Colonial celebration held at Old Stone House
Published 12:10 am Friday, April 12, 2024
Members of the Carolina Colonial Dancers of Greensboro performs one of the dances at the event. — Karen Kistler
Tricia Creel stirs up the soup as it cooks over the open fire, as Marian Hough Schouweiler watches on.. Also heating in the metal cans is wax for the candlemaker. — Karen Kistler
Event attendees Allison Coliskey, Liz Canada and Becky Webb, check out the china on the kitchen table in the Old Stone House. — Karen Kistler
The Windsong Recorder Ensemble, from left, Karen Koritko, Gwen Senbroski, Vicki Williams and Pat King, performed during the day. — Karen Kistler
Theresa Pierce demonstrates one of the Colonial period toys to some visitors to the event.—Karen Kistler
Netra Bollilnger shows one of the chairs she is caning. Additional chairs and handmade baskets, dolls and quilts she has made are on tables as well. — Karen Kistler
Owen Overcash prepares a wick for the handdipped candles. — Karen Kistler
Evin Burleson, executive director of the Rowan Museum, gives a tour inside the Michael Braun house. — Karen Kistler
Rowan County turned back its calendar to the 1700s on April 6 as an 18th century colonial celebration was held on the property of The Old Stone House, 770 Stonehouse Road, Granite Quarry.
Visitors walked around the property at the historic home during this special event, called Springtime in the Backcountry, visiting the different reenactment stations. The event began at 10 a.m., and it was still early in the morning, but Evin Burleson, executive director of the museum, said, “we’ve had a good crowd so far and a good crowd of reenactors” with the event continuing until four that afternoon.
Tours of the Michael Braun home were offered throughout the day with a look inside the various rooms. In addition to learning a brief history of Braun, who was a German immigrant who moved to Rowan County from Pennsylvania, details about the home, which was built in 1766 and restored in 1966, was passed along to visitors.
Burleson served as a tour guide and pointed out to the children that the house had no lights, no electricity and no televisions asking what they thought they did for fun. His answer was they played outside a lot and then in the evening, those that could, would read by candlelight.
Each day, he said, the children did the same thing, playing outside a lot. Especially during the summer, as it would have been too hot to stay in the house, he said.
At the various stations, attendees could see re-enactors in colonial dress, engaging in activities as would have been common during the 18th century including cooking over an open fire as Tricia Creel and Marian Hough Schouweiler made scrag in ham soup, offering samples when it was ready.
There was a candle making area as Owen Overcash could be seen preparing wicks and dipping candles or Netra Bollinger, a seventh generational descendant of Braun, who worked on caning a chair. She was surrounded by other examples of her handiwork, such as handmade baskets, quilts and dolls.
Music of the time period could be both seen and heard as attendees could watch the Carolina Colonial Dancers, a group from Greensboro led by Todd Southard and Nancy Stewart, as they demonstrated Colonial dancing.
Also available were the Windsong Recorder Ensemble, consisting of Karen Koritka on the bass recorder; Gwen Senbroski on alto; Vicki Williams on soprano; and Pat King on tenor recorder, who played multiple pieces throughout the day.
Theresa Pierce, who has been collecting toys for 20 years, demonstrated time period toys, drawing a crowd of children and parents, to watch. Pierce said that she has volunteered with the museum for 20 years as well.
Liz Canada, Allison Coliskey and Becky Webb, all of Camden, South Carolina, walked through the house and spent time enjoying the additional activities outside as well.
The three, who serve or volunteer their time with the historic Camden Foundation, had heard about the event and wanted to visit what they called a fascinating place telling that they are interested in visiting other places that have a similar interest with that of the South Carolina foundation.
The Old Stone House, according to the Visit Rowan County website, is the oldest structure in the county and is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. April through November.
