Light in the Dark

How do you see at night without electricity? If you lived more than 150 years ago what would you have to gather, and make yourself, to be able to have light at night? Seeing in the dark is something we take for granted today, but making your own light is frugal and satisfying.

On Barrington Farm, the home of the last president of Texas, Anson Jones, they would have been using purchased and homemade candles. The slaves might have used grease lamps, rush lights, or started their fires with flint and steel.

Try your hand at candle dipping, for those six and older, as long as supplies last. Additional farm chores will be ongoing depending on the weather conditions, but you can tour the house, kitchen, barn, and slave quarters in addition to this program.

Contact: Barb King, (936) 878-2214 ext. 246 or barb.king@tpwd.texas.gov.