Homelife

In 1800,children were expected to participate in the life of the family and contribute to it. Parents depended upon their children to carry out necessary jobs—caring for younger children, sitting with aged grandparents, helping with farm chores, preparing food, spinning and sewing. Chores Houses were lit with kerosene lamps, food was cooled in iceboxes, and rooms warmed by wood-burning or coal-burning stoves. Families did not have today’s luxuries of electricity, telephones or indoor plumbing. Children worked every day on the farm, alongside their parents, feeding animals, planting, weeding and harvesting the crops, gathering eggs and milking cows – all by hand.

Foods and snacks people ate The foods and snacks people ate are: Idaho potatoes,berries, marshmallows,grapes,cherries,sandwiches,necco wafers,ginger ale,breakfast cereal,campbell soup,tomatoes,California raisins,baby food,margarine,cream cheese,summer pudding,heinz ketchup,candy corn,passion fruit,french dressing,Dr pepper, coca cola,pizza,ice cream sundaes,hershey bars,jell-o,peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,pepsi, jelly beans,and farm foods.

. Louis Campau built this church in 1837 for the catholics and it was used by them for a few years. The Catholic society was unable to buy it, so in 1841 it was sold to the congregational society. It was burned in November 26, 1872. The first big bell in town(1,000 lbs) was placed in this tower in 1842.

In the early 1900s, there were about 7,000 one-room schoolhouses in Michigan. This class picture presents a glimpse of children’s clothing in the 1920s. The dresses are loose fitting, straight, but without the sash common a few years earlier.

During the early 1900s hand knit clothing became popular During the early 1900s hand knit clothing became popular. It was still popular in the 1930s as this child's snowsuit shows.

Girl's pink chiffon dress with triple collar 1926

Yellow and orange swimsuit 1932

The games children played are: hopscotch,jump rope,pick-up sticks,jacks,marbles,yo-yo,hoops and sticks,tug-of-war,baseball,football,kick the can, tiddly winks, twenty questions, bobbing for apples, and walking on stilts. Ice skating and sledding were popular 19th century winter activities for Grand Rapids youngsters.

By the 1870s, Reeds Lake area was a popular summertime day trip destination for the people of Grand Rapids and surrounding areas. Picnicking,boating,swimming,and spending a day at the lake and park were enjoyable pastimes.

By Elizabeth DK and Madeline VA Resources http://www.historygrandrapids.org/explore.php?cat=11&essay=6 http://michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-1566_1733_22582_22586-67085--,00.html http://www.mtsu.edu/~theatre/pdf/Pioneer%20Games.pdf http://www.foodtimeline.org/ http://dept.kent.edu/museum/exhibit/kids/1920.htm www.crestoncs.pbwiki.com www.wikipedia.org