Labor of Thine Hands: Trades in Early Texas & Washday Woes

Barrington Farm's annual blacksmithing program has been expanded to include other trade skills practiced in mid-19th century Texas! Ponder for a moment all of the skills and trades practiced by others that you rely upon daily. Auto mechanics, carpenters, electricians, plumbers just to name a few! Just as you need skilled laborers to live, so too did the farmers of early Texas. Join us as Barrington Farm presents this expanded program where demonstrators will exhibit some of the many skills needed by our ancestors. Hear the ringing of the blacksmith's hammer, get your hands dirty as you help mold bricks, discuss 19th century fashion with a tailor or watch a potter turn clay into vessels. Experience history as it comes to life before your eyes!

WASHDAY WOES: How does your family do laundry at home? Today we have a wide variety of powders, pre-cleaners, stain preventers, and helpful items to make the task easier before we even put the clothes into the washing machine. At Barrington Farm, Mrs. Jones had slaves to do the heavy work, but she had grown up helping her mother run a boarding house and would have been familiar with laundry. They would have needed hot water, soap, lye, bluing, and lot of muscle power to keep their garments clean. Come lend a hand with our laundry, and watch the full process from boiling to ironing.