Moland House Fund-Raiser Reenacts Historical Events

The Historic Moland House, located at 1641 Old York Road in Hartsville, hosted a Reenactment featuring period events and activities.

From August 10 through the 23rd of 1777, General George Washington camped at the Moland House with 11,000 Continental Army and militia soldiers. Washington made the Moland House his headquarters as soldiers camped on the hillsides and crossroads of Bristol and Old York Roads.

Volunteers from the Warwick Township Historical Society made the reenactment possible with their demonstrations of crafts, domestic skills such as lace making, yarn spinning and woodworking.

Murrie Gayman, 75, of Warminster, painted a mural depicting the style of 19th Century artist Rufus Porter.

Gayman, who began painting at 5 years-old, said Porter was a New England mural painter who painted murals on people's walls because wallpaper was so expensive at that time.

At another demonstration table, kids and adults enjoyed an archaeological excavation where they discovered artifacts that were found at the Moland House site. Emma, Ethan and Rayna Sirken of Jamison became budding archaeologists as they uncovered pottery and other artifacts.

Demonstrations of wood splitting the old fashioned way – with a “coopers hand axe” - presented a challenge and a lot of hard work!

Paul Dzioba of New Jersey was working on a wooden mirror frame and had already completed other items including a pipe box and tea caddy.

And what reenactment would be complete without a yarn spinner? Amy Turner demonstrated how yarn was made the old fashioned way.

The origins of spinning fiber to make yarn can be dated back through archaeological evidence to some 20,000 years ago in the Upper Paleolithic era.

Yarn spinning is simply twisting fibers together to form yarn or string. For thousands of years it was done by hand using simple tools. By the Middle Ages, the spinning wheel increased the amount of yarn being spun for mass production in the 18th century and the Industrial Revolution.

The Warwick Historical Society is responsible for maintaining the Moland House. They are completely run by volunteers and receive no state or federal money for maintaining the property. Bob Snyder and Cal Uzelmeier of the Warwick Historical Society said they are always in need of volunteers and the most important part of the Moland House is that it is completely maintained by their volunteer group.

The Reenactment event raises approximately $3,000. Other fundraisers are held throughout the year including a Christmas dinner in early December.

For more information about the Moland House or to volunteer, contact Cal Uzelmeier at 215-672-9906 or email uzelc@aol.com.