A Quilt of the Time Noteworthy News
The Last Words A 17-volume work, Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from interviews with Former Slaves was compiled through the Federal Writers’ Project from 19361938. It documents the experiences of 2300 of the “last living generation of former slaves.” Many individuals, including Zola Neale Hurston, interviewed the former slaves.
The quilt on the Empire style bed in the parent’s bedroom at Cherry Hill is based on a Virginia quilt made in 1820 by Mrs. William Goosely and her daughter. The original is owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The Cherry Hill quilt is made from reproduction fabric copied from the DAR collection of fabrics from 1780-1830. The design, stitching, and quilting were done by members of the Falls Church Quilters. The project took several years to finish. The quilt came into our collection in 2002, primarily due to the efforts of Mary Madeline King, who was responsible for acquiring many of the Cherry Hill furnishings and decorative items and overseeing their installation. The cost of the material and labor was $1200. It is one of several quilts at the farmhouse. Note in the photographs and in person when you are next at Cherry Hill, the lovely design and intricate quilting stitches.
The work has been digitized and is available through the Library of Congress. More about this New Dealera work can be found in the January 2021 issue of Fireside, a publication of the Living New Deal at http://livingnewdeal.org.
Tinner Hill For important historic perspective and information on Falls Church’s African American community, consult 100 Years in Black Falls Church at the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation website (www.Tinner hill.org). “Tinner Hill is an historic area of Falls Church, Virginia, named after Charles and Mary Tinner, an African American couple who bought land there in the late 19th century. Family members quarried stone used in many buildings nearby.” The video was made possible by the Foundation and funding assistance from the National trust for Historic Preservation and George Mason’s Africa and African American Studies Program. Content and photos in this issue contributed by Maureen Budetti, Corey Jannicelli, Diane Morse and Julia Peterson.
New Learning Opportunity:
Back on the Farm Did you know hens need at least 14 hours of daylight to lay an egg? Or that milk cows drink 30-50 gallons of water each day? That’s enough water to fill a bathtub! This summer, we are offering an engaging new monthly kid-friendly conversation in the barn about the cows, chickens, and other animals that used to live on Cherry Hill Farm. We will also talk about what it was like to grow up living on a farm. This family-friendly program is targeted for elementary-age children, but all are welcome to register. (Learn more at cherryhillfallschurch.org/tours-and-programs/)