In The News

The Greenville News

• Pendleton Historic Foundation celebrates 50 years

• Historic Pendleton site to share discoveries with public

  Woodburn house tour to provide look at 19th century advances

The Anderson Independent

Upstate Today

PENDLETON — Woodburn, a four-story plantation house built about 1830, still has some secrets to share.

A recent effort to understand drawings of the property made in the 1960s has led to findings of a service road, part of an underground cistern system, a foundation for a calving barn and a stone trough for horses to drink from.

Ellen Harrison, a volunteer who has been involved in studying the drawings and trail of the property, said Woodburn is part of a complex that included much more than just the home. The drawings “showed a lot more buildings.”

“We were using the drawings to try to find some things,” she said.

The findings show how the plantation farm was operated in the 19th century.

Much of the area is overgrown, but with the help of others, such as a Seneca Boy Scout troop, they were able read more here...

Ashtabula Draped in Black

PENDLETON — Visitors to Ashtabula Historic House learned Saturday about the mourning traditions of the 1800s.
“It was important to die well,” said Ellen Harrison, one of the mourning re-enactors at the gathering in Pendleton. “There was an art to dying, and wealthy people of the era followed proper etiquette. It was required because of their social standing.”

Those arriving for the event Saturday found the front gate and porch railings of the house draped in black. Each guest received a ticket, like the invitations often used for funerals in the 1800s, that allowed entrance to the house. Soon the visitors learned that 'mourning' was in progress for James T. Latta Jr., 2, who actually died of diphtheria in 1856.

“Death was not uncommon during this era,” Harrison said. “The historical record indicates Pendleton families lost children almost routinely. People learned to 'live with it' and developed customs and practices that helped get them through this difficult time.”

Entering the house, guests congregated Saturday in the wake room for a re-enactment of a coffin viewing and greeting of the child's family. The windows were covered in black cloth, and all the mirrors were similarly draped read more here...