Going by Trap: Travel Talk in the Nineteenth Century
If someone in the nineteenth century said they were "going by trap," they were telling you how they planned to travel.
Photography at Sugartown
This summer, we’ll be exploring photography at Historic Sugartown through a series of photography classes held right here in our historic village. But why photography?
The Color of Butter (and the Great American Butter Wars)
Next time you swing by our General Store, you might spot a curious little box labeled “Butter Color.” Strange, right? Today, you’d never see such a thing in a grocery aisle. Back in the day, though, this little dye was a hot commodity, promising to give butter that golden glow “naturally produced when cows are fed on June grass.”
Was Wilson M. Matlack an Embezzler?
While it is often difficult to read the minds of people in history, especially when they didn’t record much, or any of their thoughts, we can make a good guess. My best guess is simple: many of the members of the Washington Troop were upset because he was a strong disciplinarian and also felt that Wilson Matlack had deserted them for his new farm in Virginia.
Lemons in Sugartown
When life gives you lemons...make some lemonade!
What happened to the Watermans?
If you have ever taken a tour of Historic [...]
Fourth Day, Fifth Month, 7, 2025 = Wednesday, May 7, 2025
"May the Fourth Be With You" wouldn't be the same funny meme if you were a Quaker in 1880 in Historic Sugartown.
Images of Historic Sugartown
I walked around Historic Sugartown the other day and grabbed a few interior photos!
Peter Worrall’s Patent
Steam engines were the hot topic throughout the 19th century. While the concept of the steam engine had been around since the first century and commercially successful engines had been in operation since the early 18th century, the full power of steam power was still being explored throughout the 19th century. And that’s where Sugartown comes in – with Peter Worrall’s United States Patent No. 144, 722.
What was a truck before it was a truck?
I was examining the notice for the sale of the properties at Sugartown and came across a phrase that I hadn’t come across very often. In the notice they advertise that the property is “supplied with a great variety of choice fruits and a truck garden.” Truck Garden? I had heard of kitchen garden and market garden, but what was a truck garden?
