Colonial Days at the Ford-Faesch House

On a beautiful Autumn afternoon, various members of the Society demonstrated different tasks that were part of the regular life of the people in Colonial Days.
Thanks to the many who attended!

The afternoon's activities began with Don Erickson, President of The Historical Society of the Rockaways, ready to go to work at his blacksmith forge.

Steve Dochniak is setup and ready to instruct folks in the fine art of using the quill pen.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen of the Ford-Faesch House, Ingrid Sceusi was starting a fine supper...all cooked on an open fire outside.

Tom Weaver, a Trustee of the Society, loading a smoke house he built, with sausages to be served at the evening's meal.

A young lad gets to handle a real musket for the first time!

Ingrid and Steve pose outside the kitchen.

Join the Army! Folks of all ages were given the opportunity to use a genuine quill pen, little knowing that the paper they were practicing their signiture on was enlisting them. Trustee Steve Dochniak gave them their marching orders.

Here's Tom telling the crowd about the conflicts between the Tories and the Rebels, and how New Jersey was divided between the East and West.

Don at his forge, with a hand-cranked blower, getting ready to pound out another horseshoe.

Dinner's almost ready! That's sausage and apples cooking at an open fire. Notice that the kettles sit on hot coals, not directly in the fire, and that their lids are shaped to also contain hot coals. Ingrid served these with a simple broth and mustard sauce.

A final salute ended the day. It was a blank round fired by Arnie Arvidson in a musket that he had hand-built himself.

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