Genesee Country Village & Museum Online Store is Up & Running for The Holidays!

 Just in time for the holidays, the Genesee Country Village & Museum is proud and excited to announce that once again, all of our specialty pottery is avaliable in our online store and is able to be shipped to your home!

Used throughout the village, our Salt Glazed Stoneware, Redware and Albany slip Pottery are all entirely handmade in the village by Master Potter Mark Presher.  Each piece is hand throw on the potter's wheel, each handle, hand shaped. Mark does not use molds in any way and his pieces have a sincerity and authenticity not found elsewhere. 

The styles and designs he produces are based on historic research of 19th century potteries in this area. The Salt glazed stoneware is fired in our wood fired kiln, the only wood-fired kiln in a Museum in the country. That, combined with their historical accuracy, means that the pieces produced in the village are as close to 19th century pottery as can be.  Mark's craftsmanship is unmatched. If you've been to the village, you've see his work in almost all of the village buildings and of course, in each village kitchen!


This is a great way to bring a little of the authenticity of the museum into your home and any of the pieces in our shop would be a fine gift for the museum lover on your list! 

We also have artisan products from our Tinsmiths and broom makers online. And starting next week, we'll have The Official Fat Ox Ale Glassware and Stoneware Mugs!  Over the next few weeks we'll have more children's items, books and replicas of our village made by The Cat's Meow!

All orders ship within 3 business days! 
 

And, as always, all of these pieces in our online store are also avaliable for sale in our gift shop! 

Mark is showcased in the documentary, The Potters Fire, also avaliable online. 

Filling The Root Cellar Fall 2010

This past Monday, our Pioneers filled their root cellar with vegetables to store until spring. We could hardly believe that it was time already, as it seems like they just opened it, opening weekend of the season this past May. 

 

 The Cellar. 

Our cellar has evolved over time from just a hole in the ground, to the current design which includes framed in sides and a french drain. 

 It's fairly deep.

Crating the vegetables for the winter.
We keep our vegetables in separate crates and insulate them with straw.

 This year's store includes giant turnips, potatoes & carrots.
All of these vegetables were grown at the museum this season.

Packing the cellar with the crates of vegetables.

After the crates are in, the entire cellar is stuffed with straw for insulation. 

All the way to the top!

A heavy tight fitting cover is put on top of it.
Notice how the cellar is slanted to let water run easily off of it.

And our vegetables are snug until spring!

Spirits Of The Past Tour: A Spooky Evening of 19th Century Superstition and Local Lore

Looking for a new twist on the same old Halloween tour?

On Oct. 15-16, Oct. 22-23 and Oct. 29-30, We'll be will host an all-new Spirits of the Past Tour.

Unlike typical seasonal tours, this one has an historic component and uses the19th-century historic village as its canvas, to explore local legends and 19th-century superstitions. It is a truly unique experience.

Picture the scene. It’s dark, long past sunset. There’s something disquieting in the air. The old buildings, even the trees, their dry leaves rustling, seem to be whispering dark, sinister secrets. Stories of unnatural happenings, even a scalping, abound. The poor woman who would give anything, ANYTHING, to get her wish. And here, body parts. Could that be murder?

Our region is awash in tales of wandering spirits, murder and the unexplained. Can these tales be true? Or are they just legends?

Guides, whose garments are reminiscent of the fearsome Dementors, will lead guests through the darker recesses of the village to discover these seldom-told tales. From cellars to cupolas, no quarter that offers a forbidding venue for these true tales and folklore is ignored. Some of the buildings themselves have a dark history, and eerie happenings still occur there, if you listen to those who frequent the buildings.

Tours depart every 10 minutes each night between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Cost is $12/$10 members. Reservations are required. Call (585) 538-6822.

The program is not recommended for children under 12 because of the adult themes involved. With the uneven walk areas and sometimes steep stairways, walking shoes are a must!

Tickets are available at the museum’s gift shop, by phone: 585-538-6822. Reservations are required.

The Greene Collection-Men's Coats

This week, or selections from the Greene Collection features men's clothing for the first time.

It's important to note that one of the reasons that the collection is so important is because it includes a wide variety of mens clothing items from the 19th century. Typically, mens clothes are harder to find than women's, with work clothing, being particularly scarce. We'll highlight some typical work clothing in the near future.

Today, however, we are focusing on some beautiful men's coats.

Our first piece is from 1845-1855 and is made of a fine black broadcloth. It is double-breasted, has very wide notched lapels and is entirely hand stitched. The skirt and side back are lined with greenish wool or mohair brocade. The front and sides are padded and there are no pockets except for 2 hidden in the back. The buttons are cut velvet covered and the sleeve vents have 3 small satin covered buttons,, underarm seam.

Our second coat, from 1820-1825 is entirely hand stitched in a blue/white diamond twill check cotton. It is double breasted with a fairly narrow high-standing collar. There are 4 buttons on each side, round tails with self buttons at each side. It has pockets toward back. It has a relatively wide back and long, narrow sleeves with slight fullness near top. It also has a deep faux cuff with two small self buttons.

This coat, cuts a particularly fine silhouette for a gentleman.