Heritage Garden Fun Fest: Hands-On History for Families

Crafts, Plants, Local History! See the Heritage Garden for hands-on history: paint with plant dye, grind corn, print plants, finger weave. Join us for Family Fun at the historic Millworker Cottage. Step back in time and celebrate the fall harvest at our new Heritage Learning Garden in the Millworker Cottage yard. This is a perfect activity for curious kids, history buffs, and families alike. You’ll experience history coming to life through hands-on fun. Discover how 19th-century settlers grew, preserved, and prepared food to keep their pantries full all year long. Participate in the activities, tour the cottage, and visit the Meeker Museum across the street, too! This is a free event on Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 1:00-3:00 PM. Donations are greatly appreciated! Please register so we have enough supplies for the Make & Take activities! MILLWORKER ACTIVITIES: Our unique garden is split into four spaces to explore. Get your hands dirty with historic activities as you move around the different stations: • Food & Herbs: What would settlers eat during the winter? • Three Sisters Garden: Discover the ancient Indigenous growing method of corn, beans, and squash. • Native Plants: Meet the area's wild flora. • Weaving & Dye Plants: See how clothing got its color before modern factories. MAKE & TAKE ACTIVITIES Turn history into your own personal masterpiece with unique crafts, using materials from Stratford’s historic mills era: • Flower Pressing: Keep a piece of the season forever. • Corn Husk Doll Making: Craft your own classic, pioneer and Lenni Lenape toy. • Homemade Dye Painting: Paint using colors made from plant pigments. • Dip Pens & Ink Practice: Master the art of writing like a 19th-century clerk. PLUS!! • Corn Grinding • Finger Weaving • Pioneer games Don’t forget: dress appropriately for weather and “gardening.” Parking is at The Barn at Stratford, and for safety’s sake, please use the crosswalk to get between the cottage and the museum next to the barn. Hope to see you there! Special thanks to the Delaware County Foundation, Delaware County Commissioners, Ohio Arts Council, the Ohio Facilities Construction Committee, and Manos & Martin Attorneys at Law for their contributions and support!