Mendenhall Village Fair 2016

In just a few more days, the annual Village Fair will return to Mendenhall Homeplace in Jamestown, N.C.

Tannery Books will have a pop-up shop on the porch of the Dr. Madison Lindsay house. The century-old home (built by 1817) also served as a medical school.



The Village Fair will be Saturday, July 15, from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is free, including self-tours of the historical buildings.

A carriage sits outside the Pennsylvania-style barn at the 2016 Village Fair. Inside the barn is one of two false-bottom wagons in the country that were used to smuggle slaves along the Underground Railroad.



A blacksmith from High Point Museum plies his trade in the shady yard.












The doctor is IN.

Costumed interpreters provide a sense of life here in the 19th century.












The cast of 'Pathway to Freedom' sings soulful selections from the outdoor drama at 3 pm.








If you're in the central part of the state, Moore County Genealogical Society will have a day of seminars starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 15. Topics include researching around burned courthouses and lost records, DNA, and the North Carolina Archives.

Wordless Wednesday — Antebellum Beauty

A cast member of Snow Camp's Pathway to Freedom poses in front of the Mendenhall Plantation house at the 2013 Village Fair.

Mendenhall Plantation Village Fair 2013

The old Mendenhall store, across the street from the house









I carted Quaker books over to Mendenhall Plantation again this year for their 11th annual Village Fair. The usual summer storm held off until evening, giving us vendors and performers great weather — cloudy with an occasional breeze.













We jumped at occasional musket booms, as a family of Revolutionary re-enactors roamed the plantation this year.








North Carolina's outdoor dramas, featuring performances about our state's history, are wonderful. So far, I've only seen The Lost Colony on Roanoke Island and The Sword of Peace at Snow Camp.

The players from Snow Camp's drama about the Underground Railroad, Pathway to Freedom, once again paid a visit to the Village Fair to share their talents. Let me tell you, these folks can sing!

Jam session on the drums







Here are photos from the Village Fair in 2012 and 2010.

Wordless Wednesday — Village Fair

A costumed interpreter listens to dulcimer music and singing at the Mendenhall Plantation's 10th annual Village Fair.

Village Fair at Mendenhall Plantation

Mendenhall Plantation held their 10th annual Village Fair last weekend. The house and grounds in Jamestown, N.C. represent "the Other South" — 19th-century Quaker life and the Underground Railroad.

I've participated several years, but this was my first time as a bookseller. (2010 photos). I had a nice spot with an artist painting on one side, mule rides on the other side, and an open view of the barn and entertainment area.

Relaxing music emanated from the barn, where two people played dulcimers and sang.

Other areas had artifacts, a blacksmith, weaving and spinning, quilts, children's games, and a "doctor's office." A couple of singers from "Pathway to Freedom" at Snow Camp (central N.C.) capped off the performances.

The mules provided all-day entertainment (for me as well as the riders). I watched a steady stream of cute kids pet the patient animals and excited adults climb in and out the reproduction wagon. The driver sometimes made people wait so his team could have short rest periods, but he chatted as they waited.

At the end of the day, a costumed interpreter pets Ruby, while Lucy waits patiently for the ride home.

Amanuensis Monday - Archdale, N.C. in 1902

From the North Carolina Year Book, 1902.

Randolph County
Justices of the Peace for Trinity Township were W.N. Elder of Maud, J.F. Mendenhall of Thomasville, B. L. Lineberry of Trinity, E.W. Pugh of Progress, W.M. Wilson of Archdale, and R.E. Mendenhall of High Point.

Public School Teachers: [I'm only posting those in the Archdale area]
Farlow, Miss May, Sophia
Elder, Miss Daisy, Archdale
Bulla, Miss Dora, Sophia
Bulla, Miss Bird, Sophia

Schools and Academies: [none in Archdale]

Ministers not in Towns: [none in Archdale]

Physicians not in Towns: J.M. Tomlinson, Archdale.

Factories, Cotton Gins, Cotton Mills, Lumber Plants, Saw Mills: [none]

Merchants not in Towns: S.F. Wall & Co., Sophia

Saloons: [none in Randolph County]

Archdale
Incorporated in 1874.
Population, 182.
Tax rate, 12 and a half c on $100
Town Officers. MAYOR- H.A. Tomlinson
CLERK- W.M. Wilson
TREASURER- W.M. Wilson
TAX COLLECTOR- John F. White
CHIEF OF POLICE- John F. White
BOARD OF ALDERMEN- H.A. Tomlinson, J.M. Tomlinson, T.S. Folwell, Lee Andrews, W.J. Wilson
PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPT. Miss Sallie Redding.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE- L.C. Andrews, E.W. Pugh, H.A. Tomlinson
POSTMASTER- J.M. Tomlinson
R.R. AGENT- A.C. English
EXPRESS AGENT- A.C. English

Ministers and Churches.
FRIENDS- D.C. Cox, Pastor.

Doctors. J.M. Tomlinson

General Merchandise.
H.A. Tomlinson & Co.
Martin Creasy.

Poultry Yards.
Archdale Poultry Yards.

Amanuensis Monday - Trinity, N.C. in 1902

From the North Carolina Year Book, 1902.


Randolph County
T.J. Finch, of Wheatmore, was a County Commissioner.
Justices of the Peace for Trinity Township were W.N. Elder of Maud, J.F. Mendenhall of Thomasville, B. L. Lineberry of Trinity, E.W. Pugh of Progress, W.M. Wilson of Archdale, and R.E. Mendenhall of High Point.

Public School Teachers: [I'm only posting those in the Trinity area]
Royalis, Miss Birdie, Trinity
Gibbs, J.E., Trinity
Crater, A.A., Trinity
McCarkle, Miss, Trinity
Ingram, Mrs. L.J., Trinity
Young, Miss Indie, Trinity
Johnson, Miss Rosa L., Trinity
Craven, Mrs. Nannie, Trinity
Heitman, J.F., Trinity
Fearns, Miss Corinna, Hill's Store [I'm not sure where that is]
Thayer, Mrs. W.F., Hoover Hill

Schools and Academies: [none in Trinity]

Ministers not in Towns: METHODIST: C.A. Wood, J.P. Lanning, A.A. Crater, J.F. Heitman, Trinity.

Physicians not in Towns: D. Reid Parker, Trinity.

Factories: Dixie Chair Co., Trinity

Cotton Gins, Cotton Mills, Lumber Plants, Saw Mills: [none]

Merchants not in Towns:
J.L. Hinshaw, Hoover Hill
L.S. Harrelson, Hoover Hill
W.S. Loler, Trinity
B. Parker, Trinity

Saloons: [none in Randolph County]

Trinity
Incorporated in 1869.
Population, 274.
Town Officers. BOARD OF ALDERMEN- J.K. Harris, B. Parker, A.C. English, J.R. Reddick, J.D. Bronne.
POSTMASTER- Miss Amanda Leach
R.R. AGENT- A.C. English
EXPRESS AGENT- A.C. English

Ministers and Churches. METHODIST- G.E. Eaves, Pastor.

Schools and Academies. TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL- A.A. Crater, Principal.

Hotels and Boarding Houses. Parker House.

General Merchandise.
B. Parker.
W. Lohr.
J. Parkin.
W. O. Harris.

Village Fair

Saturday I went to the eighth annual Village Fair at Mendenhall Plantation in Jamestown, N.C. The early 19th-century house and barn belonged to Richard Mendenhall, a Quaker. It is now a museum about that family's everyday life and the "Other South" - people who kept up plantations and homes by themselves because they did not believe in slavery.

The Village Fair featured crafts - kids making Quaker bonnets, a lady spinning wool, a metal detecting club showing the artifacts they've found, vendors and musicians.

Left, The Good News Boys. Below, Triad Scottish Fiddlers and Friends.










They had a blacksmith working at his trade, and a few people in costume.









I didn't get to see it this year, but across the street at the old meetinghouse they re-enacted a traditional Quaker wedding.

The false-bottom wagon, now at Mendenhall, was used to transport runaway slaves on the underground railroad. Read more about the wagon here. They rolled it under this tent just before a big rainstorm.