Walking Down Memory Lane

Today we visited the little town of Interlachen again, the same town where we now attend church and where our son and his bride reside.  I've been wanting to visit the historic Interlachen Hall and museum, and we just happened to arrive at the right moment today. 

Here are a couple of links that will give you more information about this quaint little town and its history:

Town of Interlachen website    Link to historic photos of Interlachen

Here a few photos of some of the things I found interesting:  (few to me might be many to you, but bear with me, okay?  :)   )

This is a "doll house" replica of the old "Brush Store", which was the former post office and general store for many years. The building is still standing, but is in very bad repair.  Unfortunately, it has become too costly to restore, so may eventually need to be torn down.

This is a picture of how it looks today:  (it is no longer occupied or having "jammin" sessions.)

This is a postcard view of how it used to look:

I was fascinated by the detail of this "doll house" interior, and took a lot of pictures, but sadly my reflection shows up in many of the pictures as there is a glass covering over the sides of the doll house to protect it...hopefully you will still get the idea:   I was amazed that the lady who was our hostess tour guide is the person who actually created this outstanding display. 

Here are just a few other pictures from inside the museum:

There was much more to see, and we didn't have time to go upstairs today. I hope to go back soon and spend a little more time there. 

After this we went to see the old Lincoln Lane School House building that they are hoping to restore. They were having a yard sale there to help raise funds for the restoration:

Here is the history of this building.  It was the schoolhouse for the "African American" children, grades 1-8, built in 1938.

Exterior of the building...

Interior of the building...all the walls and ceiling were beadboard. This is where the stove pipe went for the pot bellied stove.

The old windows are currently boarded up.

They are collecting old fashioned desks like this to put in this building when it is restored.

Of course I would notice the glass doorknob, which I am amazed is still on this door. They do have another door that covers this when they close it up, so maybe that's why it's still there:

This might be a case for "Closed Doors, Open Windows"....

Yes, I like that thought...they may have closed these doors, but the children who used to have to go here to school were given new windows of opportunity when they closed these doors...and that was a very good thing...

I brought away some "souvenirs" from this little trip. For a donation for the restoration of this building I was able to purchase a couple of interesting things from their yard sale...

#1  I purchased this very lovely white teapot (although upon looking it up I discovered it is actually a "coffee pot" because of its size, but we won't tell anyone, will we? Everyone knows I am a "tea-totaller", and I really don't have any use for a coffee pot!   

It is actually a "Wawel" brand, made in Poland,  vintage "tea" pot, and the pattern is "Elegance Fine China". The only flaw is that the lid has a crack in it that has been glued back together.  I will be on the lookout for a replacement lid if one can be found that is affordable. I am calling this my "freedom tea pot"....since it was purchased at this particular old school house, which reminds me of the freedom that was gained through The Civil War for those who were once bound by slavery...and then it was almost 100 years later that the African American children were finally allowed to attend public school with their white neighbors.

#2 Item that I purchased was this little song book for children:

It was copyrighted in 1899 by A. Flanagan, and this particular booklet was a revised edition published in 1916.  It is filled with cute little songs for children for "primary and intermediate grades".  I found many interesting songs, but this one struck a chord for me today:

And so, in honor of "Doll Day",  (and also because I was in a tea-party mood since I had bought that lovely teapot), I decided to have a tea party with my dolly.  However, I decided it would be especially nice to use my antique Buster Brown child's tea set that belonged to my mother (which she inherited from her older sister).  So here is my dolly tea party:

The doll is one that I had actually given to my mother many years ago, to remind her of me, since I had red hair.  

"Come, my dolly, let us play,

for today is dollies' day;

I will smooth your pretty hair,

Your best ribbon you shall wear.

Would you like a cup of tea?

Sit at table here with me;

Here's a chair, don't be afraid;

Just for you this party's made."

Let Freedom Ring!!

I hope you enjoyed walking with me on this long, rather circuitous journey through a maze of various places and memories.  After all, it is "Summer time, and the livin' is easy..."

"Summertime, and the livin' is easy

Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high

Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good-lookin'

So hush, little baby, don't you cry

One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing

And you'll spread your wings and you'll take to the sky

But till that morning, there ain't nothin' can harm you

With daddy and mammy standin' by"

(from Porgy & Bess, by George Gershwin, 1935)

Okay, that's all folks!