Kids played Tiddlywinks, jacks, Dominoes and hopscotch, and tried turning the crank on the ice cream maker. Photo by Donna Manz.
Historic Vienna, Inc. takes its mission to preserve and promote Vienna’s colorful history seriously. The volunteers of HVI present speakers, produce and host exhibits at Freeman Store and Museum, and sponsor family events, from re-enactments to socials. An old-fashioned summer social, featuring games played by American children for a hundred years, an in-character storyteller (Abraham Lydecker, to be specific), and hand-cranked ice cream, filled the shaded lawn behind Freeman House on Saturday, July 27 for two hours. The ice cream social started off slow but families streamed in throughout the event. HVI is repeating the ice cream social on Saturday, Aug. 2, 4 to 6 p.m.
“This fit in perfectly with what we do,” said HVI president, Anne Stuntz. “This brings in the community to see what Vienna’s past was like.” Stuntz noted that the idea sprouted from HVI board member Nancy Moats and summer intern, Hannah-Sphie Hirsch.
“Abraham Lydecker,” founder of Lydecker Store in 1849, shared tales of the Civil War and of Vienna in the mid-1800s. He brought his mandolin and concertina, playing and singing as he sat in his rocking chair. Children tried their hands at Tiddlywinks, Dominoes and jacks. They played hopscotch and helped crank all-natural cream into ice cream.
Even the hand-cranked ice cream maker was a bit of Americana. White Mountain crafts the equipment in New Hampshire of New England white pine. The company goes back to 1853.
Dionne Pemberton lives in Bath, England now but grew up in Vienna. She and her family are visiting Dionne’s parents in Vienna and are participating in community events while they are vacationing here. Pemberton said she does not remember Vienna being the spirited, small-town community it is today as when she lived there. “There’s such community spirit here now,” said Pemberton. ”It’s so family-oriented.”
Vienna mom Erika Frederick said she was a bit “surprised and a little sad” that there were not more people there. She saw an announcement for the event in a local paper and thought it would be something different for her four-year-old daughter Maddie. “There’s a lot for kids to do,” said Frederick.
“The ice cream is awesome.”
A second family summer-fun social is on Saturday, Aug. 2, 4 to 6 p.m. As with the July 26 ice cream social, the Aug. 2 event is also free and open to the public. Reservations are encouraged. To RSVP or for more information, call 703-938-5187.