The Historical Society of West Windsor opens the Schenck Farmstead for its annual holiday tour on Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7. The farmhouse will be fully decorated for the holidays and the English-Dutch barn, wagon house, and one-room schoolhouse will also be open to tour. While admission is free, donations are appreciated.
“The farmhouse always looks festive with mostly natural decorations,” says Joan Parry, co-founder of the historical society. “The barn will feature a new exhibit on environmental education. The schoolhouse is now fully furnished with desks, school books, and many photos of West Windsor students through the years.”
The Schenck Farmstead will also be open on Sundays, February 8, April 12, and June 14. “If you have not visited recently, you will be surprised at the new items on display in the barn and one-room schoolhouse,” says Parry. “Be sure to look in the barn for the new display in the History Museum, an environmental education exhibition about open space and farming in West Windsor.”
Recent donations include a framed school art picture from Lois Tindall Stuller, a sewing table from Kay Reed, a pewter candlestick and homemade wax candle from Robert P. Walker; a hanging scale and corn grater from George Tindall, a can of Prince Albert tobacco from Donald Schenck; a Brooks Brothers tuxedo shirt circa 1940s to 1950s (on loan) from Kathy Kapp, a Poller foot warmer and push lawn mower from David Tindall, and a walk-behind push plow from Stuart Reed.
Claire Gressott donated an oil can, coal shovels, and a sprayer pump, and Virginia Swanagan donated a drawing by Don Joe Swanagan of “Ladyfair” house in Grover’s Mill. Monty Hagerty donated a cabbage cutter, pecan nut cracker, metal flour sifter, wooden butter paddle, meat cutter-cleaver, flour bin scoop, cork screw, small sugar scoop, and cabbage-chopper-mixer for kitchen grater. Stanley Reed donated a telephone, electric post holder, and insulator with half-cross telephone bar.
Brooke and Steven Doerler donated a Victorian settee, Victorian wicker baby pram, a vintage desk chair in wood and iron, a Victorian chair with a needlepoint seat, and an 18th-century American walnut cradle. Cornelia and Walter Appleget donated a small kerosene tank for an old stove, a piston pump, and a water heater.
“My Storybook,” the life of Edith Sprague, was donated by Sprague, a Burlington County resident best known for traveling with Elsie the Cow to sell war bonds. Stanley Reed donated a photo of a 22×29 painting of Russell Post by Arnold Pierson, Mary Schenck’s brother, who will sign it. Mildred Moomaw donated an oak frame for the picture.
Historical Society of West Windsor meetings take place on Mondays, January 5, March 2, and May 4.
