Sunday, May 02, 1999
Butler shows its history
Thirteen sites re-create life of older days
BY JENNY CALLISON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Fragments of history came together Saturday like pieces in a patchwork quilt. Each piece reflected a different period and lifestyle. Together, they provided a vision of how life was lived in Butler County from Revolutionary times to the late 1800s.
Thirteen historic sites within Butler County were open free to the public during the annual “History Lives ... in Butler County!” open house.
IF YOU GO
|
• What: Interpretive Military Encampment.
• Where: Governor Bebb Preserve, Ohio 126 west of Okeana.
• When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.
• Information: 867-5835 or 1-877-PARK-FUN.
• What: Weekly quilting bees at the Monroe Historical Society Museum.
• Where: Main and Elm streets.
• When: 10 a.m. to noon, 1-3 p.m. every Thursday.
• Information: 539-7310. |
The rough life of a frontier military outpost was spotlighted at Governor Bebb Preserve Pioneer Village in Mor gan Township. Blacksmith Bob Shutte hammered glowing iron into tools at Dry Creek Forge. Militiamen roamed the settlement, alert for signs of trouble.
The Gray Cat Tavern sold refreshments and offered entertainment in the form of checkers. Two games were set out on game tables fashioned from logs.
“These checkers, or "draughts,' as they were called, are actually made of corncobs,” explained reenactor Kevin Clements.
The public can visit the Pioneer Village again today as the military reenactment continues.
At the Monroe Historical Society Museum, Ida Mae Woodward, Esther Meyer, Joyce Tannreuther and Wanda Benninghoff stitched a quilt of Amish design, called “Feathered Star with Carolina Lily.” Displayed around them in the community museum were quilts and photographs, artifacts and other mementoes of Monroe's past.
Because quilting is an important part of the historical society's activities, the organization held a quilting bee as part of its open house.
The quilting group meets weekly at the museum. Members buy pieced and marked quilt tops from Amish crafters in Holmes County, attach the batting and back, and then do the quilting themselves. Their works are sold to raise money for the historical society.
“We'll have this one ready for Cityfest in October,” Ms. Tannreuther said.
The women talked about mothers, grandmothers and aunts who were quilters before them. Ms. Meyer, who is 96, took up the needle at 70.
“I began when my husband was sick and I was housebound taking care of him,” she said. “I've made at least 15 or 16 quilts. All my kids got one and there's nine of them.”
Ms. Tannreuther recalled:
“My grandmother had quilting bees at her home. Starting when I was about 4, I had to perform, sing a song or recite a poem,” Ms. Tannreuther recalled.
"My eyes are not so good anymore, but I can quilt,” Ms. Woodward added with a grin. “We don't check anyone's quilting, we just accept it.”
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