Abram's Delight

We just had to get out of the house and do something today.  It is to soon to hike.  Even though I am feeling almost back to normal, I need to give my back several days to rest before subjecting it to the rigors of the trail.  So, we got out the tickets which we had purchased last week for a tour of Abram’s Delight.

Abram’s Delight is the home of Winchester’s first settler, Abraham Hollingsworth.  This old limestone structure was built about the mid 1750s and was passed down in the Hollingsworth family for 5 generations.  Following Abraham’s death, his son Isaac inherited the home.  In addition to being the family home, Isaac also used the house as a meeting place for the local Quaker community.  Jonah, the third generation owner, expanded the original house to accommodate his large family of 13 children.  The city of Winchester purchased the old house in 1943 and it is now open for tours through the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society.

Also located on the property is a small cabin.  This structure was moved here from another location and is similar to the small cabins in which most local citizens lived during the late 1700s.

The mill, which was operated by David Hollingsworth, the great grandson of Abraham, is also located on the property and serves as the offices of the Historical Society.  This stone mill was built in 1833 on the site of the grist mill operated by Abraham.  In later years, the mill was used as a fertilizer factory and then a creamery (I hope they washed everything down pretty good).  In the late 1800s, the city bought it along with the spring which was used as the city’s main water source.  The Winchester Visitor’s Center used it for a number of years before the Historical Society moved in.

We weren’t out long, but long enough to feel like we weren’t just couch potatoes.  It was good to stretch and walk.  We’ll find something to occupy our time tomorrow.

That’s it for today.