The Wilton Historical Society is having a Barn Raising Day – a fun, hands-on history event – this Saturday, May 16 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.. This free event will take place on the Society’s grounds at 224 Danbury Rd./Rt. 7.
“The whole barn raising day is about learning by getting up close and personal with history” says Leslie Nolan, director of the Wilton Historical Society. “Back when Wilton was a farming community, a barn raising brought everyone together for a building project. Young people learned how to build a barn through hands-on experience, and it was a social event as well; our Barn Raising Day is like that. You can sit in a wigwam, try your hand at raising a child-size barn, wool carding, weaving, spoke shaving, and learn about all kinds of traditional crafts and historical activities, from basket weaving to blacksmithing. It’s a great family day, the kids love it!”
Visitors will encounter a wigwam on the grounds, where Jennifer Lee, a Narragansett Native American descendant and a re-enactor, will be portraying an Algonkian woman circa 1750. Her conical wigwam, 18-feet wide at the base, is equipped with the accoutrements of daily life, such as birch bark baskets, clay pots, clothing of deer hide, wool, and linen; beadwork; traditional bow, arrows and quivers, drums and rattles. She will share local history, true stories, and talk about the objects in her tent, which holds up to 20 people.
“Going in the wigwam and meeting our Algokian re-enactor will be a fantastic experience, and an unusual one, too,” Nolan says.
Among the Barn Raising Day activities:
- experience life in a wigwam
- raise a child-size barn
- try your hand at spoke shaving (barn pegs)
- taste and vote! Annual Heritage Baking Contest
- see a blacksmith at his forge
- savor and learn about hearth cooking
- card wool and see it spun
- learn about basket making
Second Annual Great Letterboxing History Hunt
While you are at the Society, pick up a map and clues, and try letter boxing. Search for the hidden letterbox on the grounds of the Wilton Historical Society and challenge yourself to find the next location.
Seven Fairfield County historical organizations have banded together to create the Second Annual Great Letterboxing History Hunt. The event begins on Friday, May 15, and ends on May 31 with a party at the Wilton Historical Society from 3-4 p.m..
Letterboxing, which originated on the moors of Dartmoor, England in the 1850’s, is an outdoor walking or hiking activity that combines elements of orienteering, stamp art and puzzle-solving in a treasure hunt-style quest. It offers a chance to learn about reading maps, following clues, and local history. Go to the Wilton Historical Society’s Programs page to learn more.
