Welcome to The Progress Museum 1850 cabin

The 1850 cabin: Source of Heat and Light

Sources for Heat and light

The Hearth

The Hearth was the central source for heat and light and cooking.  This was very important because it gave you the ability to cook inside the house.  Hand chiseled stone taken from a nearby rock quarry and moved to your location was hard work.  They had to move each piece, lift them into place, adjust the surface, and secure them.  Wood chopped into quarter pieces was piled up outside and brought inside when needed.  Having a good selection of iron pots, skillets, and pans helped in the preparation of meals.  The Blacksmith or Peddler would provide the cookware.  

Candles 

​Beewax candles and oil lamps were the mainstay of the Backwoods.   Candles wee made from rendered animal fat called tallow.  Tallow was readily available and could be made in large batches.  The tallow was melted and candles were made by dipping wicks over and over again to form taper candles.  These tallow candles dripped, smoked and smelled bad.  They also gave off a low light and burned quickly. Beeswax is clean burning and sweet smelling, but it was pricey. 

1. Settlers would melt waxy material, usually tallow, in a large kettle full of scalding hot water. 
2. Once the tallow was melted, they would skim off the tallow and put it in another pot for dipping. They might also have put the tallow through a sieve to get out more impurities. 
3. They would then take a long wick (either bought from the store or spun from flax or cotton) and tie it to the end of a stick. Usually they would tie several wicks to one stick so they could dip several candles at once. 
4. Once the wick was tied, they would begin dipping the wick into the melted tallow. 
5. Once the candle was large enough, the candle maker (or wives and children) would press the bottom so it was flat and then hang the candles out to dry. 

The tallow had to be stirred regularly, and it took about 25 dippings  for a whole candle. Because it was quite a process, colonists would set aside an entire day for this annual chore. This process was the same regardless of the wax being used.

Oil Lamps

A lamp is a device that holds and burns fuel, typically oil, as a means of producing light. Although oil lamps have taken on a variety of shapes and sizes throughout history, the basic required components are a wick, fuel, a reservoir for fuel, and an air supply to maintain a flame.

Wicks come in a wide range of sizes and shapes. They are generally made from natural fibers such as cotton, flax or even hemp. The job of the wick is to transport the fuel from the container to the flame. Capillary action draws the liquid fuel up the wick, which prevents the wick from burning up; the flame actually burns just above the wick's surface. The heat chars the top of the wick. Regular wick trimming prevents smoking and produces the cleanest flame.

Next Page