Tenant Quarters

Ohio History

McCormick Kitchen

Doesn’t this room look out of place on the Adena estate? It's an example of the tenant houses occupied by farm workers. The quarters were very modest--only two rooms and an upstairs. This one belonged to George McCormick, the resident cabinet-maker, who did all the woodworking in the Worthington home. He did an excellent job, as we saw several of his tables, bureaus, sideboards, and clock cases still in the mansion.

Adena Diorama

Ohio History

Farm Layout

Here is the entire Adena estate in detailed scale model. It’s hard to imagine that industrious plantation surrounded by wild forests (well, maybe not harder than today’s city buildings!). In front, we see the sheep pen, livestock barn, and grazing cattle. To the far right is a tenant house, and across the road the stable is being rebuilt...yes—for the fire insurance policy! In back are the mansion, servants’ quarters, smokehouse, etc., bordered by the gardens. Thomas Worthington owned land not only in Ross County, but also in Hocking and Madison (where we live!). He used the land for livestock, crops, sawmills, and gristmills.

Adena Upstairs

Ohio History

Clay Bedroom

Then we ascended the stairs to the second floor of the mansion. The two children’s bedrooms were well separated from the guest rooms, as they would often entertain near strangers. The Henry Clay bedroom above is where Mr. and Mrs. Clay stayed on their yearly visit to Adena (they were cordial friends of the Worthingtons).


Monroe Bedroom

President James Monroe actually slept in this room when he stopped at Adena on a trip once. It is, by far, the fanciest room, with ornate wallpaper and its own fireplace. The three guest rooms held many other visitors as well—sometimes dozens would sleep here at a time!

Downstairs 2

Ohio History

Adena Parlor

Here are a few more photos from the Worthingtons’ beautiful home. This large parlor was mainly used for entertaining guests. The elaborate wallpaper design and unusual carpet sure created a grand presentation, along with floor-to-ceiling windows and draperies. The fireplace was even marble. And, add to that another dumb waiter in the corner!

Sitting Room

This pretty room was where Mrs. Worthington took her friends. She also used it as an office—she did the bookkeeping for Mr. Worthington's numerous farm enterprises. Like many rooms in the house, this one uses that brilliant shade of peach. Apparently pink paint was very expensive and thus the more you used, the wealthier you were!

Adena Downstairs

Ohio History

Adena Dining Room

Can you imagine seating yourself as a guest in this fancy table? The other downstairs rooms were just as fancy! The ornately-papered parlor and comfy sitting room entertained important guests, and the master bedroom opened to the garden in the back. Mr. Worthington’s study was located in one wing and a large kitchen was in the other. This picture can hardly be compared to the simple Rankin dining room; in the corner there’s even a dumb waiter which rotates to be loaded with food from the kitchen!

Adena Mansion

Ohio History

Worthington Estate

Well, I’d say it’s time to get started on another historical trip. This time we’ll head into the rustic hills and backwoods of southeastern Ohio. But first let’s stop in Chillicothe and see the Adena Mansion, home to an influential politician named Thomas Worthington. He helped write Ohio’s constitution and achieve statehood in 1803, and was governor from 1814-1818. But Mr. Worthington’s wealth came from capitalizing on the new state’s cheap land prices. Yes, even then, it took big money to get into politics!

Coping with Heat

Backyard Poultry

Dust Baths

Summer temperatures tend to be the hardest on chickens; their feathers, little exposed skin, and active bodies only keep them warmer. The hens do pant like a dog and hold their wings away from their bodies to let out heat. And then they take dust baths. The chickens work cool dirt up into their feathers, rubbing away oils and grease, and then shake it all out. A good preening makes the feathers nice and shiny.

Wet Sheet

We also read about hanging a wet sheet up to make a cool breeze. The only thing was that it had to be sprayed every half hour to keep it wet on ninety-degree days. This proved to be quite effective, though, and the chickens never seemed to suffer from the heat.

Lentil Treat

The last strategy is giving extra treats. This not only distracts them, but also helps the hens get enough protein when the heat discourages them from eating. We used mash (wet feed), rolled oats, and cooked lentils—and our chickens sure were spoiled! You can see here they are greedily gobbling it up!

New Chicken Run

Backyard Poultry

Exploring the Pen

Eventually it dawned on us that one run was not going to be enough for eight hens and one very big rooster. Also, the run’s weight was getting to us. So, we set out to build a very light run that could join to the first for more space. By cutting down 2x4s to 1x2s, using corner braces for supports, and replacing one-inch wire with two-inch, we cut the weight down by more than half.

Completed Frame

This is what the assembled frame, measuring three feet by six feet, looked like without the wire. The corner braces made the structure quite sturdy. You can see the door on the end which slides in and out. This proved to be a good design and we built several more like it.

Inspectors

Now we see what the chickens think of it. They were always very cautious of anything new, but soon they began to really enjoy running in and out of the door between the runs. Here we see Acorn trying out the new doorstep. The Rhode Island Red in front was later named Cherry; it was one of Puzzle’s favorite hens.