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Blog Category: No Category
Entry Tags: swetland, victorian, home, society, museum, mourning, civil war, living history, lisa lewis, victorian lady,
SWETLAND HOME
JANUARY 2007-
This month's meeting proved to be interesting for those of us native to the area, and to our visitors.
Luzerne County is celebrating its Sesquecentennial this year.
Administrator Clara Hudson put together a wonderful display highlighting points of interest and artifacts notable to this area.
We were treated to a tour of the home as Clara explained the history of the home and the Luke Swetland family.
Docent Nancy took us through the dining room sharing one of the challenges of cooking in the 1800's; trying to regulate the temperature of the stone oven.
She explained that if the hair singed on your arm when you stuck it in the oven than it was ready for baking.
The home is filled with marvelous furnishings, paintings of the Swetland family, and various accoutrements found in a well to do 1800 home. The pianoforte is an exquisite piece alone, and well worth seeing.
The rooms were laid out as if the family still lived there.
Each room had a mannequin dressed in Victorian fashions which displayed the popular and wealthy style of the era.
The parlor is where a Victorian funeral re-enactment is held each October. You can see pictures by clicking on the Swetland Home Mourning page above.
After our tour we made our way upstairs to the meeting room.
The guests were treated to an antique estate sale where they could purchase items. Everything from furniture, Limoge China, to Victorian greeting cards were for sale.
Clara's dessert table was laden with assorted sweets, fruit punch and a crowd favorite, Bourbon brownies.
The serving table was decorated in red hearts for Valentine's Day. A nice touch was the authentic Victorian Valentines adorning every table.
After everyone was served we played our parlor game What is it? The items included an antique cigar cutter, poison ring, darning egg, bustle form, cigarette purse, embosser, handkerchief skirt holder and an electric massage instrument.
This meeting marked the last day for administrator Clara Hudson. She is taking a new position in Virginia. Clara has done a tremendous job over the years at the Swetland Home.
It has always been a pleasure for me to work with her, she will be greatly missed in the society!
Her very capable daughter Marciana willl be taking over the administrator position at this time.
We wish them both much success!
LAND HOME
