Join Historic Jacksonville, Inc. and local craft guilds for an afternoon of Victorian Hobbies & Crafts from 12 noon to 4 pm on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at the historic 1873 Beekman House located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville.
“The Industrial Revolution meant increased leisure time for most upper and middle class Victorians,” explains Carolyn Kingsnorth, President of Historic Jacksonville. “But leisure did not mean idleness. Far from it! The ‘work ethic’ was the core value of the Industrial Revolution. To forestall the mischief that Satan found for idle hands, you were expected to use your leisure time to pursue something useful and productive—that was also recuperative and relaxing! In other words, you found a hobby.”
For most Victorians, hobbies basically fell into two categories—collecting and crafts. Both will be well represented during the event. Victorian costumed docents will talk about popular hobbies of the late 1800s and the Beekmans’ personal collections and crafts during 45 minute house tour presentations that begin about every 15 minutes. Lawn demonstrations and displays will feature the Jacksonville Museum Quilters, The Wood Carving Place, the Hand Weavers, and other local craft guilds.
“The Beekman House was home to the most prominent and wealthiest family in Jacksonville,” Kingsnorth says. “They were skilled, they were talented, and they traveled extensively, collecting souvenirs from their many travels. Julia Beekman was also an excellent seamstress, and there are wonderful examples of her embroidery, tatting, and quilting throughout the house that visitors will see and hear about during the tours.
“Quilting was an excellent excuse for socialized sewing in the Victorian Era,” she points out, “and you’ll also see some great examples in the Jacksonville Museum Quilters mini-quilt show.”
The Jacksonville Museum Quilters will be “airing” quilts from their collections on the house railings and balcony, in the House and Carriage House, on clotheslines, and along the picket fences during the event. There will also be on-going demonstrations of hand appliqué and hand quilting in the Carriage House.
At 2 pm, guild member Nell Mathern will be doing a “bed turning” in the back yard, showcasing quilts with interesting histories and sharing their stories. The Quilters will also be selling raffle tickets on their annual Opportunity Quilt, a Pam Clark Circle Jubilee pattern, beautifully hand appliquéd and machine quilted.
“Other forms of ‘fancywork’ provided important opportunities for self-expression as well,” Kingsnorth observes. “In fact, most women’s crafts in the 19th Century were characterized by a strong aesthetic component. It was a way to bring beauty and creativity into their lives. And many hobbies and crafts served practical as well as decorative purposes.”
Victorian Hobbies & Crafts is just one of the events planned for the Beekman House this summer. Historic Jacksonville will be hosting other Victorian themed events from 12 noon to 4 pm on July 16, August 20, September 17, and October 15 and 16, as well as 1932 Living History tours on the fourth Saturday of each month through September.
The C.C. Beekman House is located at 470 E. California Street in Jacksonville. Parking is available on site. Victorian Hobby tours are $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students; lawn activities are free. For additional information, call 541-245-3650 or e-mail info@historicjacksonville.org.