Now is the season of chestnuts roasting on an open fire…or perhaps an enclosed one.
The first metal wood-burning stove is said to have been invented in 16th-century Europe, but the stove did not become more common until nearly 200 years later, during the Industrial Revolution. Despite the wood stove’s superiority, people resisted the switch from the inefficient, wood-gobbling, smoky open hearth to the hotter, more-efficient fire contained by a wood stove.
Practicality won out in the end, and by the beginning of the 20th century, 40 million American homes were heated with wood stoves, often a nickel-plated behemoth such as the Estate Oak stove at Starr Family Home State Historic Site.
At this 1871 Greek Revival home in Marshall, period furnishings, clothing, and antiques trace the history of four generations. Meet the Starr family:
The Texas Historical Commission invites visitors to safely spend quality time and create fun memories at our state historic sites this holiday season. From historic Christmas celebrations to socially distanced holiday hikes and light displays, many of our state historic sites are hosting special events throughout December. Texas Parks and Wildlife is also offering many safe outdoor events at their state parks. The health and safety of our visitors is of the utmost importance; please call the site or check social media for updates before visiting.
Explore upcoming Christmas events at our state historic sites:
We’re eagerly awaiting the fifth annual Real Places Conference and hope that you will join us online February 3-5!
Hosted by the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission and presented by Phoenix I Restoration and Construction, the Real Places conference provides an opportunity for learning and networking. The robust schedule features 44 speakers from across Texas and the U.S. and 28 sessions on a variety of historic preservation and heritage tourism topics.
Sessions include:
- Interpreting Churches in Texas
- The Legacy of Texas Roadside Parks
- Media Strategies for Promoting Heritage Travel
- If These Walls Could Talk: Community Engagement Within the Setting of a Historic House Museum
- Visiting Texas: How African Americans Traveled Safely
- Community Engagement in Historic Cemeteries
- Healing Community Trauma at Historic Sites
Act now to take advantage of the early-bird registration rate of just $99 through January 1. That’s a savings of more than $200 off the regular early-bird rate for our in-person conference!
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