SPECIAL EVENTS

History Comes Alive at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Sample life in the mid-1800s with two weekends of events at Barrington Living History Farm that demonstrate frontier life.

First comes Butchering and Curing on January 15-16, 2011. Butchering livestock was a necessary way of life while pork was preserved by drying, salting and smoking. Join the staff at Barrington and see the different varieties of curing and ways to preserve food to eat later.

Many of the animals raised on the farm were raised for that purpose. Pork has been preserved by drying, salting and smoking for centuries. There are different ways of curing, but they all serve the purpose of preserving it to eat later. Join us for our own butchering and curing weekend, where we will be butchering two of our very own farm raised Ossabaw Island Hogs on Saturday and beginning the curing process on Sunday.

This program will be ongoing, so if you want to see every step you have to attend the entire event. Steps will not be repeated once the resources have been used up.

Learn the fundamentals of this simple, old fashioned way of life..

On the weekend of January 29-30, 2011, learn how to Make every stitch count. While today we can go to the store and buy ready-made clothing, men and women of the early frontier had to know, by necessity, how to sew and create handmade clothing, linens and even decorations. There will be many hands-on activities to observe and learn these various sewing and creating skills.

In conjunction with the demonstrations (quilting, spinning, weaving, rug hooking, and fancywork) showcased in the Conference Center, Eddie Harrison and the Stitching Sisters-in-Law will be displaying the history of slave freedom quilts in the Education Center; The Star of the Republic Museum will have displays and information on the extensive selection of textiles located throughout the museum; Barrington Living History Farm will be interpreting 1850s textile skills; and the Visitor Center will have various displays plus retail items for sale.

Dulcimer groups will be providing wonderful music throughout the complex.

Barrington Living History Farm, the home of Dr. Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas, is open from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. For details on these events, call (936) 878-2214 ext. 246, or visit www.birthplaceoftexas.com.  

Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site is located on the original town site of Washington and features three attractions that are open year round - Independence Hall, Star of the Republic Museum and Barrington Living History Farm. The complex is located on FM 1155 between Brenham and Navasota off Hwy. 105, approximately one hour northwest of Houston.

Brenham/Washington County is located halfway between Houston and Austin. Home of Blue Bell ice cream, Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site - "The Birthplace of Texas," more than 40 bed and breakfast inns, wineries, Brenham's Main Street District and more.