Historical Museum Field Trip

We had a field trip to our local historical museum, one room school house, and log cabin.  This is only a block from our yard, yet I'd never taken my children inside!  I want to go back without my three year old tornado and really explore and read some things.  They've made a lot of changes since I was there as a child!

I was impressed with how generous our hostesses were to the children.  While I was a wreck trying to keep hands off of things, they really intended for the children to be able to respectfully explore the museum.  Not that we let them handle artifacts, but they were so kind to not be uptight.

One of the things our county is best known for is that we were home to famous William P. Hall and his circus.  Not only did the circus and parades frequent town, but Hall supplied exotic animals to many other circuses.  Can you envision - elephants and giraffes (and more) in town?  Especially in our little town?  The Historical Museum was the home of Hall, his wife, and (I believe) 3 children.  He did not build it (it was built by a judge), but he lived there and conducted his business from the house.  It's a beautiful home - it has charm that you don't find in homes nowadays - pocket doors, gorgeous original rugs, and so much more.  It's also set up in that fantastic way older homes were to get that beautiful cross breeze through the house to keep it cool.  The downstairs of the home had the entry way, music room, library, living room, dining room/parlor, and kitchen AND a summer kitchen (that I don't remember seeing as a kid!).  It also boasts a wraparound porch that is drool-worthy.

When I was a little girl, all of the upstairs rooms were roped off and you could only peek in them.  Imagine my delight when my kiddos (and I!) were allowed to explore every room to our utmost desire.  They have the rooms themed with different aspects of history pertinent to our county.  There was a war room, circus history bedroom, a room with the doll collection, a collection of trophies on the summer porch (Xavier loved the concept of a summer sleeping porch), an upstairs bathroom, and then one room that housed their cleaning and needed supplies.  Between two of the bedrooms there was a large closet that adjoined them - I was amazed at the closets in such an old house.  Xavier said the small bedroom (where the cleaning supplies were) was probably for the maid, and I suspect he may have been right - it was near the back, narrow kitchen stairs (there was a larger, turning stairway in the front of the house) and directly across from what may have been a children's nursery (adjoined through the closet with the other bedroom).  It's fun to imagine.

This cradle.  So sweet.
Someone donated their doll collection, which Mia thought was delightful.

After we thoroughly toured the house, we went out to the log cabin.  It's humbling to think about a family likely my size (2 adults, 4-5 children) in a one room cabin.  I don't remember getting to go up to the loft as a little girl, but they let the kids go up the narrow stairs today and they declared it "small" and "awesome."

My children would have to spend a lot of time outdoors for us to survive in a cabin that size.  A. Lot.

Mia took my phone upstairs to take pics...here's the only visible one.

These were taken by one of the museum volunteers.

I'm pretty good at shoving a lot of kids in a small space - I bet I could make it work.  I bet it would also be really hot in the summer!

Last, we stopped in the one room school house.  (homeschool mom dreams!)
There's so much sweet about a one room school house.  The desks, the piano, the blackboard, the teacher's desk.  I really love the atmosphere.

Searching for people he knows - the big kids found Papa Curtis's picture in the museum!

This was a fun morning.  My big kids are hoping to take Daddy back up there to show him some things and look at a couple things closer.  The history nerd in me rejoices.