EYE ON ANTIQUES: HIEROGLYPHIC BIBLES

The 19th century’s equivalent of a Game Boy, these books teased the brains of children to decipher the mysteries of the Bible.

Christian Goodwillie

TEMPORARY TAVERN KEEPERS

The Zeiglers found their 1787 public house on the road to Gettysburg. After three years of restoration, they added it to the National Register to preserve it for us all.

Jeanmarie Andrews

COLLECTORS' JOURNEY

The Rhoduses caught the collector’s bug, regressed from Victorian to primitive, and put it all in a saltbox based on a 1715 Massachusetts original.

Gregory LeFever

THE ANNISQUAM SALTBOX

In 1715 Richard Dole built a saltbox from salvaged wood. With these house plans you can have an updated version for the 21st century.

Russell Swinton Oatman

TRACKING THE TRADITIONAL TURKEY

Today’s feast bird bears only a passing resemblance to the wild turkey or the Pilgrims’ dinner after 3,000 years of domestication.

Christine Heinrichs

WASSAIL!

Various traditions surround the concoction colonists drank during the holidays. We offer a recipe for making your own version.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES ARE FOR GIVING

Making cookies warms your kitchen and the hearts of those who receive them. Try these traditional recipes.

Kristin Johnson and Mimi Cummins

LIFE IN EARLY AMERICA: REVOLUTIONARY CHARLES TOWN

The South’s largest city in 1776, Charles Town played a pivotal role in the Revolution—an early victory for the patriots followed a few years later by a stunning defeat.

Tom Huntington

SIDE BY SIDE: LET THERE BE (AUTHENTIC) LIGHT

Historically accurate lighting means dark rooms, sooty ceilings, and far too many calls to the fi rehouse. Fixtures from four contemporary makers capture the look with safe (and bright) electrical bulbs.

Gregory LeFever