Events

Jan. 30th & 31st, 10a-4p:

Essential to good health, common table salt has been prized for hundreds of centuries. Unlike today, salt was not always so readily available, and colonists and pioneers depended on imports from across the seas. Historically, salt was an integral part of many civilizations. Come to the kitchen and help make brines for food preservation and mordants,...

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) hopes you will join us online for the fifth annual Real Places Conference presented by Phoenix I Restoration and Construction.

Hosted by the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission, the conference provides an opportunity for preservationists and officials to network and learn with County Historical Commissions, Main Street managers and...

Feb. 6th & 7th, 10a-4p:

Enslaved men and women at Barrington, such as Jerry, Mary, Willis, and Jake, were an integral part of the full story of Barrington. Cooking a hot meal after a hard day of work was a daily routine and typically included their ration of cured pork and cornmeal supplemented with seasonal vegetables from their garden. Come join us as we demonstrate cooking a...

Feb.13th & 14th 9a - 2p:
Sign up to join a cooking school on either Saturday or Sunday, to learn how to cook a meal on an open hearth. No experience needed. 

Sat. Feb. 13th- is the class for adults, $45 person.

Sun. Feb. 14th- is for children aged ten and up, with an adult. 1 adult/1 child $45, each extra child $10.

Class sizes will be limited to enable social...

Feb.13th & 14th 9a - 2p:
Sign up to join a cooking school on either Saturday or Sunday, to learn how to cook a meal on an open hearth. No experience needed. 

Sat. Feb. 13th- is the class for adults, $45 person.

Sun. Feb. 14th- is for children aged ten and up, with an adult. 1 adult/1 child $45, each extra child $10.

Class sizes will be limited to enable social...

Mar. 6th & 7th, 10a-4p:

The Girl’s Own Book (published in 1834) says, “There is no accomplishment of any kind more desirable…than neatness and skill in the use of a needle.” It also claimed that children should learn to sew a shirt before the age of twelve! We invite you to learn the basic stitches and start sewing your own pincushion to take home and finish. All supplies will be...

New for 2021! On Youth Volunteer Days from 10 a.m. to Noon, young people ages 12-18 can help Varner-Hogg Plantation look and be its best while earning service hours for their schools and organizations! Every second Saturday of the month, we’ll gather and randomly assign volunteers to one of three teams: Grounds, Exhibits or Office. Volunteers should be willing to work indoors or outdoors, and...

Mar. 20th & 21st, 10a-4p:

Enslaved men and women, such as Jerry, Mary, Willis, and Jake, were an integral part of the full story of Barrington. Cooking a hot meal after a hard day of work was a daily routine and typically included their ration of cured pork and cornmeal supplemented with seasonal vegetables from their garden. Come join us as we demonstrate cooking a traditional...

Mar. 27th & 28th, 10a-4p:

Spring has sprung- and there’s so much to do! Who has time to be sick? Many families had their own special recipes for a Spring Tonic to boost their immune systems for a jump on their spring chores. Learn how families concocted these remedies from their own herbs and other items in their garden and house. Contact Barb King for more information at 936-878-...

Apr. 3rd & 4th, 10a-4p:

Dr. Jones noted in his journal on April 13, 1854 – “Ridged up balance of cotton ground, planted cotton in the new field.” Cotton is King! Like most settlers in Texas, Dr. Jones did not grow cotton to make homespun clothes, but rather he shipped it out of the country (often England) in exchange for cash money. Come help us ridge up and plant Dr. Jones’ cash...

Apr. 10th & 11th, 10a – 4p:

Women in the mid-Victorian period were expected to be concerned about, and very involved in, life around the home. How did their education, for daughters like Sarah Jones, maintain expectations for that lifestyle as they grew up? Discussions at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., for more information contact Barb King at 936-878-2214 x248.

Apr. 17th & 18th, 10a-4p:

Enslaved men and women, such as Jerry, Mary, Willis, and Jake, were an integral part of the full story of Barrington. Cooking a hot meal after a hard day of work was a daily routine and typically included their ration of cured pork and cornmeal supplemented with seasonal vegetables from their garden. Come join us as we demonstrate cooking a traditional...

Apr. 24th & 25th, 10a – 4p:

Texans have always enjoyed a catchy tune. Lucky for us, if they really liked a song - they wrote it down! So, come have seat and listen to some of the most popular music of the 1850’s as it is played on period instruments – maybe you’ll join in a verse or two! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-2214 x248.

May 1st & 2nd, 10a-4p:

Enslaved men and women, such as Jerry, Mary, Willis, and Jake, were an integral part of the full story of Barrington. Cooking a hot meal after a hard day of work was a daily routine and typically included their ration of cured pork and cornmeal supplemented with seasonal vegetables from their garden. Come join us as we demonstrate cooking a traditional meal...

May 8th & 9th, 10a-4p

From an early age, most Victorian women were trained for the worthy profession of caring for a family. Sewing, cleaning, cooking, and childcare comprised the main elements of “The Arts and Mysteries of Housewifery.” Did a woman’s role change when she moved to the rough and tumble frontier of Texas? Hear some stories about the women of the Jones family, and...

May 15th & 16th, 10a-4p

Dr. Jones noted in his journal on May 14, 1850 - “Finished ploughing and hoeing corn first time.”   The crops are short and the weeds are tall, it’s time to cultivate! Come help us clear between the rows of our field crops using our single ox and walk-behind cultivating plow! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-2214 x248.

May 22nd & 23rd, 10a-4p:

Keeping gardens weeded, watered, and in good order was considered part of a woman’s daily duty. It contributed to a varied diet and survival in 1850. Lend a hand to help water, plant, or weed as necessary to help our gardens get ready for summer. Contact Barb King at 936-878-2214 x248.

May 29th & 30th, 10a-4p:

The garden kept by those enslaved at Barrington provided diversity to an otherwise bland diet, and more importantly filled the gaps in nutrition. Join us as explore the heirloom varieties growing in the garden by the Quarters and take home a few seeds to start your own garden! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-2214 x248.

June 5th & 6th, 10a-4p:

Spring cleaning is a yearly ritual for which modern conveniences have obliterated the need. Preparing the house for warmer weather, chasing out cobwebs and dirt, scrubbing walls and floors, is much more laborious than cleaning today. Help wash windows, beat rugs, and wash and wax furniture as needed. Contact Barb King for details at 936-878-2214 x.248.

June 12th & 13th, 10a-4p:

Dr. Jones noted in his journal on July 19, 1846 – “Ripe peaches from my Orchard at Barrington.” Caring for an orchard takes skill and patience, but it can be highly rewarding! Come help us haul water and cultivate the orchard as you learn about heirloom trees and fruit growing in the 19th century! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-...

June 19th & 20th, 10a-4p:

In their leisure time, Dr. Anson Jones and his sons enjoyed a variety of gentlemanly pursuits, including card playing, hunting, and fishing.  Join us for a day of recreation and relaxation! Try your luck at cards while sitting in the cool of the dogtrot of the house, or head to the field for a demonstration of the 1850’s method for taking wild game with a...

Join us for a 1850s style Independence Day celebration!  Musket firing, toasts and a reading of the Declaration of Independence will commemorate the day.  Bring your own picnic basket, and enjoy al-fresco dining, just like Dr. Jones writes about in his journal.  Contact Barb King for details at 936-878-2214 x248.

July 10th &11th, 10a-4p:

Dr. Jones penned in his journal on July 13, 1854 – “Commenced taking corn blade fodder.” Although very few ears of corn were used to feed livestock, the dried leaves of the corn plants made excellent hay (fodder) that could be fed out to them as needed to supplement foraging. Come pull and make “hands” (bunches) of fodder from our corn crop! Contact Ben...

July 17th & 18th, 10a-4p:

Enslaved men and women, such as Jerry, Mary, Willis, and Jake, were an integral part of the full story of Barrington. Cooking a hot meal after a hard day of work was a daily routine and typically included their ration of cured pork and cornmeal supplemented with seasonal vegetables from their garden. Come join us as we demonstrate cooking a traditional...

July 24th & 25th, 10a-4p:

Though free time for those enslaved at Barrington was typically limited to Sundays and occasional holidays, time off provided an opportunity to rest and enjoy a variety of games, music, and entertainment. Come learn how Jerry, Mary, or Willis might have spent their time off. Make and take a clay marble home with you! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more...

Aug. 7th & 8th, 11a-2p:

Taking a break, or “nooning,” in the heat of the day helped 19th century farmers renew their energy on a long day in the blazing Texas sun! A little rest, food, water, and shade goes a long way. Pack a lunch and join us under the cottonwood trees by the crop fields as we take a break from our labors and recover so that we can finish out the day strong!  ...

Aug. 14th & 15th, 10a-4p:

Come stay cool with us in the heat of summer and discover what early Texans did to stay cool. Without modern A.C. you might be surprised at how comfortable you can be in a Texas summer. Contact Barb King for details at 936-878-2214 x248.

Aug. 21st & 22nd, 10a-4p:

Dr. Jones noted in his journal on Aug. 4, 1847 - “Thrashed out rye”.  Now that our grain crop has been harvested, it’s time to thresh and winnow it to separate seed from stalk. Come help us make our harvest ready to be ground into flour! Contact Ben Baumgartner for more information at 936-878-2214 x248.

Aug. 28th & 29th, 10a-4p:

There are 1,774 miles between Anson Jones’ hometown in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and where he lived in Washington, Texas. How on earth did he get there? Long distance travelers in 19th century America have quite a commute! Stop by the house and see how folks like Dr. Jones embarked on their travels through Texas. Contact Barb King for details at 936-...