We had a trip back to the 18th Century this week.

We had an awesome field trip this week.  We went to the Painted Stone Settlement Massacre.  This settlement was started by none other than Daniel Boone Himself.  It was one of many.  The kids and I got a chance to learn about life on the settlement and all the struggles you had being a pioneer in the new Kan-Tuk-ee lands.  So I'm sharing my pics with you with a few tidbits of info along the way.

This gentleman played a tune on a Fife.  He also talked about the history of the American Flags.  We all know the wonderful flag made by Betsy Ross but there were other flags.  As the states grew and Kentucky being #15 this flag had 15 stars and 15 stripes.  BUT after that they went back to 13 stripes.  ALSO, because they only had letters and not pictures to communicate with perceptions would get mixed up.  So we saw a flag that was used in one of the settlements here in KY back in the 18th century that had Blue and Red stripes white background and blue 8 point stars on it.  George Rogers Clark was told he had to carry a flag and he made one out of what he had and that ended up being red and green stripes.  HOW NEAT!

This gentleman is holding a genuine KY pistol.  This gun as well as the KY rifle were not named because they were made here as they were actually made in FRANCE, but because they were used here on the frontier. 

 This is April Fool.  She is 20 yrs old and her lineage is from horses used one the frontier in the 18th century.  Most of the horses then were not LARGE because people mostly used horses as work horses.  They really didn't ride them much.  My 2 sons are helping get her clean. 

 This is what Daniel Boon would have been dressed like.  He was not just a frontiersmen but he was also one of KY first state Representatives as well and a surveyor.  Daniel Boone was a very well educated HOMESCHOOLER.  He could never learn enough and would actually hire others whom he could learn from through out his life to tutor him so he could learn more.  We had a chance to see copies of Daniel Boones survey work as they were very precise and well done.  Also they were selling land on the frontier for a little over a penny an acre.  WOW!

 This is a blacksmith.  Now we all know that Blacksmiths were in every town or community.  They were needed for so many things that you and I take for granted today.  In most settlements the Blacksmith was even the Dentist because Dr's were very rare on the frontier. 

 Now we all needed our clothes to be laundered and on the frontier sometimes you would have this woman do it for you for those stubborn stains.  However the methods they used are not quite what you would imagine.  They used a combination of wood ash, lye, and of course they made soap from pig fat and lye mixed together, and ok SIT DOWN FOR IT>>>> human urine.  That is right.  She would trade her services for your urine.  ICK!  Urine after sitting for a while will turn into ammonia.  Did you know that,  I didn't!  Anyway, they would also use the natural sunlight to bleach out clothes. 

 Of course all food was made from scratch.  On the frontier though, much of what they ate was made of corn.  Did you know they would boil some food with wood ash too?  This was a way to preserve it as well.   Of course they would drain it but still....sounds gross.  This woman is making pound cake over a fire.  Wow, old school.  At least I know that if my oven goes out again I can still make cake!

 This is a frontier Dr getting ready to pull a musket ball out of my sons shoulder as he volunteered to get shot for this demonstration. 

And Finally this woman is explaining the customs of the average life on the frontier.  Did you know they would learn the ABC's on the frontier with a Doll with long arms and legs.  How cool.  And since they didn't have pics of family to remember them by they would cut a lock of hair and keep it.  She saved some of her own family's and boy the kids will not forget that! 

There were so many other things that we saw and learned but  this is just a taste.  Hope you enjoyed your short walk into the Kan-ta-Kee frontier.