Home Life in Colonial Days

In this richly illustrated study, the author delves into the forgotten objects that once filled colonial households. Drawing on material from historic societies, old trunks, and even abandoned warehouses, she identifies and names tools and utensils that have slipped from modern dictionaries. The narrative weaves together careful detective work with vivid descriptions, offering listeners a glimpse into a “homespun vocabulary” that once defined everyday life.

The opening chapter turns to the very foundations of colonial existence: the homes themselves. It recounts how early settlers, confronted with abundant timber but no sawmills, fashioned shelter from caves, sod, and makeshift timber frames, describing the improvisations that turned wilderness into livable space. Listeners will hear colorful accounts of how these provisional dwellings evolved into the more permanent log and stone houses that later defined New England.