Cheers of "Huzza" will fill the air!

This weekend we are thrilled to be hosting our first “Vintage Base Ball Invitational” at Sauder Village. On Saturday afternoon (July 30th), guests can watch as the great Black Swamp Frogs from Toledo, the Ohio Village Muffins of Columbus, along with the Spiegel Grove Squires from Fremont take the field for a vintage base ball tournament using rules from the late 19th century.

Wondering what those rules and customs might be? We thought we’d help you get ready for the games by sharing just a bit of history as well as some rules and customs from the 1860s.

The New York Knickerbockers, the first club to write down the rules of what has become modern baseball, organized their team in 1845 in the Lower Manhattan area of New York City. Base ball soon began to spread with other clubs forming along the East Coast. The Civil War promoted the growth of the game as soldiers played base ball for recreation in their free time in camp. When the war was over, dozens of new clubs were formed throughout the Midwest. The emphasis in the early game was on courtesy among the gentlemen and occasionally, ladies. Historically only a few rules governed a match with the rest left up to the players’ sense on honor and good sportsmanship. Club players conducted themselves in a sportsmanlike manner that created an atmosphere where spectators cheered for good plays by either team.

Historically (and this weekend at Sauder Village), the fans cheer teams on with loud "huzzas" for a good play by either side and running to first would be urged by, "Leg it, leg it, leg it." Hand shakes from opponents and a good word are earned by a ballist making an exceptional play. We hope you'll join us this weekend for fun-filled Vintage Base Ball Invitational at Sauder Village!

Want to learn more about Rules of the 1860s and customs of the time? Visit the Ohio Village Muffins website!

Historic Gardens

Ask Susan Burkhart to name her favorite garden at Sauder Village, and she’s hard-pressed to choose just one. “All of the gardens have a unique story,” she said, “Each one was designed to depict the family who lives in the adjacent home.”

Responsible for the design and maintenance of ten gardens throughout the Village, Susan has meticulously researched the plants that would have comprised gardens of the 1800s. “The white cucumbers are harvesting now, and the ground cherries will be coming in a few weeks,” she noted.

Many plants have come from heirloom seeds given to us by our guests. “Often, families will have seeds that have been passed down from generations, for varieties of plants that are not readily available today. We welcome seeds that people share with us, and guests enjoy seeing their families’ plants growing in our gardens,” she reports.

On your next visit to Sauder Village, be sure to spend a few moments enjoying the traditional gardens, taking a horticultural tour through time.

By Dawn Hauter, Special Events Coordinator

Canning jars were set on fence posts of the gardens of yesteryear. Heat from the sun sterilized the jars and the gardener could easily see how many jars were available for canning produce.

Pot marigolds were a frequent addition to gardens of the past, their petals were made into dye that would be used for fabric, and even to color butter.

Some question why we allow plants to go to seed, when modern gardeners snip their plants to avoid it. Historically, some plants were allowed to go to seed as the seeds were needed to plant future crops.

Flowers graced vegetable gardens of the past, bringing in bees that would pollinate the plants. This saved the lady of the house the chore of hand-pollinating the plants. Flowers served a dual purpose, as they were then dried, to be used as Christmas decorations later in the year.

Named because they grow close to the ground rather than in trees, ground cherries produce a seedy, marble-sized fruit that was used to make jams and pies.

Grown for their medicinal properties, herbs were commonly planted in family gardens of long ago. Fennel, Chamomile, and other herbs grace the borders of this garden.

Children are encouraged to explore the garden at Little Pioneers Homestead, learning how food goes from garden to dinner table.

White cucumbers and squash are ready to harvest.

The pumpkin patch will be filled with large Connecticut Field Pumpkins this fall.

Naturalization Ceremony - A Meaningful Way to Celebrate Independence Day

We are so excited to be hosting the Citizenship Naturalization Ceremony of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 4, 2011. Fifty-eight immigrants will become United States citizens on this day, the 235th anniversary of our nation’s independence. Requirements that these people have fulfilled to get to this last step in the process include having been a legal resident of the United States for at least 5 years, passing a background check, and taking a test on how our government works.

Sauder Village is the perfect setting for this ceremony, because every day we tell the stories of the early settlers who came from Europe and settled here. Although times have changed, and we think today’s immigrants have it easy compared to those who came earlier, we know that they have faced obstacles and have had to make tough decisions just like our early settlers did. At some point those pioneers had to decide to leave a way of life they knew, to come to a country which they were unfamiliar with, and to learn a new way of life. Like them, these new citizens had to leave their extended families and friends and “start over”. They bring with them rich ingredients from their many cultures, which enrich our culture and make our country what it is today. The immigrant story is repeated with these 58 people from 34 different countries continuing to come and settle here.

The ceremony is one that every American should witness at some point in their lives. It is the best way to celebrate our Independence and to appreciate the wonderful country that is ours. It truly is an experience you’ll never forget.

For more information about the 4th of July Holiday Weekend at Sauder Village visit our website!

By Kris Jemmott, Director of Historic Village Operations