Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article
Historic Treasure of the Week -
October 6, 2002
By Jan Buffington
Vigo County Historical Society
Popularity of Cast Iron Cookware Endures
Until about 150 years ago, cooking was done atop an open fire, either at the hearth or out doors. This method of preparing food began when man discovered fire. Open-fire cooking is amazingly versatile. You can boil water, simmer a stew, bake pies and flat bread, roast meat and hang a ham or sausages nearby to smoke slowly all at the same time.
Down through the ages, as man became more civilized, equipment was invented. Our Historical Treasures this week are some of the equipment, cast iron ware. On the lower level of the Vigo County Historical Museum in the Tool Room, quite a few pieces are on display. There are several muffin forms, a corn-muffin pan, a skillet, a pot, a hearth fryer, griddles and a grill. Of the waffle irons, there are a couple long-handled fireplace irons that make rectangular waffles, one round one and one short-handled iron that makes round waffles and has its own stand made to be used on a cookstove.
This weekend, members of the Vigo County Historical Society will staff the Peker Cabin at Fowler Park during Pioneer Days. They will demonstrated not only hearthside cooking, but also other aspects of everyday life in the early 1800s. There are several cast iron cooking pieces in the cabin that will be put to use cooking lunch both days. Stop by and see how this style of cooking is done. As you stroll through the village you also will see campfire cooking. At almost every fire, you will find some kind of cast iron cookware being used.
After attending Pioneer Days, come by the museum to see our collection of cast iron cookware.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Web sire: http://web.indstate.edu/community/vchs.