The Pilgrim & Pioneer Fireplace

For the Pilgrims & Pioneers the fireplace was a means to heat the home and to do the cooking.
If there was not enough wood to make a fire then twisted straw or cornstalks were burned.Even buffalo chips and cow chips were gathered and used for fuel.
Iron stands( andirons) were used to hold the burning logs and a long metal rod held cooking pots.
Ashes were scooped out of the fireplace with a shovel and saved for soapmaking.
A bucket of water was kept near the fireplace in case a fire needed to be put out.
A dutch oven in those days was made from cast iron that had legs on the bottom of the pot and a lid. The pot was set on the hot coals inside the fireplace. Sometimes hot coals were placed on the lid of the pot. Many things were cooked inside the dutch ovens- breads, puddings, meat, cakes, stews and casseroles.
In those days families would sit by the fire in the evenings. Home made rugs were placed on the floor in front of the fireplace for added warmth. Men & boys usually carved wood items on front of the fire while women & girls knitted or did other types of needlework.