Furnishing the fireplace was the domain of the blacksmith
Early settlers relied on andirons and pokers for efficient fires and cooking. Blacksmiths turned these tools into folk art, crafting imaginative designs.
Of coopers, hoopers, firkins, rundlets, swiglers, crozes, scorps and butts
The fourth member of the quartet of early craftsmen vital to the success of any frontier settlement in the Ohio Country was the cooper.
Numerous pioneer craftsmen turned out holders for candles
Candleholders on the frontier of the Ohio country could be as plain or as fancy as the local craftsmen had the ability and tools to make them.
Some trivia about trivets
Early Ohio cooks relied on iron trivets to control heat over open fires. These tools evolved from simple cookware to ornate cast-iron household staples.
Tin kitchens were once the greatest thing since sliced bread
The tin kitchen, also known as a reflector oven, had a demi-barreled shape with three sides, the remaining space being open to the fire.
Fighting back against deadly livestock predators
A huge hunt in Medina County in 1818 resulted in the harvest of 21 bears, 17 wolves, 300 deer and untold numbers of turkeys, foxes, raccoons and opossums.
Corn husking bees brought neighbors together for work, socializing
Paul Locher details one of the great seasonal traditions among settlers in the Ohio Country — the husking bee or husking frolic.
Recycling Conestoga wagons
After Conestoga wagons made their journey to the frontier in the early 1800s, they would be disassembled and their parts would be reused in households.
Creating creature comforts for the creatures
Having reached adequate comfort for the pioneer family with the creation of the barnhouse, it was time to work on creature comforts for the livestock.
Dough Boxes: A much-kneaded item of pioneer Ohio country furniture
How did pioneers bake bread for large families? Columnist Paul Locher explores the history of the dough box—a distinctive piece of early American furniture used by settlers to knead and rise dough.
