marketing and advertising options is different. Often locals know an event is coming up. They will want to know what is new or special about this event. For tourists, nothing is like finding out about some interesting event at the end of their visit. Let local hotels know about the event by providing fliers, brochures or schedules.

Programs/schedules – When visitors arrive it is very helpful to them to have a guide for the day. For exceptionally large events it is worth making at least part of the program available well before the event. (I recall a time when a group of us in the car on the way to the event picked through a well designed program to make sure we saw everything we each wanted to see that day.) Programs should include not only a schedule for the day’s events but what is happening throughout the day in different parts of the event. A program should highlight areas of interest than may appeal to the range of visitors attending. For example, children’s activities as well as workshops or lectures. Also worth including in the program are details of visitor interest such as quiet places or good places for families to eat.

Signage – Signage can be a challenge to keep as authentic as possible. Signage needs to be used in conjunction with programs to help visitors find what they are looking for. The easiest in a village setting is street signs. These can help with giving direction. Period signs and broadsides can be used to guide visitors to different scenarios, presentations or activities.

Supplemental information – Often visitors want additional information about what you’ve been talking with them about. While it isn’t the  most authentic to pull out a list of websites or a reading list there are ways to make supplemental information available. I’ve seen a few set-ups where hidden within tracts are mini-booklets with resources inside. Another option is a simple calling-card with a website or contact written on it. An event exit area could be set up with half page information sheets available.

Conclusion

            I have to admit, writing this article was one of those times when the more I wrote, the more I realized I was missing more. I tried to keep this article as focused as possible for ease of reading. I’ll be adding additional information and a resource list to my website (www.annaworden.wordpress.com). In this article, I focused on age as a determining factor in working with audiences. Additional aspects of race, income level and education have been addressed by museum surveys. The results do show attendance and interest to vary according to these factors. If you are interested in these aspects, I suggest further reading. The articles I directly refer to in this article are listed below.

One final thought – On my most recent reading of “Authenticity: It Means Everything” an aspect of connecting rang through for me. There seemed to be a need in visitors to connect with the ‘be connected’ aspect of history. The authors mention how visitors saw their lives as becoming unreal. It seems when people come to visit they are looking to connect with history, see how everything is connected and in many ways connect with each other. We need to provide educational environments that help our audiences connect with us and with history.

Additional Reading:

•  “Research Yields Important Information on Visits to History Museums and Historic Sites” by Susie Wilkening, Reach Advisors in Cultural Heritage Tourism News.  Spring, 2008.
• “Authenticity: It Means Everything” by Susie Wilkening and Erica Donnis in History News: The Magazine of the American Association for State and Local History. Autumn 2008.
• The Reach Advisors Museum Audience Insight blog – reachadvisors.typepad.com/museum_audience_insight/history_visitors