Historians serve up presentation on how Blennerhassetts would have marked Christmas
Richard Hartley, left, and Martha Hartley act out a skit as if they were attending a party at Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett’s house in the 1800s. They gave a presentation at the Blennerhassett Museum Sunday based on Christmas traditions in the Blennerhassetts’ time. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Martha and Richard Hartley describe possible sweet treats the Blennerhassetts’ may have had in their home at Christmas time during their presentation at the Blennerhassett Museum. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Richard Hartley, left, and Martha Hartley act out a skit as if they were attending a party at Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett’s house in the 1800s. They gave a presentation at the Blennerhassett Museum Sunday based on Christmas traditions in the Blennerhassetts’ time. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Martha and Richard Hartley describe possible sweet treats the Blennerhassetts’ may have had in their home at Christmas time during their presentation at the Blennerhassett Museum. (Photo by Kristen Hainkel)
Trending
PARKERSBURG -- Two local food historians gave a presentation about Christmas food and traditions in the Blennerhassett mansion Sunday afternoon.
Martha and Richard Hartley, retired educators from Ritchie County, started out their lecture by acting out a skit. Martha played a wife getting ready for a party at Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett's house and Richard played a husband urging his wife to hurry up because they had to catch a ferry in Belpre. Richard said a ferry took travelers across the Ohio River until 1918.
"We're going to explore Christmas at the Blennerhassett mansion," Martha said. "Christmas pies, Christmas cakes and puddings. That's what Christmas was like in the early 1800s."
Richard said Christmas trees were not typically put up. The first recorded Christmas tree in then western Virginia was in 1829 in Clarksburg.
"Christmas festivities have roots in the customs brought here from the British Isles and Germany. In the early 1800s, these 12 days of Christmas may have included a little decorating of churches and homes with garlands and greenery, along with lots of feasting, visiting and entertainment, with family, friends, and neighbors," Martha said.
Richard said the Blennerhassetts were known for their entertainment parties. He read from a letter an attendee named William Fisher had written about his arrival to the island on Christmas Day in 1799.
"We found a number of the elite of Belpre enjoying themselves amidst the infusion of peach juleps and pumpkin pie," Richard read from the letter. "Our unexpected arrival created a wonderful sensation in the party at this particular juncture."
Martha said the Blennerhassetts would have likely served a two course meal, starting at three p.m.
"Each course would have meat and side dishes. The placements of the dishes on the table is not by accident, but by design," she said. "Two dishes of apples and pastry are on the middle of the table and coordinating pound cakes, perhaps flavored with rose water and nutmeg on either point."
Richard said this was the first time they have given a Christmas themed presentation. They started working on it three years ago, but COVID-19 put a monkey wrench into their plans.
Martha said she and Richard enjoy educating the public about history.
"It's living history. We let people know what life was like back then," she said.
Kristen Hainkel can be reached at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com