Sam Houston Memorial Museum Blog

Desperate Times Call for Comfortable Measures

By: Joshua Rachita, Blacksmith 

Texas experienced several bouts of unseasonably cold weather this year. Many, including myself, were caught ill-prepared as temperatures plunged well below freezing starting on Valentine’s Day.  Power outages across our region left many without heat, the ability to cook, and without light. Emergency situations like these help show us the importance of continuing to study old skills in the event we might require them again one day. 

Though I was caught lacking in some areas of preparation, I was ready for a good time! The weekend before the big snow fall, I was determined to secure a sled for my friends and I. Unsurprisingly, I found that sleds are few and far between in the great state of Texas. So why not just make one?! As the blacksmith at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum, I was able to use both traditional and modern-day tooling and techniques to build a historically inspired sled, and I was able to finish my sled just in time for the onslaught. We certainly enjoyed our time riding down the hills on campus and getting to share our joy with other students, making the most out of a bad situation.

Our excitement quickly deteriorated into distress when we found that our power had gone out, and with it our comfort. We were never in a dangerous situation but certainly hungry for a warm meal and an external heat source. Living only three quarters of a mile from the museum, we decided to pack the sled up with pots, pans, a tea kettle, and two boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese. As we made the trek in the frigid conditions, the sled glided effortlessly over the icy sidewalks. Upon arrival, we lit a fire in Eliza’s kitchen and utilized some of the cooking tools that I’ve made in Joshua’s Forge here at the museum. Some of which included cooking trivets that I had just finished a month before our adventure. Rather than cooking over the fire, trivets elevate pots or pans so you can rake hot coals under them to provide a heat source. Much like cooking on a modern charcoal grill.

 

There are many reasons why living history is important and this is just one example of that. Knowledge of traditional skills in cooking, fire making, and forging provided me with the resources I needed to be a bit more comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. Cooking at the museum out of necessity gave me an odd sense of familiarity with the Houston’s way of life. It was almost like at any second, Sam could walk right through that door, sit down by the fire, and give us the recent news from Washington, and he wouldn’t have a clue it was 2021. And I have to admit, I like to think he would like my mac and cheese too!