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News from Garfield Farm |
CAMPTON HILLS -- Take time away from that chaotic rush of the holiday
season and join us at Garfield Farm Museum on December 4th & 5th
for its annual Candlelight Reception from 3-7 pm. Interpreters wearing
period clothing will share with guests what life was like for people
during the height of the horse and wagon era. There is no charge for
the Candlelight event, but donations will be accepted.
The Garfield’s home sat on the junction of the
St. Charles-Oregon and Sycamore Roads that was heavily traveled.
Utilizing this, they used their house as an inn to accommodate their
guests. At this time most people traveled by horse and wagon. It was a
slow process that could take weeks, as a heavily loaded team of horses
with good weather could only travel about 15 miles a day. Inns were
busy places that offered weary travelers an occasion to take a break
from the monotony of their journey. A guest of the Garfields could eat,
sleep and most importantly talk to others. News traveled slowly and
travelers provided news from far and away or local information, as well
as telling entertaining stories. Inns became a center for the community
hosting dances, weddings, and other local functions.
Following a visit to the 1846 inn, walk up the
glowing lantern path to Burr house and enjoy even more, as the museum
will feature its Homespun Holiday Market. In its sixth year, the
Homespun Market, features local artisans bringing in their goods for
the public to purchase. The Market features a variety of crafts, such
as knitted ware, pottery, household items, and many others. Held in the
museum’s Burr House, the Market runs from 12 to 7 pm for both
days of the Candlelight Event. A percentage of the profits made by the
artisans are donated to the museum. A bake sale is also featured at the
Holiday Market, whose goods are entirely donated by museum volunteers.
The Candlelight tour offers visitors a chance to
meet the volunteers and donors, who are the lifeblood of the farm. The
event is a time for those interested in becoming involved, or those who
are currently involved, to meet those who already give so much to help
sustain the museum and keep it moving forward. The event also benefits
the museum’s ongoing efforts to restore the historic buildings
and to provide educational programming.
The 370-acre Garfield Farm Museum is the only
historically intact former 1840s farmstead and teamster inn being
restored by donors and volunteers from 2800 households in 37 states as
an 1840s working farm museum. Garfield Farm Museum is located 5 miles
west of Geneva, IL off ILL Rt.38 on Garfield Road. For information call
(630) 584-8485 or email info@garfieldfarm.org.