Cobblestone Museum opens season early with eclipse-themed events

Photos by Tom Rivers: These hand-painted rocks with an eclipse theme are available at the gift shop at the Cobblestone Museum. They were painted by a group led by Lori Laine.

By Tom Rivers and Ginny Kropf

CHILDS – With an influx of visitors expected in the area for the eclipse, the Cobblestone Museum is opening this weekend. The museum normally opens for the season on Mother’s Day Weekend.

The museum, a National Historic Landmark, has many programs and events planned starting today through Monday. The museum wants to be part of the eclipse on Monday. Orleans County is in the path of totality for the eclipse, which hasn’t happened locally since January 1925.

“We don’t know what to expect,” said museum director Doug Farley. “There could be record crowds in the area out looking for something to do.”

The museum opened today with tours available and eclipse-themed merchandise for sale.

Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper gave a talk today on “Spring Cleaning: Whose Idea Was That?”

Cooper didn’t want to speak specifically about the eclipse, but wanted a topic that tied in with the sun. She said the longer days of sunlight in the spring often awakened people, especially housewives, to give their homes a thorough cleaning.

The houses needed it after a winter of burning coal. That left homes with lots of dust, especially when chimneys were cleaned.

Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper gives a talk at the Cobblestone Universalist Church today entitled, “Spring Cleaning: Whose Idea Was That?” She is holding two carpet beaters that were used to knock dust and debris from rugs. Cooper said the spring sunshine was an impetus for people to do the arduous task of ridding their homes of dust that accumulated over the winter.

Cooper, speaking today the museum, said the early settlers didn’t have many possessions, arriving with clothes, food, tools and some supplies. Gradually they acquired things.

Rugs were a nemesis to clean in the spring. Cooper, during her talk, shows carpet beaters from more than a century ago that were used to free dust and disintegrated straw from rugs.

She found notices in old newspapers invited the community for spring cleaning at cemeteries, post offices and local roads.

Cooper will give her presentation again at 2:30 on Saturday at the Cobblestone Church.

The schedule of events from Saturday to Monday includes:

Saturday

• The events begin with blacksmithing demonstrations at the forge in the blacksmith shop from 10 a.m. to noon.
• From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., docents will share the history of the three cobblestone buildings on campus and the Vagg house.
• At 10:30 a.m., Susan Starkweather Miller, Albion village historian, will share “History in the Headlines: 1925 Total Eclipse” in the cobblestone church sanctuary.
• From noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting, an auto show will take place behind the Cobblestone Church.
• At 2:30 p.m., Cooper will again present “Spring Cleaning: Whose Idea was That” in the cobblestone sanctuary.

Sunday

• On Sunday, blacksmithing demonstrations will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the forge in the Blacksmith Shop.
• From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., docents will share the history of the three cobblestone buildings and the Vagg House.
• At 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., retired Cobblestone Museum director Bill Lattin will present “Church Stories You Don’t Hear at Church” in the Cobblestone Church sanctuary.
• At 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Lattin will share “Farm Stories” in the church sanctuary.
• The auto show will again be on display (weather permitting) from noon to 3 p.m.

Monday

• On Monday, tours will be available at 10 a.m.
• From noon to 2 p.m., refreshments will be available for guests with an upgraded admission fee, or sold while supplies last.
• Local vocalist Hannah Brewer will entertain from noon to 2 p.m. at the Visitor’s Center.

The Gift Shop and Holiday Shoppe located in the lower level of the church will be open daily, featuring solar eclipse souvenirs. Also open will be the self-service used books building behind the brick house.

 Guests are advised the Gift Shop/Holiday Shoppe will be closed during the solar eclipse. Hours will be posed inside the Gift Shop.

 Self-guided exhibits will include “Mourning Art and Sundries” in the Upper Gallery of the brick house; artwork by Tom Zangerle and 19th century painters and more than 20 historic coverlets from the 1800s in the Visitor’s Center.

Public restrooms are available behind the Ward House. Anyone requiring access to the unisex bathrooms located in the Visitor’s Center or brick house should ask the volunteer at each location.