LHF Blog

June 25, 2019 Pork is the meat most associated with modern Midwestern culture, but it certainly isn’t the only one! Through Iowa’s history, both fish and poultry have been active meal ingredients. This week Living…

February 28, 2017 All winter, the 1875 Tangen House has been open to dinner guests. In March, the Flynn Mansion will also be hosting guests for a special 19th century meal. These homes showcase Victorian…

December 30, 2015 It is almost 2016! Many people are planning a New Year’s Eve party on December 31st and then a solid day of parades and football watching on January 1st. In the 1870s,…

October 19, 2015 At Living History Farms, we are constantly researching. Many different sources are used to provide the facts that ultimately help interpreters tell the stories our guests experience every time they come to…

September 30, 2014 In our last post, we mentioned an Iowa State Register article from 1871 that spoke of the modern comforts and conveniences Martin Flynn used to create his ideal country home. One of…

September 26, 2014 While the Flynn Mansion was being constructed between 1870 and 1871, newspapers eagerly covered its progress, as well as its style and amenities. On August 15, 1871, an article appeared in the…

August 20, 2014 Ever since ancient times, flowers have held both practical and cultural significance. Whether the question at hand was decoration, medicine, or the wooing of a potential mate, men and women have turned to…

August 13, 2014 A beautiful rug, sparkling silver, and brilliant flowers: the scene is set for garden tea outside the Flynn Mansion. On a lovely Sunday afternoon in July, several staff members, interns, and volunteers…

Each season the Flynn mansion staff selects a special aspect of Victorian lifestyle to research. For the past three seasons, we’ve been studying the clothing that wealthy children wore in the late 1800s. Since we…

August 15, 2013 The Flynn House seems quieter this week. Although we’re still busy each afternoon with lots of visitors coming to tour the house, our three college interns, Lena Glaze, Emily Brush and Dana…