THE MAIN HALL

Our costumes are of a style that would have been worn in the early 1700s. Travel was mostly by horseback or a horse drawn wagon. 

Your next stop is through the restored center door where you will see the Main Hall, the fireplace, large ceiling beams and wide floor boards. 

You are now in the "Hall." The beams, gunstock posts supporting them and all the framework are original. The wide board flooring is original. Three layers of flooring were removed on the first floor (tongue and groove flooring, plywood and floor tile) to get back to the original flooring. The chestnut Summer Beam measures 10"x 20" x l7' and weigh approximately 2,500 pounds. It is unusually large for a house of this size. The name "Summer Beam" stems from the French word "somier", meaning "pack horse" because it carries the weight of the house. All the other beams are oak. They are decorated with carefully carved "chamfered" edges and decoratively carved lamb's tongue and diamond endings. The framework is meticulously fitted with notches cut in such a way that the weight of the beams lock them in place -  all marks of an expert carpenter. They can be seen best with a flashlight.

The fireplace is a replica of the original using bricks which were found on the premises during restoration. The mantel is made from a beam from a barn in Flemington. Family life revolved around the fireplace. It was the only source of heat and its fire was the sole means for cooking and baking. It is wide enough to accommodate several cooking areas.

The beehive oven was used chiefly for baking bread. It is completely lined with bricks. A fire is built in the oven and maintained until the proper temperature is reached. The coals are then removed and the oven is ready for use. A peel (sometimes called a salamander) was used to place and remove food from the beehive oven.

To make flour, the grain had to be crushed as fine as possible. The crushing was done in a mortar with a pestle. Large wooden bowls were used to make the bread dough. Small game was readily available for the stew pot. Wild fowl also was abundant.

The fireplace was the earliest means of producing light. For a quick burst of light, pine cones were thrown into the fireplace. People also burned rush or cattail reeds. Rushes were found in meadows and around ponds; cattails were in swamps and marshes. These reeds were peeled while green and drawn through common household grease then placed in holders with clamps. The "Betty" lamp used animal grease or fish oil and a flax or reed wick. In the 18th century candle-making became an important household chore. Methods included drawn beeswax candles, poured tallow candles, dipped beeswax. or tallow candles. Around 1800 candle molds came into use.

 At the fireplace: 

• Andirons (replicas) 
• Barn Lantern (pierced tin replica)
• Candleholder (replica)
• Crane
• Dipper
• Herb dryer (replica)
• Pot lifter. Steelyard (to weigh produce)
• Trammel (to adjust pots)
• Trivet (replica)
• Wafer iron to make wafers or pancakes.

Items on display in the Hall:

Gun (over the fireplace) is a 1820 flintlock musket made for N.J. Militia

Butter Chum salt glaze with top and plunger

Chairs:

• Wallace Nutting reproduction - early 1700s armchair 
• Ladder back
• Rush seat - sausage turnings on side, bold turning on front
• Rocker - Hitchcock style, rush seat

Candle molds - large and small

Coffer - Oak, hand carved panel front, made in England circa 1690 

Cranberry scoop

Cupboard - Pine, old blue paint - cutlery

Comer cabinet, reproduction, mid-18th century style

Flax spinning wheel (signed J. Muselman) restored

The Yarn winder winds the spun wool from the spinning wheel into a hank.

The Yarn swift takes the hank of wool; spreads it on the lattice so that it can be wound into a ball.

Leather worker's bench (restored by Nelson Lawrence)

Front door- Oak replica, pre Revolutionary nails and hinges

Front doorstep is original

Gun (CharleviIle French musket)

Hunting horn

Tap Table - Walnut, circa 1790-1800. One board top, one drawer.

Top is pegged to allow removal)

Walnut Table at fireplace - Country work table, top attached with pegs, stretcher base. 

sugar cone, grate, crushing implements.

Windows -leaded, diamond-paned casement replica with hand-forged hardware typical of this period.

Winding Staircase - replica of the original, the fourth staircase this house has had.