I’m not a big fan of true crime. I’m not even a fan of detective stories. But they are all the rage these days. Anyway, it’s been a few years since I’ve been to Heritage Square. The outdoor museum of old Victorian homes.
As much as I enjoy this place, I hardly ever come here. Sarah, a fellow knitter has been a volunteer here for years and she posted about the True Crime event, seeing it was the weekend before Halloween. So I went.
Hmm, I don’t remember a sign on this house. I think it’s the Hale House, pretty well furnished inside and out.
Yup. The sign is just here for the event. Inside this house we were introduced to the story of how Griffith J. Griffith tried to murder his wife. There were people inside acting the part, someone as Agnes Mesmer, the wife. Her arm in a sling, her eye covered with a bloody bandage. The volunteers (not professional actors) tried to tell the story in real time. Which didn’t work all that well. Let me just say, Griffith got the final word. He managed not to be convicted of attempted manslaughter. She divorced him and lived another 30 years. In order to clear his name he donated 400 acres of this Rancho Los Feliz to the city. Today it is Griffith park, a wonderful urban park. And that is what people remember about the name.
I do enjoy that some of the houses are full of old time artifacts. Like this typewriter.
I didn’t get a chance to ask, what are embroidery forms? Maybe it is the pattern that then will be transferred onto cloth. You know me, anything to do with textile arts will catch my attention.
For some reason I aimed my camera up. Btw, although this house is much more gingerbread than the White House next door. It was less expensive, this was a case of ordering every decorative item possible and putting them all into one house.
Here is Sarah, extolling the virtues of alcohol while a temperance lady stand outside and harangues people. Sarah has been involved here for years, her daughter Vivian who is quite a young lady these days participated as well.
Some more roof lines. Simply because it always pays to look up.
In another house we heard the story of Hattie and Minnie Woolsteen who were accused of murdering a dentist. Something to do with a love triangle. Here is Hattie telling the story, she was quite dramatic. Oh and once again, the sisters got off scot free but left Los Angeles and went back to Wisconsin.
A beautiful Victorian dress, from the back. I’ve been following some historic costume designers lately. It’s a lot of fun. They would be able to tell me how accurate this dress is, and exactly which part of the Victorian era it is copying. Me, I’m just enjoying the view.
They haven’t the funds to renovate the Church, one can only peak in the windows.
Inside Colonial Drug. The building is a replica, all the items inside come from the original in Highland Park, which is the neighborhood this museum is in. My friend Barbara is the granddaughter of the original drug store. Her family helped built the building as well as donate everything in it. I think there is still a warehouse of stuff. Her grandpa was quite the pack rat. Here a real pharmacists discusses the poisons and medicines of the day.
Back in the day, pharmacies sold beauty products. A whole display of rouge compacts.
I highly recommend a visit to Heritage Square. If you go on a regular weekend, you get a lot of history. This time it was just a fun event. Oh and there were plenty of visitors in costume as well.
Leah