Kids Learn About Life in the 1890s

At the Discovery Museum in Santa Ana, youngsters get acquainted with the life styles of their great-grandparents. They learn that their ancestors were a pretty tough and hardy lot.

On a recent day, docent Nancy Bronson lead a group of Brownies through the museum, starting the tour in the kitchen of the three-story frame home that was built in 1890 by H. Clay Kellogg. Bronson explained that most of family life centered in the kitchen at the turn of the century, while the Brownies took turns pumping water from a well and listening to explanations of the churn that was used to make butter and the scrub board that was used for the laundry.

The museum affords a good insight to life before the advent of electricity and indoor plumbing. Even the simplest everyday chores of these pioneers required stamina.

Bronson talked about ice boxes, something new to the Brownies, explaining the difficulties of emptying the drain pans that collected the melted ice. Then the youngsters guessed the purposes of a wire rug beater, stove-top bread toaster and cast-iron nut cracker.

A special treat was picking oranges from trees in the museum’s grove and sampling the difference between the early Valencias, which are sour and juicy, and the navel oranges, which are sweeter and easier to peel.

This called for a stop at the water pump near the porch, where the girls took turns washing their hands and pumping up the water.

“The water is colder than at home,” said Beth Jacob, 8, of Irvine. “It’s also more fun to use.”

Along with experiencing some of the tasks of these early days, the Brownies savored some of the pleasures.

This was especially true in an area upstairs, where the girls tried on ostrich-trimmed hats and other Victorian clothing, giggling each time they viewed themselves in the long mirrors.

While suitably attired in their long dresses and fancy hats, the Brownies marched into a schoolroom where they took turns reading from old textbooks.

The museum, on an 11-acre site, includes four old buildings, all of which eventually will be restored.

This month the Kellogg House is decorated with Victorian holiday trimmings, and youngsters can purchase reproductions of old-time toys in a small shop at the site or make old-fashioned sachets from dried flowers.

The museum is at 3101 W. Harvard St., Santa Ana. From Dec. 26 through 31 the museum is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. At other times, it is open only for tours during the week and open to the general public on weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations are $1 for adults, 50 cents for children 12 and under. Information (714) 540-0404.