Image - The Mickey Coffee Pot

Original site of the Mickey Coffee Pot
Photo Credit: Digital Forsyth

In Old Salem, you'll find the oldest giant roadside coffee pot in all of North America. It's known as the "Mickey Pot," in reference to tinsmith brothers -- Julius and Sam Mickey -- who made it to advertise their business in 1858.

The tin coffee pot originally hung from the front of the Mickeys' workshop, but more of its life has since been spent as an Old Salem landmark. The 7 ft. 3 in tall pot could theoretically hold 11,840 cups of coffee - or 740.5 gallons. 

Tradition maintains that a Confederate soldier hid inside the Salem coffee pot to escape from Union soldiers. This possibly occurred in April 1865, when a band of Stoneman’s Brigade under Gen. W. J. Palmer came through the town.  - Selected text: roadsideamerica & NCPedia

Image - The Bishop's House

Photo Credit: Digital Forsyth

Photo Credit: DWHIKE

The Bishop’s House in (Old) Salem was the former parsonage after it was decided to move future pastors from the Gemein House. 

This home has been the residence of three Moravian Bishops and other clergy. Above is a contemporary image of the home. 

Image: T. Bagge Community Store - Salem

Photo Credit: Digital Forsyth

The Community Store opened in 1775. The store was named for its proprietor, Traugott Bagge. Bagge served as Salem’s spokesman during the Revolutionary War, when the Moravians remained neutral despite pressure from both sides. 

From Bagge’s death in 1800 the building continued to function as a store and residence. Today it is both a store and museum run by Old Salem, Inc., 

Christmas Post: Christmas Candles

Photo Credit: Unity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem

Bishop Johann Michael Graff was the first resident Moravian bishop in North Carolina. He introduced a Christmas custom that children and adults of the Wachovia would cherish - to this day. 

At the love feast on Christmas Eve Bishop Graff gave each child a lighted candle. This is a custom that began in Marienborn in Germany in 1747. It gradually spread to Moravian congregations throughout the world. 

In the Wachovia of North Carolina the first of these candle distributions was held 1762. 

The Symbolism of the Candle

The candles distributed to Moravians in America were made from beeswax. Beeswax, considered the purest of all waxes suggested the purity of Christ. 

The candle, giving its life as it burned, suggested the sacrifice of the sinless Christ for sinful humanity. The light also signified Christ - as the light of the world. 

The red trim brings to mind the blood of Jesus - shed for the salvation of those who turn to Him in faith. 

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. John 6:53-56.

The Bethlehem Diary

The town diary has a full account, a free translation of which is:

At eight o’clock the children assembled for their Vigils service in the congregation chapel. After the choir sang the old Christmas hymn, “Today we celebrate the birth,” Brother Peter Boehler talked about the birth of the Savior, using as illustration the Christmas Eve painting which was illuminated and surrounded with the Daily Texts from the past two days. The children took part with Christmas verses, singing them with spirit and tenderness. Then each received a gift as a reminder of the greatest and most wonderful gift when the Savior gave himself to us.

And, at last, each was given a wax candle, lighted while hymns were being sung, and before one was aware of it, more than 250 candles were ablaze, producing a charming effect and a very agreeable odor, especially as they sang the concluding hymn.

Brother Peter dismissed them with the wish that their hearts would burn as brightly toward the Child Jesus, as the candles were burning. Then they went happily homeward with the still-burning candles in their hands.

Christmas Post: Moravian children and Christmas

Photo Credit: Unity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem

An integral part of the Moravian Christmas celebration meant that children were included in the preparations. The effect of which was to pass on the Moravian traditions to the next generation. 

Children did their part in Christmas preparations by going into the woods to collect greenery, moss, and small trees. These were used in the decorating of the church.  

Additionally children helped in the dipping of candles, the baking of Christmas cakes, the gathering of apples, the chopping of wood, the preparation of meals, and the butchering of hogs. 

They committed to memory Bible verses and music relating to Christ's birth and delighted in the Putz - which is to say the Nativity scene. 

All of these activities and more gave young people and children sensory points of reference to strengthen their faith.

Christmas Post: The Moravian Christmas Pyramid

The early Moravians brought rich Christmas traditions to the English colony of Pennsylvania and the Wachovia of North Carolina. One of their traditions was the Christmas pyramid. These four-sided, pyramid-shaped frame structures had a long history in northern and eastern Germany.

The pyramids were placed on tables and hung with cookies, candies and fruit - and featured a nativity scene or Putz. At least as early as 1748, the Christmas pyramid was in use in Bethlehem. On Dec. 25 of that year, the Bethlehem Diary recorded the following:

"Quite early, the little children enjoyed a delightful festal occasion. Their brethren had decorated various pyramids with candles, apples and hymn stanzas and, also, drawn a picture in which the children were represented as presenting their Ave to the Christ-Child …"

The Christmas pyramid is a combination of whimsy and piety. The middle shelf is traditionally where the Nativity Scene or Putz was placed. The image above is my 2017 Christmas Pyramid. 

Travel for the early Moravians

Travel from Bethlehem, PA to North Carolina was done by the “Great Philadelphia Wagon Road”. That said, in the year 1753, the year the Moravians arrived in the Wachovia of North Carolina it was not yet a road. The “road” at the time was a path. The fifteen Moravian brothers often had to cut down trees and widen the path in order to pass. In places it was only three feet wide.

Eventually, the road was wide enough for the famed German Conestoga or Pennsylvania wagons. Wagons could carry up to ten tons and were pulled by five or six horse teams. The fastest of wagons could average about five miles a day. Designed like boats, with ends that were higher than the middle, once the wheels were removed the heavily-caulked wagon body could be floated across Western streams. 

By 1765 the Great Wagon Road was cleared sufficiently for such horse drawn vehicles. By 1775 the trail had grown into a decent road stretching about 700 miles. The distance for the Moravians traveling from North Carolina’s Wachovia to Philadelphia was 455 miles

Who are the Moravians?

A Moravian sister at Old Salem

The Moravian Church is a Protestant denomination. Early Moravians settled in the Piedmont of North Carolina, 250 some years ago and have contributed significantly to the area’s rich culture. 

The Pulpit of Jan Has

This denomination originated in the Czech Republic around 1415. They were, early on, followers of the martyr, Jan Hus.  

Moravian missionaries made their way from Germany to Pennsylvania, and then settled in Salem, NC, on 100,000 purchased acres known as the Wachovia Tract.  The living history experience, Old Salem, in Winston-Salem, seeks to preserve the history and way of life of these settlers and to educate visitors about their origins, worth and impact.

Gathering wood at the woodshed

A Moravian sister gathers firewood in her apron for the tavern kitchen at Old Salem, NC - a living history experience. 

Image - Two 18th century hats and one bag at the Tavern in Old Salem

Image - The Choir System

Before coming to the New World Moravians in Herrnhut, Saxony, found that believers who share the same situation often develop a strong bond that provides encouragement and support to all. 

A Sister at the Miksch House
Old Salem.
Note the blue ribbon indicating her choir,
the Married Sister's choir. 

This led to the organization of Moravian believers into unique groups called choirs. The word “choir” does not indicate a singing function but simply means "group". Life in some of the choirs was communal. Choir members ate, worked, worshiped, slept in dormitories, and attended school together.

Choirs were established according to age, gender, and marital status. Generally, each choir had a leader that cared for the spiritual welfare of the group. Count Zinzendorf saw the value of having group interests and activities, and he felt that the teachings of Christ would have more significance when applied to individuals of the same sex, age and marital status. 

All Moravian communities did not follow exactly the same

An unknown Sister.
Note the pink ribbon indicating
her choir,
the Single Sister's Choir

organizational blueprint. Generally, though, early Moravian children remained with their parents during infancy, but at the age of 18 months they began to be cared for in nurseries. Boys and girls lived together in the nursery until they turned four, when they became members of the Little Boys' Choir or the Little Girls' Choir. From ages 12 to 19, girls and boys belonged to the Older Girls' Choir or the Older Boys' Choir. From age 19 until marriage, the women belonged to the Single Sisters' Choir and the men belonged to the Single Brethren Choir. Married adults lived in the Married Peoples' Choir. 

Ribbons worn in the white cap, or haube, of females reveal the wearer's status and to which choir they belonged: blue ribbons being worn by married women pink by unmarried girls and women, red by little girls, and white by widows. 

Image - The 1766 Builder's House

The 1766 Builder's House
The beginning of Salem

On January, 6, 1766 twelve brothers came from the Moravian villages of Bethabara and Bethania to the newly chosen site for the town of Salem. On this January date they felled the first tree used in the construction of the Builders House. 

The Builder's House was built unsurprisingly to house the men who build the first homes in Salem. 

The log cabin known as the "Builders House" stood from 1766 to 1907 when it was torn down. 

Image - President Washington was a man of his word

President George Washington made a promise to personally visit every state which had ratified the Constitution. To fulfill this promise he made three journeys known as the “Eastern Tour” (1789); the "Long Island Tour” (1791); and the “Southern Tour” (1791). 

The Southern Tour was the longest and

covered the most ground. The tour took almost 3 months and covered 1,887 miles. It was on this tour that the President made his visit to Salem - staying in the Salem tavern for two nights lodging. 

An entry in his personal diary informs the reader of his activity on June 1st, 1791.

“Having received information that (NC) governor Martin was on his way to meet me; and would be in Salem this evening, I resolved to await his arrival at this place instead of halting a day at Guilford (Greensboro) as I had intended; spent the forenoon in visiting the shops of the different Tradesmen. The houses of accommodation for single men and Sisters of the Fraternity — and their place of worship. Invited six of their principal people to dine with me — and in the evening went to hear them sing and perform on a variety of Instruments Church music. 

In the evening Governor Martin as expected … arrived.”

Image - Photo: Ginger cakes

The Public Room at the 1784 tavern in Old Salem, NC

Colonial taverns, including the 1784 tavern in (Old) Salem, served ginger cakes with alcohol purchases. Much as 20th century bar patrons eat peanuts or pretzels so 18th century folks enjoyed their ginger cakes. 

Accordingly, the Public Room at the Old Salem tavern museum has (facsimile) ginger cakes on the tables. 

Image - Hand Carding Wool

Moravian sister "hand -carding" wool at Old Salem, NC

Hand-carding is a traditional method of preparing fleece and fibers for spinning soft, lofty yarns of varying fiber lengths. The purpose for carding is to separate and straighten the wool fibers. The result is a batt or rolag of lofty wool that makes spinning easier. Hand-carders, pictured above, are a pair of wooden paddles with wire teeth. The teeth are for carding wool, mohair and course fibers. -- The Joy of Hand-Apinning 

Image - The Journals of the early Moravians

A Moravian Sister Journals

The early Moravians had a number of distinctives. One of them was journaling. It is said of the early Moravians, "no detail was to small to record." Their diaries, notes and journals are prime sources for historians of the Moravians in colonial America. 

Image - Hearth cooking at the Single Brother's House - (Old) Salem

Image - Home Moravian Church - (Old) Salem

Home Moravian Church was established in Salem on November 13, 1771.The sanctuary building itself, with its distinctive belfry, was completed in 1800, 

Image - God's Acre

God's Acre (1771) - Moravian burial ground - Old Salem
Winston-Salem
Click on image to enlarge.

Image - Colonial Games

The Public Room at the 1784 Tavern at Old Salem, NC

The Public Room at the 1784 Tavern in Old Salem is staged with the sort of things that were there in the last quarter of the 18th century. The inventory would include: newspapers, snacks, maps, Bibles, puzzles and games.

Most of the period games are recognized by current visitors to the tavern - dominoes, chess, and checkers. There are also games that are unfamiliar to most, such as The Royal and Most Pleasant Game of the Goose and Nine Mans Morris. It is to be noted that none of the games encourage gambling which was unwelcome in the tavern. 

The former game, Goose, is a precursor to Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders and may date back 2000 years. The latter game is a combination of checkers and tic-tac-toe.

You can find these games on the Internet. With the Internet as your resource you may learn, and perhaps purchase a two hundred plus year old game.

For Goose - click here.

For Nine Mans Morris - click here.