Friday, May 4, 2012

History comes to life at Fyfeshire

On a cool but sunny Saturday afternoon, Fyfeshire's past came to life for a few hours as William and Josephine Fyfe, Helen Plummer, a farmer and his wife, an apprentice button maker, and others returned to Fyfeshire to tell their stories. The photos below give you an idea of what hikers experienced as they made their way along the trail. Many thanks to Ken Horton for sharing his photographs!

Josephine and William Fyfe IV (Rona and John Balco) welcome you to Living History Day at Fyfeshire Conservation Area on Wattaquadock Hill Rd.



A woman from 1870s Bolton (Edi Ablavsky) helps Roger Breeze and Debbie Horton plan their route.
A farmer (Richard Tripp) demonstrates his scything skills.

A plaque describes the button manufacturing mill that was located on the small pond.  This is one of three new plaques on display at Fyfeshire.
An apprentice at the button shop (Martha Remington) explains the process of button making in the 1870s.
Mr. and Mrs. Fyfe talk about their lives in agricultural Bolton. 


Never one to waste time, Mrs. Fyfe plies her needle as they talk.
Lovely backdrop to their conversation.
A pickerel frog (Ada Woolston) talks about wildlife at Fyfeshire and the dam repair project.
Showing off her spots.

The dam--notice the buckling wall on the right, with the large crack running through it.
John Bailey (Alex Ablavsky), a young man from Clinton in 1899.
John tells Roger Breeze about the terrible railroad accident he witnessed, in which Mr. Fyfe met his end.
Helen Plummer (Lee Galeski), the grandaughter of William and Josephine Fyfe, donated Fyfeshire Conservation Area to the town of Bolton in 1969.
Hikers sample corn bread, ginger snaps, and old-fashioned candies washed down with cider (not hard), lemonade and iced tea. The farmer is NOT aiming at Mr. Fyfe but at a nearby possum.
Josephine Fyfe shows off the possum the farmer bagged.
The farmer and his wife (Richard and Susan Tripp).
From left:  William Fyfe (John Balco), Helen Plummer (Lee Galeski), 1870s woman (Edi Ablavsky), Josephine Fyfe (Rona Balco), John Bailey (Alex Ablavsky), Frog (Ada Woolston), Farmer's wife (Susan Tripp), and Farmer (Richard Tripp)
Sawyer House held special hours to give visitors and chance to visit after their hike through Fyfeshire.
A special display dedicated to Fyfeshire.  On left is a portrait of William Fyfe IV (not John Balco, though it's hard to tell them apart) and to the right is a reproduction of the cabin at Fyfeshire that Helen Plummer painted.
Combs manufactured in Bolton in the late 1800s.

Debbie Horton, Mary Cuomo and Teresa Sauer rest their tired feet for a moment.

1 comment:

  1. It’s a nice. I was continuously enjoying its reading. I will wait your next interesting adventure on ponds. get more info

    ReplyDelete