PHOTOS and VIDEO: Pottsgrove Manor’s May Day welcomes summer in Pottstown

POTTSTOWN — Historic Pottsgrove Manor held a May Day celebration on Saturday, kicking off a series of special summer programs.

The event included games, displays, music and demonstrations of colonial arts and crafts.

Pottsgrove Manor is the home of John Potts, the founder of Pottstown.

Built in 1752, the home showcases early Georgian architecture and tells the history of John and Ruth Potts, their 13 children, and the paid, indentured, and enslaved people who lived and labored here.

According to information presented Saturday, May Fairs, celebrating the coming of summer and often coinciding with a market day, first took root in England during the reign of King Edward I. They eventually grew so elaborate and “out of hand” that they were abolished by British officials in 1764.

But that did not keep them from happening.

In Colonial America, the tradition continued with the largest May Day fairs known to have been held in Germantown, Philadelphia and Lancaster.

Fairgoers could purchase goods, wares and livestock, while entertainments included foot races, tightrope walkers, plays and “grinning for cheese.”

May Fair celebrates the coming of summer with milkmaids, parades. and the naming of a May Queen, who this year was Evelyn Meitzler (11, soon to be 12).

May Fairs often culminated in the weaving of ribbons on the Maypole, which is exactly what happened at Pottsgrove Manor.

And what celebration fails to have tasty treats? Saturday, they were being prepared in the spacious colonial kitchen by May Sherlock of Fort Washington, Kyle Timmons, a Pottstown High School graduate who now lives in Phoenixville, and Elijah Burton of Philadelphia.

Burton has her own historical clothes-making business in Philadelphia, but Timmons just does it because he enjoys it. “I remember coming here on a class trip in third grade, and I was hooked. I’ve been doing this ever since,” he said.

In the main drawing room, Tom Tucker of Abington and Antoine Watts of Lansdowne used guitar, fife and voice to recreate the music of the era that would have been played during the celebration.

“Many times, the people would play the instruments themselves, as most knew how to play at least one, but if you had money, you could hire musicians. The Potts family would have entertained in this room, and there would have been dancing here, and maybe even in the hall,” said Watts.

There was no dancing in the hall on Saturday, but there was a beauty salon of sorts. Jessica Fine of Phoenixville took it upon herself to research what kind of makeup and cosmetics were used at the time. She said the fashion icon of the day was a French socialite and the official chief mistress of King Louis XV from 1745 to 1751, named Madame Pompadour.

It was she who made the pasty white powder make-up of the day fashionable, Fine explained, while pointing to a portrait on the table next to her wares.

In addition to usually knowing how to play at least one instrument, ladies of the time were also skilled in other areas of the arts. Of particular interest at the time was botanical painting, often using watercolor paints, said Mary Chisak of Gilbertsville, who was demonstrating the art for Pottsgrove Manor visitors.

The next special event will be on June 21 and June 22, Forgotten History Tours, celebrating Juneteenth at Pottsgrove Manor. It will feature special Black History-themed tours and allow visitors to see the Manor through the eyes of the free and enslaved individuals who lived and labored in the Potts family households and the iron industry. Learn their names and hear their stories.

Chisak will return on Saturday, July 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a presentation and exploration art in the 18th century. At 1 p.m., a “Plein Air” watercolor painting session will be held on museum grounds. All artists, from advanced beginners to are welcome with an introduction to watercolor painting provided to beginners. Bring your own supplies, or purchase a $25 premade art kit provided by Pottsgrove Manor.

Pottsgrove Manor hosts regular “Maker Day” on the first Wednesday of the month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., which allows visitors to peek behind the scenes and learn about colonial trades and projects undertaken by staff and volunteers. Whether it’s tailoring, upholstery, leatherworking, or blacksmithing.

Saturdays in August feature something different each week. From one Saturday to the next, visitors can learn about colonial music, cooking, blacksmithing, artifact interaction, and art. Living historians will demonstrate the trades and talents of the era. Join Pottsgrove Manor’s curator to take a closer look at specially selected collection pieces. Throughout the day, investigate the first floor of the museum with a self-guided tour.

Check the Pottsgrove Manor website — https://www.montgomerycountypa.gov/930/Pottsgrove-Manor — for information about additional programs.