A Bimonthly Publication of the Freeport
Area Historical Society April/May, 2001
MEETINGS
The next meeting of the Freeport Area Historical Society will be Thursday, April 12. The program will be a video "Tarentum, History in the Making."
The May meeting will be Thursday, May 10. The program will be a video of the history of Natrona. These videos run about 30 to 45 min.
Both meetings will begin at 7:30 at the Freeport Community Center. Can't stay for the whole program? Come for as long as you can and enjoy. We'll bring popcorn - bring your own soda!
SEPTEMBER
Looking ahead to September 15 and 16: Plans are well underway to provide a tour of Freeport and the Mill as part of the Business Association Craft Show. We may be able to use a trolley or small bus. We would charge about $3/adults, $1/children 12 and under. There is much work to be done before then. Please plan to come and help as much as you can. At the April meeting we hope to set up some work schedules. If you are interested in helping, call Don at 295-4635.
HEIRLOOM RECIPES
Ham and Dumplings
Ham Potatoes, desired amount
1 whole onion, cut into quarters
4 T. bacon grease
Dumplings:
4 C. flour 4 T. bacon grease
4 T. bak. Pwdr. ½ to ¾ C. water
¼
Fill pan ½ to ¾ full of water. Add ham, onion and
bacon grease. Simmer for 3 hours. Then add potatoes. Mix dumpling
ingredients into a ball. Divide into 3 or 4 smaller balls. Roll
each ball out on a floured table with a floured rolling pin.
Cut into 3" strips. Place in broth. Cook 12 minutes. This
recipe has been in the family since the early 1900's. It's a
favorite of my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
-Betty Vorp
FOR SALE
Looking for a great gift for that special someone…maybe even yourself? These items are available at the Freeport Library and at Sisters 3 and Me:
Freeport Mugs - with the original Borough seal on one side, a packet boat on the other - $5.00
Coins "minted" by Carson Castings - with the mill on one side, the Borough seal on the other - $20.00
Oral History Books - Freeport, Buffalo and South Buffalo - $20.00 each. Winfield - $13.00.
Throws with scenes of Freeport - $50.00
Wooden replicas of the mill, made by Hometown Collectibles, limited edition - $18.00
Freeport Area Historical Society Cookbooks - $8.50
Q and A
We'd like to start a question/answer column. Do you have a question about some facet of our area history? Send it to the Historical Society at p. O. Box 107, Freeport, or call Don at 295-4635, or Email Carol at pchale@salsgiver.com. We'll have a local expert answer it in a future newsletter. And speaking of future newsletters, if you have an item you'd like to include, an old family story, for example, please send, call or Email to the above - deadline for next newsletter will be May 20.
WHAT'S IN A NAME
Grist n. matter of interest or value forming the basis of a story or analysis, as in the phrase "grist for one's mill." This is a working title - do you like it? Hate it? Have a better idea? Call or send your suggestions to Don or Carol before the May meeting. We'll vote on it. The winner gets a Freeport Mug.
FROM JOHN SHOOP'S WEATHER BOOK
1848 - 1870
James Bole Died Sept. 12th 1854 age
73 years…the river fros over on the 5 of Decm 1854 &
we had very cold wether & 6 inches of snow fel…old Jimmy
James died on the 7th of December 1854…David Clawson died
on the 8 of Feb 1855…the streets were so isey on the 8 &
9 Feb 1855 that a person could not git along the streets…on
the Night of the 25 of Feb it was coldest Night in the Winter
of 1855…the river broke up on the 8 day March 1855…Benjaman
F Weaver was kiled on the 10 day of March 1855 and was Burried
14 1855…The first steamboat com up March 12 1855 toting 2
flat boats to the aquedock for ice…the water was let
in the canell March 13 1855…the canell broke below the little
dock the 17 March 1855…the river was very hi on the 18 March
1855…the first raft com down the Allegheny on 20 of March
1855 & landed here on the 28 Apr 1855 there was 16 rafts in
site at one time and on the same day there was 83 rafts past hear…on
the 29 Apr 1855 there were forty rafts past down here…on
the 21 day of Aprill in 1855 I herd a wipperwill Hallowing over
in the hill…There was hard frost on the 5 of May 1855…it
snowed on the 8 May 1855…there was a hard frost on the 10
May 1855.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar are as written by John Shoop.
MEMBERSHIPS
It is time to renew or begin a membership
to the Freeport Area Historical Society. Dues are $10 per year.
If you have an interest in our community and preserving its history,
please join us.