Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm

Home

Hours

Calendar

Our Farm

site search by freefind

Free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families!

OUR FARM: BUILDINGS
Farm House - Spring House - Cabin - School House - Barn

The Granddaddy House

This cabin was a simple home for the grandparents after the main home became crowded.

JUMP TO
History - Architecture

History:

Many emigrants, like the Zepper family came to America without an extended family. When Catherine Zepper, their daughter met and married John Simon Meyer, a Hessian soldier who had no family at all, they settled down in the Zepper homestead. The home was a small log bank house and as the Meyer children began to arrive, the home soon began to be crowded. It was then that they constructed the Granddaddy house.

The grandparent's bed folded against the wall when not in use. The Granddaddy house was greatly prized because it housed the cumbersome loom and spinning equipment. It also afforded a quiet place to teach the girls the art of spinning, weaving, cooking and housekeeping, out of the turmoil of the growing family in the main house. Under the watchful eye of their grandparents, children learned many skills and manners.

Grandparents were revered during this time in American history, not only for their help but for their knowledge and their willingness to pass along the importance of their heritage.

When Grandparents became incapacitated, they were lovingly cared for by the members of their own family and were allowed to die surrounded by caring, loving kinsmen.

Architecture:

A simple log cabin with a small loft above, a fire place and clay floor. In place of a staircase, heavy pegs were stuck into the wall. These had two advantages, first it allowed for extra space to be used as storage and the pegs could be removed then the grandchildren came to visit and the cleeping children above became troublesome during the the evenings.