Hunter’s Home Frequently Asked Questions
Are you portraying anyone who lived at Hunter’s Home?
No. The staff at Hunter’s Home do not portray any person who lived or worked on the property. Hunter’s Home staff does third-person interpretation.
What is third-person interpretation?
In third-person interpretation, the interpreter openly acknowledges that they are a contemporary of the visitor, simply one in historical dress. They never attempt to be in-character, and they fully acknowledge their role as a modern site employee.
The main advantage of third-person interpretation is that it provides much-needed perspective. Interpreters can feel free to broach topics without the need to remain in character. This allows the interpreter to comment upon the site, explaining which artifacts may be original and where they came from, or what happened to the people who originally lived or worked on the site.
Why do staff at Hunter’s Home dress in reproduction historical clothing instead of a modern uniform?
Hunter’s Home is a living history site interpreting what life was like in the antebellum era. The staff dress in reproduction historical clothing to show the visitor what would have been worn at that time.
Why don’t the staff wear fancier clothing or hoop skirts if they are talking about an antebellum plantation?
Through research, we found numerous references to plantation owners dressing in utilitarian clothing. Plantation mistresses often helped with the daily running of a plantation and dressed accordingly. Fancier clothing was reserved for more formal occasions.
Hoop skirts did not become common in this country until the 1860s. They were originally developed in England in the late 1850s and eventually found their way to the United States by the 1860s.
Hunter’s Home does not have any heating or air conditioning. Isn’t this detrimental to the artifacts?
If an artifact has been in a non-climate-controlled environment, it is more detrimental to put it into an HVAC setting than to leave it in a fluctuating environment. The artifacts have grown accustomed to the temperature and weather fluctuations and remain stable in this environment. Please see below for more information on artifact environments.
I have been to many historic houses, and they usually don’t let you into the rooms. Why does Hunter’s Home allow this?
Visitors are allowed into the rooms to learn what it was like to visit Hunter’s Home in the 1850s. In this way, the visitor receives a more intimate and meaningful tour experience.
Why are the home’s windows open, and why are there no screens?
There are several reasons why the windows may be open. One reason is that this helps keep the environment inside the house healthy. A breeze blowing through the house, especially on humid days, helps prevent mold from forming and keeps the house drier since there is not, and never has been, an HVAC system in the home. Open windows also cool the house down during hot weather.
There are no screens on the windows because screens were not invented in the 1850s. The first patent for a window screen was granted in 1861, and it wasn’t until the early 20th century that window screens as we know them today were developed.
Don’t you get insects into the house without screens on the windows?
Some insects do get into the house, but far fewer than before the windows were opened. Having the windows open allows the insects to exit the house. Before, they had fewer ways out and quickly overwhelmed some areas of the house.
Measures are taken to minimize insect damage in the house, just as they did in the 19th century. The furniture is slipcovered for the summer, which protects upholstered pieces. In addition, paintings are covered with cheesecloth to protect from insects.
Why is Hunter’s Home sometimes referred to as a farm instead of a plantation?
The definition of a plantation is a place that is planted or under cultivation. The term also refers to an agricultural estate worked by resident labor. The definition of a farm is a tract of land devoted to agricultural purposes. Hunter’s Home was a large industrial farm worked by resident labor and was often referred to as a farm within family correspondence.
The terms farm and plantation are both correct when referring to Hunter’s Home.
References
Butcher-Younghans, Sherry. Historic House Museums: A Practical Handbook for Their Care, Preservation and Management. Oxford University Press, 1993.
Ellis, Margaret Holben. Environment and the Care of Prints and Drawings, Technical Leaflet 280, American Association for State and Local History, 2017.
Guldbeck, Per E., and A. Bruce MacLeish. The Care of Antiques and Historical Collections. American Association for State and Local History, 1985.
Trust, National. The National Trust Manual of Housekeeping: The Care of Collections in Historic Houses Open to the Public. Elsevier, 2005.
Rovito, Katie, “Paintings,” Caring for Family Treasures (PDF), 2024.
Environment and the Care of Prints and Drawings by Margaret Holben Ellis
Among other things, this leaflet emphasizes that “the determination of what conditions are best from a preservation point of view must objectively examine those that are also achievable and sustainable. It reflects a compromise between what is optimal and what is realistic given your existing buildings and budget” (p. 1).
Hunter’s Home is not currently heated or air-conditioned, nor has it ever been. Putting environmental controls in place would do irreparable damage to the house, which is the most significant artifact at Hunter’s Home.
“Simply closing curtains, dusting regularly, or applying UV-filtering or light-reducing films [to] glass…” is a way to manage environments. Taking “a holistic approach allowing for moderate swings in temperature and humidity is a more practical and sustainable” (p. 2). These are the approaches currently taken at Hunter’s Home.
When talking about temperature, it is important to avoid “sudden and drastic fluctuations of temperature…if temperature must fluctuate, it should do so as slowly as possible…Passive approaches such as ceiling fans, added insulation, or even opening windows during certain seasons can be surprisingly effective in the long run” (p. 4).
It is important to note that “quantitative standards deemed to be correct can be misleading if they are adopted without consideration to other factors. If, in attempting to maintain ideal conditions, organizations destroy the fabric of their historic buildings, spend scarce resources on energy rather than security, randomly turn on air conditioners or humidifiers, or resort to makeshift and ineffective solutions on radiators, it is better to accept wider but gradual shifts of relative humidity in either direction” (p. 6)
It is noted in this leaflet that paintings, prints, and drawings should not be exposed to light sources for long periods of time. None of the paintings at Hunter’s Home are in direct sunlight, and since there are no electric lights in the house, artificial light sources are not a concern.
The Care of Antiques and Historical Collections by A. Bruce MacLeish
MacLeish advises against:
Periodic, rapid or long-term fluctuations in relative humidity…as part of a daily or seasonal cycle, leading to sweating—condensation of moisture—on metal objects or hard surfaces, in such an environment, the paint layers on objects covered by several applications of paint begin to flake and crack. So do wood veneers and marquetry work. And the alternate raising and lowering of the amount of moisture in the air causes stress in wooden objects and furniture, as the difference in the moisture levels cause repeated expansion and contraction of the wood.” (p. 20)
MacLeish does seem to contradict Ellis a bit by suggesting that any fluctuation in humidity, and by assumption temperature, is problematic. We need to look at the resources available and the potential damage that would be done to the house itself if an HVAC system were installed. Ellis’s pronouncement on makeshift or damaging changes to historic structures overrides MacLeish’s advice. MacLeish does later admit that “while 55 percent RH represents the ideal, for artifacts, it is usually difficult to achieve that level in old buildings” (p. 22).
While the paintings do have cracks in the paint, which were noted in their condition report by the conservator, there is no flaking. It would be highly unlikely to find a painting of this time without cracked paint, since these paintings have lived in periodic, rapid, and long-term fluctuations since they were made.
MacLeish goes on to point out that “…when high humidity is combined with air stagnation, leather, wood, and textiles are all destroyed. Often under these conditions metallic corrosion is also accelerated, and some bacteria can attack metal” (p. 20).
By opening the house, stagnant air is avoided, and as such, problems with mold, mildew, or bacteria on the artifacts are avoided. It was also the recommendation of a professional mold remediation specialist to have air flow through the house.
“Paintings,” Caring for Family Treasures by Katie Rovito, Fellow in Painting Conservation
Rovito is another conservator who advises against “…big fluctuations in temperature and moisture (like attics, basements, and garages)” (p. 35).
She also advises “try not to hang paintings in areas with direct sunlight, and keep blinds drawn and lights off when rooms aren’t in use to prevent light damage” (p. 35). As discussed above, the paintings in Hunter’s Home are not near light sources.
The National Trust Manual of Housekeeping: The Care of Collections in Historic Houses Open to the Public
It is worth mentioning that the National Trust writes that “…so many objects that had survived several centuries were damaged during the twentieth century owing to neglect or the misguided use of modern technology invented for the comfort of people” (p. 105). They recommend keeping artifacts in historic environments or those environments in which the artifact spent most of its lifetime. “As part of its preventive conservation strategy, the National Trust aims to return conditions of RH (relative humidity) within historic houses to those that probably existed when houses were lived in before the twentieth century” (p. 106).
The National Trust also notes that “sometimes surveys find no sign of damage to collections, whether organic or metal, even though the average RH has been outside the target band for much of the year. Where this is the case, it may be decided ‘to do nothing’, retaining the RH where it is” (p. 106). Hunter’s Home is routinely monitored for damage to the artifacts.
The National Trust does suggest that:
[S]mall and inexpensive adjustments can be made to improve RH (and temperature). A very simple method of reducing fluctuation is to use sunblinds to reduce intermittent solar gain. Blinds are more effective when on the outside as this avoids the ‘greenhouse effect’ whereby infrared radiation from sunlight is trapped once it enters through windows. (p. 109)
All the outside shutters on Hunter’s Home are functional and are regularly used to block sunlight throughout the year as needed.
The National Trust states:
Air circulation plays a crucial part in controlling RH… There are occasions when opening external doors and windows can improve RH inside a house, and there are times when it can be harmful. In the summer when, because of solar gain, a house has become hot and therefore dry, opening windows and doors can be helpful…As well as ventilating a room, it is important that air circulates around the whole room. Where there are damp stagnant pockets of air in corners and behind furniture, repositioning furniture and using fans can improve air circulation. (p. 109)
Hunter’s Home uses fans in all rooms not only to move air within the house, but also to lower the temperature for the artifacts, staff, and guests.
While using humidifiers in the winter may seem like a good idea to add needed RH into the air, “…they are not usually recommended for use in historic houses because there is a danger of condensation. This is because unlike museums, there are often areas of a room or house where the temperature is below the dew point of the air” (p. 110). The National Trust makes an important point here. There is a difference between museums and historic houses; museums are built to be sealed and have conditioned air. This is not the case with historic homes, which were built before modern building techniques and cannot be totally sealed without irreparable damage to the structure itself. If a building is not completely sealed, all HVAC measures would be for waste. The National Trust backs this up by stating “to be effective the dehumidified (or humidified) space must be well sealed” (p. 111).
Historic House Museums by Sherry Butcher-Younghans
Butcher-Younghans expounds on the National Trust’s view that the historic structure must be protected when considering installing HVAC systems. “If central air-conditioning is being considered by the museum, it is important to conduct a feasibility study first. Basic questions need to be asked. Can the system be installed without damaging the historic structure or compromising the esthetics of the museum?” (p. 110).
Butcher-Younghans goes on to address the use of room air-conditioners to control indoor environments.
The use of room air-conditioning units in historic buildings is not recommended. They cause fluctuating temperatures, not only in the areas of use but also in surrounding areas. Further, the units are often used sporadically, making it difficult to maintain a constant temperature. In historic houses lacking central air-conditioning, there are several ways to cool the interior. First, window coverings can be closed at the hottest and brightest times of the day…If there are no window coverings, then it is essential to install window blinds or to add ultraviolet-inhibiting film to windows to prevent excess heating. Cool interior rooms by placing electric fans at intervals. (p. 110)
All of these measures are in place at Hunter’s Home. In addition, there are curtains over many of the windows. Butcher-Younghans reminds us that “historically, housekeepers closed window coverings during the bright, hot times of the day. Although this kept the sun from objects within the room, as well as lowering the temperature, it speeded the deterioration of the window covering itself” (p. 112). Because of this, all curtains and drapes within the house are reproductions. The use of exterior shutters, interior blinds, curtains, or drapes are a good source of climate control within a historic structure.
Butcher-Younghans addresses upholstery on artifacts this way: “use slipcovers or fabric covers (muslin) to protect fabrics and furnishings that are vulnerable to sunlight. Housekeepers from earlier times used this method to protect furnishing during the summer” (p. 114). Hunter’s Home does not have any original textiles on display in the house, and constructing slip covers for the upholstered furniture is an ongoing project.
As we can see from the above sources, it is important to not only take care of the artifacts within a historic home but also to care for the structure itself. The home is the most significant historic artifact we have, and sources agree that climate control should not come at the expense of the structure itself. Numerous things can be done to protect and minimize artifact deterioration. It can be more damaging to an artifact to introduce it to a climate-controlled environment suddenly. Hunter’s Home employs all the guidelines put forth above to care for the artifacts and the historic structure as well.
