RHS in Action

Blacksmith Day, October 5, 2024 -- Many Visitors Learned about the Art of Blacksmithing

On a bright sunny fall day, the Richfield Historical Park was filled with people learning how metal is heated and shaped. Lots of other things to do kept the crowd entertained....Read More

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25th Annual Thresheree & Harvest Festival, September 21, 2024 -- What a Wonderful Way to Spend a Day Outside at the Richfield Historical Park

The day dawned with a bright sun and pleasant tempertures. The steam engines hissed their steam, small engines putt-putted, silent auction tent was set up and the food grills were hot. A record-setting crowd roamed the grounds of the park....Read More

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Photos Entered in SPOOM Contest Won 1st Place for the Interior Category

The Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM) has a photography contest. This year, RHS submitted photos along with this 'story':

In a homage titled "Time Stands Still," volunteers of Richfield Historical Park recreated a century-old photo capturing the grist mill's interior. Motivated by its historical significance, the scene mirrors George Mayer, the owner in the original photo, with Al Mayer in the contemporary role. Every detail resonates authentically, down to the broken piece of millstone gear resting on the table. The mill itself, housing original equipment like turbines, millstones, and sifters untouched since its closure over 70 years ago, stands as a testament frozen in time. Currently undergoing restoration by dedicated volunteers, the mill will resume operations in the future, offering visitors a glimpse into its 150-year-old history.

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Around the County Podcast Featuring the Richfield Historical Society

The Society's president, Pete Samson, and Vice President, Joni Crivello, participated in a podcast about the Society and the Historical Park. This podcast is part of the Around the County series sponsored by the Tower Heritage Center (Washington County Historical Society).

Click Here to listen to this interesting narrative (Episode #25).

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Weekly Highlights

Something About Richfield

In 1852, the St. Jacobi congregation was organized and a log church was built on what is the cemetery for the current church (Scenic & Hwy 167). The church door was never locked and a large key, 6-8 inches long, hung on the inside. A parsonage was built across the road. A new structure was built in 1892 at a cost of $2,095. The name of the first pastor is unknown, but Rev. G. Ebling as a part-time pastor was paid $6 for his services in 1869. One photo shows the funeral of Eva Laubenheimer Klippel in 1910 with the church in the background.

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Something About the Park

The Richfield Historical Society has a horse fly net. Just what is this thing? It is a piece of gear for use on a horse to shoo away flies and keep them from annoying or biting the horse. It is also called a fly blanket, or fly coat or fly cape. The fly net is made of ropes or strips of leather tied into a net to spread across the back of a horse. It provides enough movement while a horse is working to keep horse flies from landing.

A horse fly net with a special stitch was reportedly patented by Robert Wilson. It is unknown if the fly net owned by the RHS was made by the Wilson Co. But, regardless, here is a little history of Robert Wilson. He was born October 16, 1810, at Williamsport, PA, and early in life he learned the saddler's and harness maker's trade, at which he worked in his native town and also in New York State.

In 1850 Robert settled in Milton, PA, where he worked as a journeyman at his trade, and six years later he devised what has since been known all over the United States as the Wilson Fly Net. In 1856 he started to manufacture and sell the nets on a small scale. Their value was at once recognized and the demand increased in one year from 400 to thousands.

The leather shavings from the machines were thrown through the back windows of the factory. A great pile was always there and boys frequented the place and wrapped these shavings into spool shaped ball, which, with a tack or pin to hold its shape, was a handy missile to have in the boys’ pockets. 

It is possible you can see this net on the back of a wooden horse that lives in the log barn located on the south end of the Richfield Historical Park.

Photos: RHS horse fly net; Horses with the fly net (2)

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Past Features of RHS in Action