A Fireside Chat: A brief look at three objects from the Keeping Room Hearth

The Homestead was built around a central chimney serving three fireplaces, the largest of which is in the Keeping Room.   This fireplace, with its beehive oven, was at the center of daily household activities.  On the hearth of that fireplace are three items immediately familiar to colonial men and women, but less known today.

A Carriage Foot Warmer.  Popular in the 18^th century, the foot warmer was a metal box with a hinged door within a wooden frame with a wire handle or bail. The metal box contained a tray to hold the embers or charcoal. Holes could be found both in the wood or metal to allow for ventilation to release the warmth from the coals.   Foot warmers were used in various settings, most notably in carriages, sleighs, churches, and meeting houses.

Wrought Iron Rotary Bread Toaster.  Long-handled, the toaster could be placed close to the fire without danger. The toast arm rotates to facilitate toasting on both sides of two slices of bread.  You have to imagine that in a household as large as the Deacon’s, the family had either a lot of patience, or more than one toaster!

A Betty Lamp.  In the 18th century, betty lamps were a readily available lighting source. The name of the lamp is from the German word besser, meaning better. The Betty lamp differs from earlier oil/grease lamps in that it uses an internal wick holder to eliminate fuel drip common with older lamp designs.