Old Bedford Village

The other evening we went with some friends to Old Bedford Village, PA's Candlelit Christmas.  Old Bedford Village is a living history village consisting of 40 log structures that, over the years, were salvaged and brought here. . . .

You can read more of the history of its making HERE.

Ft. Frederick Market Fair

Ft. Frederick in Maryland was built during the French and Indian War in the late 1750's after the British were defeated in Western Pennsylvania in 1754.  It was a place for British soldiers to garrison and where settlers could take refuge during the many Indian attacks spurred on by the French.  You can read more about its history HERE.

We arrived at the Fort for an entirely different reason:  Shopping!  Each Spring for the past 20 years sutlers (people who followed an army and sold provisions to the soldiers) have set up tents to hawk their 18th-century wares in this bucolic setting.  Everyone--men, women, children--dress in authentic clothing....

(To enlarge photos, click on them)

Plumb Nilly

♫18th Century Music♫

We recently celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary by treating our sons and daughters-in-law to a long weekend in a rental outside of Philadelphia called Plumb Nilly....

Built in 1736 by a Welsh farmer, it was added onto at some later date and totally renovated in the 1920's by architect, R. Brognard Okie, who had also overhauled William Penn's estate, Pennsbury Manor.

My purpose in choosing such a place was because my 5th great-grandfather lived in and around the Philadelphia area from 1740 to 1780.  I have located the three properties where he lived, but only one house remains standing and that one is in Chester County not too far from Plumb Nilly....

It has been expanded onto, like Plumb Nilly, and the oldest part, where he lived, now houses a country post office.  Several years ago I was able to stand inside and experience, for a moment, where my predecessors had lived from 1751 to 1780.  This was especially important to me because for the past 20 years I've been researching and writing the stories of my father's ancestors.  When you think about it, each generation is affected in some way by the previous generation.  There is a common thread that may run through families beyond DNA.  So I was thrilled to celebrate the continuity of our family in such a setting.  

I began the weekend by giving each of our offspring a mug with our picture on it--a photo taken in the 1970's before we started our family....

Since our anniversary is the day after Valentine's Day I chose this for the other side of the cup because it looked like a Family Tree.  I loved that the hearts represented the love we have for one another....





I spent a lot of time just sitting in the various rooms in the 4-story house....absorbing its history--all the families that have come and gone.  Sometimes all we may leave behind for future generations are the houses we lived our lives in, but that is enough if love was shared in those houses with those who lived and visited there.  

Here are some more photos of Plumb Nilly....

This entrance leads into a cozy den with fireplace

This is the entrance to the second floor that we used

That's the door we entered...behind the stairs are the stairs to the first floor kitchen/dining room

That's the door at the bottom of the stairs into the dining room

I absolutely LOVED this room and wished I could transport it to my house

Back up to the 2nd floor.  That's the view into the formal living room

This formal room was bright and cheery

Up the stairs to the 3rd floor bedrooms

This bedroom had its own bath

Back out in the hall to reach the Master bedroom around the corner

I came home and hung curtains on my 4-poster bed

This is the sitting room in the Master bedroom--there is a working fireplace just to the right

To reach the 4th floor bedrooms you had to open an attic door and climb some very steep stairs

Here is the other 4th-floor bedroom--there is a bathroom on this floor as well

Back down the stairs....

To that cozy den with the fireplace where we kept a fire burning each night

Adjacent to the den was another sitting room

It also contained a working fireplace

Plumb Nilly has been the summer home for a lovely lady from NYC for the past 28 years, but now it is up for sale because her family has grown up and find little time to come "home".  Another family will take their place, add their stories, share their love.  I felt privileged to spend a few days and nights there.  Thank you, Etan.  It was such a pleasure to meet you and to spend some time in your lovely home-away-from home.