Festival celebrates technologies of times past

Antique tools, crafts and wardrobe helped people take a step back in time to experience what life was like years ago.

Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site and the Pettis County Historical Society hosted its first-ever Old Tyme Technologies Day on Saturday.

More than a dozen crafters set up displays giving people a hands-on experience with tasks such as grinding corn and making candles.

Charles Wise, president of the Pettis County Historical Society, said he was pleased with the number of visitors.  “It’s good for kids and adults to show them how far we’ve come with technology over the past 100 years,” Wise said. “It’s hard to visualize sometimes without being able to see it or touch it.”

Emma Rollings, 10, of Sedalia, twisted rope to make a jump rope as little brother, Jude Rollings, 9, cheered her on.
“It’s awesome,” Jude said.

Emma said she will take the jump rope to school for everyone to use.

Byron and Judy Matson, of Sedalia, sat near their 1925 Pierce-Arrow as they showed people what a motor picnic was like.

The Matsons dressed in 1920s apparel and sat at their foldable picnic table with champagne and strawberries.

“I think it’s interesting for young people to see that picnicking was done with a table and chairs and silverware,” Byron said. “People really did enjoy being outdoors.”

Sherrill Rowland, of Sedalia, said her favorite display was the antique cars.

“I think this is a great idea,” Rowland said.

Children could be seen walking around carrying sticks with candles forming on them. They could make their own candles by dipping strings in wax and letting it dry several times.

Diana Dickey, of Arrow Rock has been making candles for 20 years. She displayed wax earrings and wax hand molds for people to purchase.

She said the history behind candles is important for children to know.

“They have to know a little bit of history to understand how people lit their homes before electricity,” Dickey said.

Leanna Horn, 75, of Sedalia showed off her collection of antique kitchen utensils, demonstrating how they were used.

An antique mousetrap caught the attention of many visitors. The mousetrap is made of sharp hooks and a bait is placed in the center of the hooks. A mouse takes the bait and the hooks close in on it, killing it.

“I always say more fingers have been caught in there than mice,” Vernon Horn, Leanna’s husband said.

Her collection contains antique can openers, ice-cream scoops and cookie cutters.

The cookie cutters are Leanna’s “pride and joy.”

George and Linda McCollum, of Sedalia, used hickory bark and corn shucks to weave together chair bottoms.

“It’s one of the things that’s becoming a lost art,” George said.

George scrapes the bark off  trees, then soaks them in water to make them soft enough to shape.

“It’s something we do for fun,” George said.

Antique gasoline engines, quilts and cars kept people entertained throughout the day.

“I hope that this becomes an annual event,” Rowland said