Highland County Historical Society celebrates 50th anniversary, Part IV
By Pamela Nickell
Highland County Historical Society
A member and volunteer for the Highland County Historical Society, Nancy Wisecup, commented a few days ago that reading our article last week was just like walking through the museum.
How wonderful to hear – as that is exactly our intention. Highland County Historical Society celebrates 50th anniversary, Part IV Today and the next two weeks, we will continue the overview, and then we will get into some specifics including item descriptions, stories, personalities and experiences and maybe even a mystery or two.
Many groups and individuals have enjoyed the very lovely dining room for social occasions such as teas, holiday parties, showers, small dinners and club meetings.
The dining room is furnished with a large buffet from the home of Ohio Governor Allen Trimble.
The large Sheraton rope banquet table is circa 1820. A cherry corner cupboard is circa 1780 and is from the local Mather family.
Portraits and a convex mirror over the mantel reflecting the dining table, which is often beautifully appointed, complete the room. Next to the dining room is the early kitchen, which is absolutely fascinating to young, old and in between.
So many of us can remember the cast iron flatirons, washboards and bread toasters still being kept by our great-grandmothers. The younger of us find it absolutely unimaginable to use such items.
An 1890 wood stove and mid-19th century leaf table, pie safe and Hoosier Cabinet remind us of the comparative ease of housekeeping today.
The Caspar Collins Bedroom is so named for the half-canopy bed, circa 1879, which is from the home of Col. William Oliver Collins, father of Caspar. This room includes an early reclining chair with horsehair padding and leather covering. The chest and desk were hand-carved by Mrs. J.
Rockhold. It is here you can see a portrait of Caspar Collins.
The Weaver’s Room is dedicated to that art. It holds a loom, early spinning equipment and samples of yarn and dyes.
The rugs, curtains and bedspread are hand-loomed. The cannonball rope bed is circa 1820. In this room are three framed handmade flower arrangements. But what are these flowers made of? A trip to the museum in the spring or a future article here will satisfy your curiosity.
While books let us visit other times, places and lifestyles, a museum lets us visit, see and touch other times and lifestyles.
We can be amazed and even incredulous at what our forebears endured, invented and enjoyed.
Knowing our past helps us understand and be grateful for our present.
(Largely from the Highland House Museum Self-Guided Tour brochure.)