Fun Fact Friday #17 - Don't Forget to Carve Your Turnip! 🎃

      Now, this post is going to be less of a fun fact and more of a fun (fictional) tale about the history of jack-o-lanterns and how they got their name.  

      Many of the stories that surround the naming of the glowing pumpkin come from a man named Stingy Jack. Stingy Jack was a troublemaker to say the least. He would drink as much as he could and then play tricks on everybody, even the Devil himself. One day Jack tricked the Devil into climbing an old apple tree. After the Devil climbed the tree, Jack left crosses all around it's trunk. Of course, the Devil is unable to touch crosses, so he was not able to climb down. He did this so the Devil would promise to not take his soul when he died. The Devil promised, Jack took away the crosses, and the Devil climbed down. 

Stingy Jack and his turnip jack-o-lantern.

      When is was Jack's time to pass on he went up to Heaven and met Saint Peter. Jack was told that becasue he was mean and nasty during hi lifetime he was not allowed into Heaven and was sent down to the dark depths of the Devil's home. The Devil kept his promise, though, and would not let him in. Jack was lost somewhere in the middle, called the Netherworld. He asked the Devil how he could leave this lightless place, so the Devil showed him an ember to lead him back to the depths. 

      In this story, Jack always carried a turnip with him because it was one of his favourite foods. Jack hollowed out the turnip and stuck the ember inside. From that day forward, Jack wandered Earth, with no resting place, lighting his way with his "Jack-O-Lantern". 
      
      This story came from Ireland and it's ancient Celtic traditions on All Hallow's Eve. Because Ireland was lacking pumpkins, they would use turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes, or beets. 

      The Tyrconnell area was once known as Little Ireland because of the amount of Irish people that lived there. It is possible that the settlers might have carved some sort of vegetable on All Hallow's Eve. 

Come for a tour at the oldest house in Little Ireland, the Backus-Page House Museum!
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #13 - Don't Forget to Wipe! 🚽

Manila Hemp Paper - Now usually
used for crafting and pulp.

      Did you know that toilet paper was not invented until about 1857?

      Joseph Gayetty was an American inventor that originally thought of the idea of cleaning your behind with something other than leaves or rags. He found that using flat sheets of manila hemp paper was much more comfortable and was advertised it as "the greatest necessity of the age". He then made it into a medically lubricated paper with aloe used for hemorrhoids. 

Scott Toilet Paper - 2018

Unfortunately, Gayetty's business failed and in stepped Thomas, Edward, and Clarence Scott. They founded the Scott Paper Company in 1879 and began selling paper on a roll instead of common flat sheets. This is now the brand you know as Scott Toilet Paper. 

Come and check out some of the old toilets people used in the 19th century at the Backus-Page House Museum:
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Friday #12 - Got Syrup? 🍁

      Did you know that maple syrup has more calcium in it than milk?

      Maple syrup seems to be a more reliable source of many different nutrients. You may have heard that the amount of calcium in milk "helps build strong bones", but in reality maple syrup contains about 321.3 mg of calcium per cup while milk contains 300 mg. Maple syrup also contains more potassium than a banana in the same context! There is also a ton of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron! Who knew your pancakes could actually be so healthy?

Come learn more about maple syrup at the Backus-Page House Museum:

29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Fridays #8 - Eva Pearce

      Did you know that Backus-Page House has Eva Pearce's bed that she scratched her name into almost 130 years ago?

      Eva Pearce was a young lady that was born in 1881 (d. 1965) and was a granddaughter to William Pearce, who settled on Lot 11, Concession 8, Dunwich in 1826. William was one of the first four settlers in that township. The area he chose to settle on is now known as Pearce Williams Christian Centre and is a summer camp for children who come from all over Canada.

      At Backus-Page House we have the exact bed that Eva Pearce slept on. It is a rope style bed (see Fun Fact Friday #3 - Sleep Tight... to learn more) with a head board that Eva, herself, carved her name into. It does not take long to figure out where her name is, but you can always come visit us to see for yourself!

Backus-Page Hosue Museum
29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON
(519) 762-3072

Fun Fact Fridays #3 - Sleep Tight...

      Did you know that the saying, "sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite", comes from rope beds that were made in the 19th century?

      

      Instead of having a box spring holding up the mattress, people would use ropes tied in a square pattern. To keep the mattress from sinking to the floor, people would need to tighten the ropes before going to bed.  Therefore, "sleep tight". 

      Mattresses were not nearly as comfortable as they are today. Most mattresses these days have either memory foam or some type of fluffy material to keep people comfortable and happy while sleeping. In the 1800s, though, people would stuff their mattress with either grass clippings or straw/hay. Usually bugs would be swept up along with whatever the mattress was stuffed with. Therefore, "don't let the bed bugs bite". 

Hay/Grass Clippings/Leaf Stuffed Mattress

Rope Bed "Box Spring"