Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada
One street up from the Ironworks distillery, and a 300-meter dash down the length of Pelham street in the pouring rain, I land at the doorway of the only period home open to the public in Lunenburg: the Knut-Rhuland House, circa 1793.
Swiping the soles of my shoes thoroughly at the door, I am greeted by two period-costumed guides. A young lady draws up the corners of her mouth into a shy dimpled smile. She is dressed in a simple cotton dress that hangs to her ankles and her hair is covered in a bonnet. She says nothing and drops her eyes to the floor.
The young lad is more outgoing and welcomes me into the museum. His embroidered vest covers a long-sleeved shirt, which is tucked into a pair of brown trousers that are a little too short and are riding up his boots. We stand in what would be a hallway and he invites me into the main living area.
On the wall is an oil-on-canvas portrait of a man with chiseled festures, a sweep of thick dark hair, dressed in a black waistcoat. I ask the young man "Are you supposed to be Mr. Knut?"
He replies "Oh no, if I was I'd be dressed far better. " His eyes drop down to look at his outfit. He runs through some talking points about the house and tells me it is mostly original. I take in the dimensions of the parlour, noting the chandelier looks like it has candles, not bulbs. "Does the house have electricity?" "It does." He says there have been some repairs and updates. He points out changes that were made to the front entrance, putting a fine point on the fact that prior to the Lunenburg Heritage Society's purchase of the property, it had been neglected and was in desperate need of repairs. He guides me towards the room across the hall. "This was the kitchen." I can see some fake loaves of bread on a cutting board. "Were you up early this morning kneading dough?" I say with a smile directed to the young lady. "No, I wouldn't have made bread," she replies, but offers nothing more about her position in the household.
Mister Guide tells me all kinds of facts and history about the home and its two periods of ownership; the late 18th and early 19th century. Then we head upstairs leaving the young lady in the hallway. The treads of the stairs are worn from two centuries of foot traffic and I hold the banister for support.
We land at a space at the front of the home. "The lady of the house would've had her own room." I step inside, circling the feminine space: a comfy bed, a settee for quilting or sewing. A wash basin with a comb and brush set, artwork on the walls . "Are these all belongings of the original owners of the house?" I ask. "No, but they are period appropriate," he says. "The man of house also had his own room." We go across the hall. It was decorated more like an office with display cases and a rack of clothing but no bed.
To the back of the house is a room filled with old spinning wheels and a weaving loom. He tells me a lady volunteers a couple of times a week to operate it. I face him and ask, "Do you know how to operate it?" He raises his brows and says "Yes." He takes a seat on the bench and starts moving the pedals to show me how the threads move up and away. "Very cool." He rises to stand then points out a diagram of the stages of turning flax into a yarn to make linen. This is new info to me and I tell him. "I had no idea flax was so versatile, I though it was a food product. I love this." He grins with pride, pleased to have taught me something. The whole process - growing, harvesting , soaking to making a bundle of yarn - was a lengthy process. We head next door.
"This would have been the library. " Two bookcases line the wall, volumes on topics from gardening to Lunenburg history. There are two glass display cases that house multiple Bibles. He tells me these were original Bibles that would have been given out by the clerics to their parishioners. They look old, filmsy and yellowing. Again I take him off topic with questions. "Is this proper preservation of theses items?" His brow creases and he says "This case yes, ..this one," he reaches out and lays the palm of his hand on top,"maybe not."
Just then a lady from the historic society runs upstairs, turning to open a tiny hatch with a narrow staircase to the attic. "I need to see if there is anything leaking." Her voice is filled with concern. He calls up to her. "I haven't seen any..."
My guide picks up on her urgency and he directs me towards the stairway to the lower level. My tour is complete. I thank him for his extensive knowledge then offer a donation to the cause. The conservation of this building is paid for primarily with public donations, fundraising events, and an online gift shop. I was pleased with this stop, it was very informative. I pull my hood up over my head and step out into the rain hoping no water damage will be done to such a wonderful historic home. Please join me again as I look around Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
THE Knut-Rhuland House. 125 Pelham St, Lunenburg, NS B0J 2C0
HOURS OF OPERATION
Mon–Sat 11am–5pm, Sun 12–4pm (Jun-Aug); Mon-Sun 12-4pm (Sep).
Entrance is free but donation are very welcome at Lunenburg Historic society.
Happy Travels from Maritimemac
If you enjoyed this post you can help ensure the continuation of this blog with a contribution
Click here to purchase.
No comments:
Post a Comment