Cabin Days

We took a field trip to Leeper Park in South Bend, to take a look at life in the 1820s. This was truly a rich experience. I learned so much. It was set up in stations: the cabin, cooking, medical care, sewing, candle making, and blacksmithing.

Our first stop was the "Navarre" cabin. There, I learned that cabins did not have glass windows back in the 1820s and that there was wooden shutters clothes and animal skin were used to cover the windows.  I also saw that the bed did not have a mattress, like we do today. just a heavy blanket on top of ropes going across the bottom.

tomahawk and container to carry gun powder

                                          kettle


broom

     corn sheller- used to take the kernels of the cob

blacksmith making a tool for heating coffee or water

I learned the process of making thread out of sheep wool. First, the sheep wool has to be washed, then it has to be combed through, finally it can be picked off the comb and turned into thread by twisting it tightly. The wool is twisted and put on a around a spool at the same time. A wheel that is turned by the pedal shown below, turns the spool and twists the wool.

 making thread of wool

This sweater is made out of sheep wool.

Travis shared that everything had to be used because waste equaled death. Corn cobs were even used. They were made into tobacco pipes and they could also be used as toilet paper. They could also be boiled and then made into corn cob jelly.

cow tongue (even this was eaten)

 Travis shared how the hind of a beaver is treated so it will not rot away. Cow brains and urine are used.

Testing out the pails. They pretty easy to carry. I wonder how it would feel once they are filled.

Doctor Visit

According to the "doctor", the leading cause of  death in 1830 was infection. Barbers did a lot of "doctor" work in their town. People had to travel farther for a doctor. Doctors bartered for their service. Back then, to become a doctor, you had to be a doctor's servant for 3 years, while paying him 50,000 a year) and then he gave you a certificate.

                                                     

                                                 


                                                                bone saw
                                                             

I learned a lot from this field trip. If the students are asked to somehow reflect on this field trip by doing an art piece or reading books related to this experience, they can make some really neat connections that they can remember.