Harvest Gathering of 1858 showcases 19th-century lifestyles

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Kathleen Roberson checks the ends of candles she is making out of beeswax Sunday during Harvest Gathering of 1858 at the Powers-Walker House at Glacial Park in Ringwood. The event was hosted by the McHenry County Conservation District. (Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com)

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RINGWOOD – Watching as butter was churned and yarn was woven, the way it was in the 1850s, 9-year-old Emily Gaus of Huntley seemed to appreciate the effort.

“Well, … I mean, there was no electricity back then,” said Emily, with Brownie Troop 1090 on a field trip Sunday to the Harvest Gathering of 1858 in the 1854 Powers-Walker House.

“They would just use candles,” she said.

The annual event at the home on the site of Glacial Park is meant to enlighten young and old about life in the 1800s, event volunteer coordinator Gail Brown said.

“These were just part of the regular chores,’’ said Brown of the jobs that volunteers at the event were demonstrating, such as grinding corn. “A lot of the things that take up our time now just didn’t exist back then.”

About a dozen McHenry County Conservation District volunteers worked the event, demonstrating and educating guests on the basics of life 160 years ago. With an array of corncobs, gourds and squash similar to the ones grown in the 1800s, volunteer Ron Fischer of Marengo talked of how resourceful people were back then.

“North Americans and early settlers could have used the corncobs as tool handles,” Fischer said. “Corn was also used as currency,” he said, adding that until the U.S. currency system was established, barrels of corn were traded for items such as farm implements and hogs.

Busily cooking up a ham and some beef stew, volunteer Chuck Howenstine demonstrated the finer points of cooking on a wood-burning stove.

“I live like this as much as I can,” said Howenstine of living like in the 19th century, adding that he slept on a corn-husk mattress pad, tanned hides, and ground corn.

After walking through the Powers-Walker House, Gaus said, “You know, some people could not go to school because they had to work for their parents instead.”

Brownie leader Deana Shoemaker knew the girls were getting an education, saying to them, “It kind of makes you appreciate what you have at home.”

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