Steam Engines

Many wonderful events take place at the Pickering Museum Village that will enthrall the visitor. One such event recently took place -The Steam Engine Day. Many other exhibits and activities were there for everyone's enjoyment, and special volunteers were picked for the hands on events such as learning in the Blacksmith's shop as pictured above.

Article and photographs by: Trina Astor-Stewart

There are many steam engines at the village and an active club of gentlemen to run them.

Here two men operate a steam powered saw for cutting small pieces of wood.

There were all sizes, from huge steam engine tractors to table top models and everything in-between.

Loading the steam furnace

The museum relies on its many volunteers to help out. It looks like so much work, when you watch, and then, seeing the volunteers dressed in their costumes and hurrying about you realize this is actually, so much fun!

They love the opportunity it gives them to engage in these old fashioned activities. Some young men get instructions on loading a furnace ‘the old way’, while others join the blacksmith and learn to heat steel until it can be formed into horses hooves etc.

There were costume makers, weavers, and bread bakers busily making marvelous creations either to wear, or better yet, to eat right on the spot. I had my eye on the freshly baked apple crisp as it came out of the old oven.

You can learn a thing or two that are helpful in today’s world too. We have all heard of organic produce, well not only does ‘organic’ mean no pesticides, but it also means the plants themselves are organic, not genetically altered. Gardeners were on hand at the event ready to sell some old perennial flowers or some organic tomato plants. I could just simply not choose from those delicious sounding tomatoes so took one of each and they are now growing quite large in my back yard!

All these activities bring history to life!

The olden days were not all work, as you can see these young girls are out playing crocket.