Highlights Archives
Old World Wisconsin Revels in Rituals of Spring
All the springtime activities that a time traveler could expect to see if whisked back to late-19th-century Wisconsin — sheep shearing, plowing in the fields, carding and spinning wool, soap making and much more — will be the order of the day at Old World Wisconsin during its annual Rituals of Spring event on Saturday, May 17. Visitors will see sheep shorn of their winter fleece with handheld shears, just as it was done on 19th-century Wisconsin farms, while members of the Jefferson County Draft Horse Association demonstrate how plowing was done with teams of horses before farm mechanization took over.
Traditional frontier springtime activities will take place throughout the nearly 600-acre historic site, from its crossroads village to its 10 ethnic farmsteads. Visitors will see and experience the many handicrafts so common in 19th-century Wisconsin farm and village life, take part in a variety of hands-on activities, and visit the outdoor museum's 13 heirloom gardens.
Here are some other specific activities visitors can expect to see demonstrated:
- Spinning wool with a spinning wheel and a drop spindle
- Dyeing wool
- Making lye soap
- Seed planting
- Finding remedies from the garden
- Polishing silver
- Wood stove cleaning and care
- Using 19th-century retail cleaning products
- Shoe repair and care
- Squaring logs and splitting shingles
- Spinning and weaving flax
- Spring housecleaning rituals
- Using a hand-powered washing machine
- Mattress stuffing
For complete details on hours, admission fees, location and directions, food service and other details, see our Plan Your Visit pages.
:: Posted May 12, 2008
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