Early Hand Tools & Farm Implements

During the 18th and 19th centuries, work such as farming, blacksmithing and ice harvesting was accomplished with handmade tools—many requiring only the strength of the human hand, the power of a horse or simple gravity. Representing an era on the cusp of mechanization and modernization, the tools in this exhibit offer a glimpse into the agricultural-based economy of Columbia County and the everyday tasks and chores of its rural inhabitants.

Family members worked together at a variety of chores to ensure the success of running a farm or family business that included agricultural production, food preparation, household care and animal husbandry. These historic objects—all found in barns in Columbia County—were essential equipment for everyday life. Beyond the function of each of these tools, there is a beauty in their form and manipulation of materials. Today, they are relics of the past, symbolic of sincerity, integrity and excellence of the handmade, of historic and sustainable materials, and a reverence for wood. Their owners displayed profound care in an effort to maintain their function, often revealing repairs over time.