Basement Kitchen
For about two years after the brick tavern was built the Fryfogel’s used this basement as their living quarters. It wasn’t until an 1847 law was put in place that the family had to move 0.4 km up the road. We believe that the two back rooms were used as bedrooms but since 1847 they have acted as storage rooms generally for food and drink. Currently they are used as storage for our event supplies and maintenance tools.
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Originally, the floors were made of packed dirt to create the safest space for a large cooking hearth. Dirt floors were typical at the time but it has since been filled in with concrete. This was done in 1975 alongside adding extra supportive beams so the tavern could continue standing for future generations. Prior to filling the floor with concrete the board members at the time took their shovels and conducted a mediocre archaeological dig to find any pieces that were left behind by past inhabitants.
Hearth
Still standing strong is the original hearth used by the Fryfogel’s constructed with bricks from Hamilton. Even the fireplace crane is original which was used to swing pots or kettles in and out of the fire. All the meals for the family and their guests would be prepared down here and then brought up to the dining room for consumption.
Summer Kitchen
The basement kitchen has access to a lower door that leads to a little patch of grass next to the brook. This door would provide the family and their employees easier access to their firewood, gardens, and water from the brook. Additionally, instead of cooking inside and heating up the whole house they would have set up an outdoor pot and fire. Read more about the pot the Fryfogel’s used here.
