In different ways, two of this issue’s feature stories explore how people are making history refreshing, relatable, and appealing.
Each year, A Country Day at Kirby’s Mill offers families a chance to step back into the past. The historic mill, which first became operational in 1778 and was the last working commercial mill in New Jersey when the Medford Historical Society acquired it in 1969, served as the perfect backdrop for an afternoon filled with reenactors, demonstrators, and displays showing what life was like in the late 1700s, 1800s, and the early 1900s.
Visitors watched fresh cornmeal being made, as it was for the Continental Army. Members of the South Jersey Guild of Spinners and Weavers demonstrated weaving techniques on a barn loom, and Mike Gallagher, vice president of the Medford Historical Society, showed how a letterpress machine works. Reenactors from the 12th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment recreated a Civil War encampment and conducted rifle demonstrations.
Seeing craftspeople and reenactors illustrate aspects of everyday life transformed the past into something vivid, while a dress-up station where visitors were encouraged to borrow free, historically accurate clothes made the experience even more tangible, helping people of all ages connect with history.
We also highlight a business that bridges the past and the present. Through Thee Perfect Sale, Cortney Petrillo-Heine is reimagining the traditional estate sale for clients in Medford, Moorestown, Haddonfield, and surrounding communities.
She and her team hold estate sales in clients’ homes, staging them like curated boutiques. Friends and family members work at the events, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere that blends the polish of retail with the personal touch of a family garage sale.
She encourages clients to keep meaningful items and to allow her team to sort through through the rest. One of her biggest challenges is that clients who decide to downsize or donate often throw out valuable or in-demand items, thinking that they’re trash or clutter.
Petrillo-Heine’s sales are an innovative way to honor both the people who lived in these homes and their possessions. Seeing a collection in its original setting gives each piece proper context, allowing shoppers to imagine how an item might fit into their own lives.
Estate sales have long been a form of recycling, but by thoughtfully presenting objects from the past, Petrillo-Heine helps connect one person’s memories with another’s possibilities.
Enjoy!
