The Peter Burr House

04/13/2026

It was a very exciting day at the Peter Burr House yesterday, where Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commissioners with other volunteers planted native trees and plants on the grounds around the house. This is something I have dreamed of for a long time - to have native perennials important for food and medicine to inspire programs on how these plants were used by the indigenous peoples, and later European colonists, as well as ways these plants can be appreciated and used in modern contexts.

And what lovely trees and shrubs were planted! A young native persimmon, taller than I am (okay, that isn't too much of a stretch. I'm not very tall. But still impressive for a young tree!); American hazel, fully leafed out and well branched; a particularly lovely serviceberry, already laden with immature fruit... and so much more, all amazingly healthy and lush. It was also the most organized tree planting I have ever experienced. The experts told us volunteers what to do to set in the plants, while the holes had already been dug, and stakes, mulch, and five gallons of water set right beside the holes ready for us to employ. We were all done in an hour and a quarter!

I'm so thrilled for this project enacted here. Many thanks and much gratitude to Jefferson County Historic Landmarks, and especially to Elizabeth at Jefferson County Historic Landmarks (sorry, Elizabeth, I forgot your last name, even though I know we have been in correspondence before! Perhaps Addison Reese will add that information here) for writing and obtaining a grant from the Cacapon Institute for this project. I shall love seeing these trees and shrubs grow and thrive.

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12/03/2025

Want a taste of an 18thC.-19th C. Christmas? The Washington County Rural Heritage Museum is sponsoring 'Christmas on the Farmstead'. The village, comprised of an 18th C. house and several 19th C. buildings, will be decorated for Christmas, and there are a lot of period activities (as well as meeting with Santa earlier in the day) to enjoy, such as making fragrant sachets, decorating gingerbread, and perhaps getting a glimpse of that wild German Christmas character dressed in motley furs, the Belsnickle.

I will be one of the period interpreters in the Poffenberger House, where we will be interpreting an 18th C. German-American Christmas with a period-style Christmas tree decorated with little treats for young visitors (while they last). As it is Advent, and work needs to be done, I will be spinning (only put aside for most of the 12 Days of Christmas) and sharing period Christmas songs, as well as helping with the cooking over the hearth. It's going to be a cold day, and the Poffenberger House is sure to be warm. I understand the Belsnickle will often come here and toast his weary toes, and if you are a good child, he will reward you with period (19th C.) treats.

A $5 donation per car is requested.

Note: I'm not sure why the post from the museum states that some activities begin at 4pm - they *all begin at 12 pm*, with the possible exception of the arrival of Belsnickle (I am checking on that).

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1414042994056948&set=a.504817764979480&__cft__[0]=AZXtNWWfpikPv8A9ghV5SCDA1eoSIpQipeGOrGJ6YscpWkc2s4fZRbOHFBbMvj30FbJMTjMXC6q-xUFAxwCBnDwiBQAXAMUAACM3dZEEMRpqTIrI3MnEGSlpiPCjJonrtg8fImCA89qV2YoUxFNnJoumo77UVrs6qFq32AKlvIbaQP8Lsy9E3twUr9EQhm2_fgU&__tn__=EH-R

10/10/2025

The bake oven at the Peter Burr House is now quiet until next year, but I have for you some 18th C. recipes that I recently made in a period-style bake oven... not at the Peter Burr House, but at the Rural Heritage Museum last Sunday at Apple Fest. They all turned out very well, and I was quite pleased, but I think my very favorite was this recipe from Amelia Simmons for a pie made with 'stewed apples'.

It didn't become quite applesauce - though if you used an apple like Summer Rambo, it would automatically become like applesauce, as those apples do not hold their shape - but I was surprised how many apples I used to only get about a pint of well-cooked apples. But between all those apples, the lemon zest, the spices, and the rose brandy, you get a splendid pie with a wonderfully complex and deep flavor. This 18th C. recipe from the first published American cookbook should definitely come back into circulation.

Apple Pie
Stew and strain the apples, to every 3 pints, grate the peal of a fresh lemon, add cinnamon, mace, rose-water and sugar to your taste--and bake in paste No. 3. Amelia Simmons, American Cookery, 1796

Paste No. 3” is a standard butter-based pie crust, except that egg white is used in place of water to wet the crust. A good store-bought refrigerated crust also does very well, especially if you are pressed for time. Mace (the aril around the nutmeg seed) can be hard to come by, but it really adds a wonderful dimension to this pie. I get blade mace mail order from Penzey’s and keep it in the freezer, just grinding a little in a mortar and pestle when I need it.

Amelia Simmons’ Apple Pie
Pie dough for a 1-crust 9” pie
10 or so peeled, cored, roughly chopped apples
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest 3 T. brown sugar
½ t. ground cinnamon ¼ - ½ t. ground mace
3 T. - ¼ C. rose petal brandy or rosewater* Demara sugar to scatter on top (optional)

Cook apples in a slow cooker on HIGH for 3-5 hours. Mash roughly with a potato masher (if desired; Simmons does not explicitly say to do so, but it evened out all the pieces.) If you have more than 2 C. of mashed, stewed apples, reserve the rest for another purpose. To that pint of stewed apples, add lemon juice, lemon zest, and brown sugar. Taste the filling: if your apples are very tart, you may need more sugar. Stir in spices and rosewater or rose brandy. Lay pie crust in your pie dish, and crimp the edges. Pour in apple mixture, and sprinkle Demara sugar over if desired. Make a dough decoration on top if desired, brush with beaten egg, then bake in a preheated oven at 400˚ for about one hour. (redaction by Deborah Rochefort)

*Note: commercial rosewater is much stronger than homemade. Add commercial rosewater sparingly; likely 1 t. will be enough.

08/08/2025

Tomorrow is Bread Baking Day at the Peter Burr House, so the house will be open, and with the lovely odor of baking bread from the bake oven filling the air. I will be there too (starting about 11:30 am), spinning and happy to tell spinning stories too if there is anyone who wishes to hear.

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05/11/2025

Good afternoon on this beautiful May day - two things:
1) The Peter Burr Bakers will be baking bread this coming Saturday, so the house will be open. I would love to do some butter making to go with the bread baking, but I have a conflict so it is unlikely I will be able to be there

2) I have a lovely video short from Colonial Williamsburg on a mother dressing her wiggly toddler in beautiful reproduction 18th C. garments. Notice the pudding cap on the bed - that padded cap will protect the head of the rambunctious little person as she tears off in toddler exploration.

I must say I also adore *her* cap too...

07/09/2024

This coming Saturday (July 13) is Bread Baking Day at the Peter Burr House. This would be the first time this year I would be available to do a program, but it is going to be very hot, and probably not suitable for much activity. Unfortunately, that seems that will likely be true for the rest of the summer, but we can see what August brings. However, the bakers will be here and their delicious bread baked.

But speaking of programs, what sort of programs would people be interested in, weather permitting? I have a few suggestions and welcome more thoughts in the comment session below.
1) "Warm as Wool" - storybook and wooly activity. I thought about doing this one this coming Saturday (though in current weather hard to envision freezing little kids, as in the story, who are outgrowing their old clothes), since the activity would be making felt balls - not a Colonial activity, I might point out, but fulling - similar to felting - was a critical part of making woolen goods. There's soap and water and good clean fun, but heat indexes into the 100s is probably not the ideal time to do this. A moderately hot or just warm day would be ideal. This is especially for elementary school aged children, though preschoolers can do the activity with help, and teens enjoy felting balls or beads. Cost: free- I can provide materials, but need to know how many will be participating. I would say a limit of 10.

2) Butter-making -- not really a summer activity, though I will be doing this with my own little churn at Washington County Rural Heritage Museum Saturday afternoon July 20 (wish me luck and hope I'm not dealing with melted butter!). Best done in the fall. Cost: $1 for supplies, and if you bring a little container, you can take some home with you. Limit 12.

3) Dyeing with goldenrod (and possibly other things). This would need to be in September when the goldenrod is in peak bloom. Cost: $1 for supplies; limit 10, probably.

4) Weaving with a rigid heddle. I haven't actually put this together as a class yet, but this is a real skill that you can take home with you and practice & develop. We would start by making a bookmark or perhaps a bracelet. This would be a class for patient older children, teens, and adults, and right now a firm limit of 5, as I am going to source just 6 little heddles for this (one for me to teach on).

And plenty more to do than that, but just some ideas at the moment. I am not limited to Baking Days at the Burr House, or even Saturdays, so I would like to hear what other times might work.

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11/20/2023

I think our Orange Pomander program went very well - it seemed that everyone enjoyed it. However, when I got home, I realized I had been wearing my sunglasses the whole time! Kinda ruins the whole 18th C. look that I cultivate with my clothing, I'm afraid. So next time, if I forget to take my sunglasses off, please remind me, will you? I have been told that I absolutely must wear them outside, but since our programs are generally inside, I want to look as 18th C. as I can!

11/15/2023

I'm looking forward to the making of orange pomanders this Saturday; it promises to be a fine day. Do remember that this historic house has no heat (and we are not allowed to use the fireplaces anymore), so dress appropriately.

This Saturday is also the last day of the season to visit Locke's Mill in northern Virginia, and get to see a working 19th C. mill. I highly recommend their products too: I have been using their sprouted wheat flour and red cornmeal extensively, which have been wonderful. Their grits are completely awesome, also. I believe they are open 10-4pm, this Saturday.

Locke’s Mill is a Certified Organic colonial-era grist mill located in the northern neck of Clarke County, Virginia, on the banks of the Shenandoah River. The mill is open to visitors on the first and third Saturdays of the month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

11/04/2023

Looks like we have enough interested people, so we will be Making Orange Pomanders, Saturday November 18, from 1-3pm. I will let Landmarks know so they keep the water on for us. Please let me know in the comments how many people will be participating so I can purchase enough oranges.

11/01/2023

We have time for one more program this season, however, I need to know whether a program is going to 'fly' by Saturday November 4, as Landmarks needs to know when to turn the water off (if we don't have a program, it will go off for the season starting this weekend). I am thinking of one of two options:

1) Butter-making. It is kind of cold to make butter right now, but we certainly don't have to worry about the butter melting as we try to wash it! I do have my little tricks with our lovely redware churn to get it to work when the temperature is not quite ideal, though it is a bit of a challenge in November.

2) Making orange pomanders. This is also a lovely gift to make, and the fragrance is very evocative of the upcoming Christmas season (which the Burrs did not celebrate, but assuredly the Burr women still would be making sweet bags & pomanders)

These programs have been very popular in the past, but they require a limited number of participants - up to about 12 should work. Little ones will need help with the pomanders.

The second question is, what date would be best for those who would like to attend? I am thinking of the week before Thanksgiving, one afternoon: either Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. The exact time can be determined later.

The program will be free, thanks to the generous donations of past participants. So while donations are gladly accepted, they are not necessary. Please let me know if you are interested (and what program you would like, and day or days you would be available) in the comments below.

10/11/2023

This coming Saturday will be the last bread-baking of the year, so it will be the last chance until next Spring to buy the bread baked in the bake-oven at the Peter Burr House. Usually I would love to do a program, especially on the last day, but my husband will be working until early afternoon at the Post Office, leaving me without a vehicle until then... and it will be pouring rain. It would be an excellent day for 18th C. clothes though, being damp and chilly, and I am still dithering about whether to come and do more of the little activity I did at the Sharpsburg Library last week as part of Sharpsburg Heritage Day: making braided wool mug mats. Mind you, not a period activity - I rather think they would have thought it terribly uneconomical to use unspun wool to make mats in the 18th C. when mats could be made of so many other things that could just readily be gathered from nature. But it does convey more appreciation for the nature and uses of wool, I think, something that was not at all lost on 18th C. people, but is often lost among 21rst C. people.

This activity is best suited to people who can make braids - I would think about age 8+ -- younger, if your child can braid. Is there any interest for this activity on a chilly, wet day, or should I plan it for another day? And, we could do this a little later in the season as well, if there is indeed interest.

09/07/2023

It is bread-baking day this coming Saturday, 9/9, and the house will be open for visitors. It promises to be hot still, so I think once again I will just do a low-key demonstration, but how about something different than spinning this time? (Not that I don't love to spin.) I think I will try weaving on a spaltegrind or bandgrind (At the Peter Burr House, I *should* be weaving on a tape loom, but I need to put a new warp on my tape loom, so there's that).

I haven't tried doing a backstrap-weaving technique at the Peter Burr House yet, so we'll see if this idea works or not, but I will plan on being there Saturday about 11:30am and continuing to about 1:30, depending on heat, visitors, and how everything goes with the weaving.

I must mention that the band-weaving I will be doing is not a typical colonial American technique, though 'bands' or 'tape' were crucial to all sorts of ties and fastenings, from holding up your stockings, to tying your aprons, petticoats, stays, etc. and any other manner of uses. Most people in colonial America wove the ever-useful tape on small, portable tape looms, and do not have the kind of 'pick up' designs as pictured in my photo. What I have here is a spaltegrind (what a great word!), a type of rigid heddle that allows a variety of designs that float within the weave, and these were essential tools in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe (and many other cultures do band weaving, but in different ways, as well).

Did the Burrs make bands at home? A tape loom isn't specifically mentioned in Peter Burr's inventory at death, but weaving equipment in general is noted, so it is quite probable that a tape loom was in use. A spaltegrind? No, not at all likely - but would any of the German immigrants in Shepherdstown be using something similar? Possibly. In any event, it is a historic technique that is certainly very interesting (or at least, I think so!)