Posted By drsao on November 10, 2008
After Marla and I had the most fantastic time at the Moss Museum today we drove to the Michie Tavern (built in the 1700’s) and it was really a wonderful experience. They had homestyle offerings of barbecue, chicken, and the best ever stewed tomatoes, green beans, black eyed peas, cole slaw, beets, and mashed potatoes.
We ate off pewter plates and drank out of tin cups – and amazingly Marla and I got to sit right in front of the fireplace – oh, talk about a fantastic setting – can you smell the wood burning and see all of the pumpkin decorations inside that log cabin tavern!
Then we took a tour and did we ever learn a lot about colonial life in the 1700’s. Notice that their playing cards had no numbers on them – evidently the British taxed the colonists if they used numbers…..go figure! When the early travelers came for an overnight stay, they paid for a space for their body and that was not necessarily in a bed….they slept on the floor. There was ONE BED in the women’s parlor and five women slept on it sideways. The rest of the women slept on the floor.
Women slept in a chemise and in the morning they LEFT IT ON and slipped on a skirt and vest on top. They also WORE THEIR POCKETS like an apron under their skirts if they were married and on top of their skirts if they were single and available.
Fans were very important. Girls learned in school how to use their fans to say yes or no……AND unmarried women could not speak to a cute guy if they saw one – they had to signal their interest by the wave of their fan – and then the gentleman had to go get permission from the flirting girl’s guardian to speak to her. They sure did have to go to a lot of trouble to get together in those days!
Seeing the antiques throughout the house was amazing – and the table that folded into a bench was quite rare! One of the grandfather clocks from Scotland was still running!!!!! Upstairs we even learned a square dance that the early visitors to the tavern amused themselves with. That upstairs room was JUST LIKE MY GRANDMOTHER’S UPSTAIRS ROOM IN HER OLD FARM HOUSE. It was quite an experience! The one bedroom upstairs was for the occasionally wealthy person who came to spend the night at Michie’s Tavern. Even the wealthy used the OUTHOUSE. What an adventure!
Another INTERESTING thing that I learned was that tea was PRESSED INTO BRICKS and grated when one wanted to make a pot of tea. So at the BOSTON TEA PARTY these bricks were tossed into the sea! I always thought that they tossed in burlap bags full of loose tea!
The clothier shop had authentic colonial clothing for sale and the gift shop was festive with all of the preparations for Christmas everywhere. This tour just made my heart sing with joy.
It was a PERFECT day – we learned a lot, ate great food, and the cool autumn temperature couldn’t have been better!
Here are a few pictures from today.
Category: Antiques, Life Comments, MICHIE TAVERN |
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