If you’re going
The Fowler House is at 3813 Atlanta Highway, south of Cumming. For more information about Heritage Day, contact (404) 502-2854, or go online at www.historicforsyth.com.
The Fowler House is at 3813 Atlanta Highway, south of Cumming. For more information about Heritage Day, contact (404) 502-2854, or go online at www.historicforsyth.com.
The Historical Society of Forsyth County invites residents to step back in time and experience what local farm life was once like.
The organization will hold its fourth annual Heritage Day celebration June 6 at an appropriate location: the nearly 90-year-old Fowler House on Hwy. 9.
Historical society member Jo Ann Martin said the one-and-a-half story farmhouse fits the bill.
“It’s a good example of what farm life used to be years ago in this county,” said Martin, who was raised on a nearby local farm.
Martin is charged with decorating and keeping the home clean. She ensures the structure’s interior is picture perfect for the one time a year it’s open to the public.
Those interested in taking a look at the home and surrounding smokehouse, barn, garage and chicken houses on the 10-acre farm can drop by for the free open house on Heritage Day.
From noon to 4 p.m., visitors can get their fill at the event, which features demonstrations of quilting, weaving and butter churning. There also will be lessons on how to make a corncob pipe.
Martin is the brains behind the butter churn. She said it’s a worthy cause, but sometimes difficult to find the chief ingredient.
“I try to find raw milk from cows that will make good butter. It’s getting harder and harder to come by around here,” said Martin, whose mother taught her to work the churn.
Butter’s not the only thing volunteers churn for visitors at the open house. There also will be homemade ice cream, tea cakes and cracklin’ cornbread.
Several people from the 100-member organization arrive to help out for the occasion, including co-presidents Jimmy and Martha McConnell.
Martha McConnell said the Fowler House became the site for Heritage Day a couple years after it was named to the National Register of Historic places in April 2003.
“Before that,” McConnell said, “we planned picnics at Poole’s Mill, and it would sometimes get rained out ... this way, we were inside in a nice environment.”
She said it’s been a successful run thus far.
“Last year, as soon as we opened the door we had people running in,” she said.
That’s no surprise to Martin.
“People who come out are excited,” she said. “Most of them are newcomers to the area, and they pass by and they want to see what it’s like inside of the Fowler House.”
E-mail Frank Reddy at frankreddy@forsythnews.com.
The organization will hold its fourth annual Heritage Day celebration June 6 at an appropriate location: the nearly 90-year-old Fowler House on Hwy. 9.
Historical society member Jo Ann Martin said the one-and-a-half story farmhouse fits the bill.
“It’s a good example of what farm life used to be years ago in this county,” said Martin, who was raised on a nearby local farm.
Martin is charged with decorating and keeping the home clean. She ensures the structure’s interior is picture perfect for the one time a year it’s open to the public.
Those interested in taking a look at the home and surrounding smokehouse, barn, garage and chicken houses on the 10-acre farm can drop by for the free open house on Heritage Day.
From noon to 4 p.m., visitors can get their fill at the event, which features demonstrations of quilting, weaving and butter churning. There also will be lessons on how to make a corncob pipe.
Martin is the brains behind the butter churn. She said it’s a worthy cause, but sometimes difficult to find the chief ingredient.
“I try to find raw milk from cows that will make good butter. It’s getting harder and harder to come by around here,” said Martin, whose mother taught her to work the churn.
Butter’s not the only thing volunteers churn for visitors at the open house. There also will be homemade ice cream, tea cakes and cracklin’ cornbread.
Several people from the 100-member organization arrive to help out for the occasion, including co-presidents Jimmy and Martha McConnell.
Martha McConnell said the Fowler House became the site for Heritage Day a couple years after it was named to the National Register of Historic places in April 2003.
“Before that,” McConnell said, “we planned picnics at Poole’s Mill, and it would sometimes get rained out ... this way, we were inside in a nice environment.”
She said it’s been a successful run thus far.
“Last year, as soon as we opened the door we had people running in,” she said.
That’s no surprise to Martin.
“People who come out are excited,” she said. “Most of them are newcomers to the area, and they pass by and they want to see what it’s like inside of the Fowler House.”
E-mail Frank Reddy at frankreddy@forsythnews.com.