Celebrate the season by taking a journey through Christmases past. Visit the decorated 1788 Gemeinhaus, learn about -- and taste -- Moravian Christmas treats, listen to holiday music, and enjoy a performance by the Felt and Soul Puppet Theater. Admission is free.
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It's here! Grab some coffee or cocoa and enjoy a Bethabara Christmas story on a very special episode of @moravian_mornings ! https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-4b3zk-f531af #bethabara #christmastime #moravianhistory
A December view of the Brewer's House at Historic Bethabara Park. Beer, brandy, and whiskey were produced in large quantities at Bethabara. According to monthly inventories in 1764, they kept an average of 270 gallons of brandy, 40 gallons of rye whiskey, and 90 gallons of beer on hand. The Moravians drank beer for refreshment and for its calories while working long, laborious days. Non-Moravians consumed whiskey in the tavern and purchased it from the store and distillery. Both Moravians and non-Moravians consumed brandy, made from peaches, blackberries, and apples, and believed that it had healing properties, especially when distilled with medicinal herbs and roots.
Built in 1803, the Brewer’s House is the site of the earliest known commercial brewery/distillery in North Carolina. The original log brewery and distillery, built in 1756, was located across from the Gemeinhaus. After two decades of large-scale production, a new brewery and distillery was built on the site of the Brewer’s House in 1777. The new brick and stone building caught fire and was destroyed on December 2, 1802, but was rebuilt on the original foundation using surviving construction materials. Completed in 1803, the Brewer’s House still stands today. The house served as both the living quarters for the family of the brewer/distiller and as a distribution point for the product (along with the Bethabara Tavern.) The new distillery was detached from the residence, but located nearby.
#cityofwinstonsalem #cityofws #wsnc #moravianhistory #moravians #nchistoricsites #nchistory #nationalhistoriclandmark #visitnc #americancolonialhistory (Photo by Julie Freeman)
#PagesFromThePast: The Moravians were soon visited by their neighbors. You can see why housing for Strangers (non-Moravians) became a top priority at the start of 1754!
Bethabara Diary, December 22, 1753 (picture of dog trot maybe?): “In the afternoon an Irishman arrived, seeking counsel of Br. Kalberlahn [Bethabara’s doctor]. He begged to be allowed to stay several days in his care, and we could not refuse, as the poor man was in great pain, although it is not convenient for us with our small resources. Toward evening another stranger appeared and spent the night with us.” The hospitable Moravians often gave up their cabin and slept outside when strangers spent the night. Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, Vol. 1 page 85 #bethabara #wsnc #moravianhistory #nchistoricsites #thisdayinhistory
Photo of Wagner cabin in winter by Gail Jones
#waybackwednesday The Carolina Colonial Dancers at the Christmas at Bethabara festivities last year #cityofwinstonsalem #cityofws #wsnc #piedmonttriad #moravianhistory #moravianchristmas #nationalhistoriclandmark #americancolonialhistory #nchistoricsites #nchistory #visitnc (Photo by Julie Freeman)
From the quilling workshop at Christmas at Bethabara festivities last year. Using strips of paper that are curled and shaped into various forms, quilling dates back to the Renaissance when monks and nuns used the art form to decorate book covers. #cityofwinstonsalem #cityofws #piedmonttriad #colonialchristmas #colonialcrafts #nchistoricsites #nchistory #moravianchristmas #moravianhistory #moravians #nationalhistoriclandmark #americancolonialhistory (Photo by Julie Freeman)
More from the @triad_woodcarvers at last year's Christmas at Bethabara festivities: #cityofwinstonsalem #cityofws #moravianstar #moravianchristmas #nchistoricsites #piedmonttriad (Photo by Julie Freeman)
Grab some hot cocoa and gather the family together for a very special Christmas episode of our @moravian_mornings podcast! the story details what a child's Christmas in Bethabara would have been like in the 1700s, complete with sound effects! #christmastime #nchistory #bethabara #wsnc
Join us Sunday at 5 p.m. for Christmas at Bethabara: An Online Event. Tune in to our Facebook page or YouTube channel. Learn about Moravian Christmas traditions. Featuring music by @bmoravianchurch. #cityofwinstonsalem #cityofws #piedmonttriad #wsnc #moravianchristmas #moravianhistory #moravians #nchistoricsites #nchistory #nationalhistoriclandmark #americancolonialhistory #visitnc #colonialchristmas @cityofwinstonsalem
