Hull House Foundation

THE HULL HOUSE FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO HELP OUR CITIZENS LEARN OF THE CONTRIBUTION MADE TO THE SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY BY THE EARLY PIONEERS TO OUR REGION. . . BY PRESERVING AND RESTORING THE 1810 HULL FAMILY HOME & FARMSTEAD; BY CONSERVING, REBUILDING, HOLDING, MAINTAINING, PRESENTING AND INTERPRETING THE 1810 WARREN & POLLY HULL HOUSE AND GROUNDS; BY ENGAGING, INFORMING AND INSPIRING PEOPLE AS THEY LEARN ABOUT THIS HISTORIC DWELLING, ITS BUILDERS AND INHABITANTS AND THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED DURING ITS PERIOD OF PRIME SIGNIFICANCE;

OUR STRATEGY TO EXECUTE THIS MISSION IS TO FIRST PROVIDE A HISTORICALLY ACCURATE SETTING (CAMPUS) THAT CAN PROVIDE CONTEXT TO THOSE WHO ATTEND OUR TOURS AND FORMAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE ANCHOR OF THIS SETTING IS THE HISTORIC HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT BY THE HULL FAMILY AROUND 1810 AND SERVED AS A FARMSTEAD WITH MANY PURPOSE BUILDINGS ON THE SITE SUCH AND BARNS, ROOT CELLARS, AND BAKE OVENS. THE ONLY STRUCTURE REMAINING ON WHAT WAS OVER 100 ACRES OF FARMSTEAD IS THE HISTORIC STONE CONSTRUCTION HOME, WHICH IS NOW FULLY RENOVATED. AFTER YEARS OF RESEARCH, WE HAVE DETERMINED WHAT OTHER STRUCTURES WERE PRESENT AND WHERE ON THE SITE THEY WERE LOCATED. WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF RECONSTRUCTING THOSE BUILDINGS AND OTHER PHYSICAL FEATURES WITH DESIGN AND MATERIALS THAT CLOSELY MATCH THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USED IN THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1810 & 1900.

THE CONTINUED PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF THE HOME.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO OFFER SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE TARGETED TO BOTH STUDENTS AND ADULTS TO ACCOMPLISH OUR PRIMARY MISSION. WITH THE SITE UNDER CONTINUAL CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE OFFERED SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ARE CONSISTENTLY DEVELOPING NEW ONES. EXAMPLES OF OUR TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS: SINCE 2008, THE HULL FAMILY HOME & FARMSTEAD HAS HELD A "HISTORY CAMP FOR KIDS." WE INVITE STUDENTS ENTERING FOURTH THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE TO SPEND A FULL WEEK LEARNING ABOUT LIFE ON THE WESTERN NEW YORK FRONTIER IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY. FROM TEXTILES TO NATIVE AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS, TO FOOD AND THE WARS THE FAMILY WAS ENGAGED IN, CAMPERS ARE EXPOSED TO MANY ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCES THAT ENHANCE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS IMPORTANT PERIOD IN AMERICAN HISTORY. "MEET OUR PAST" TOURS, WHEREBY VISITORS WALK TO VARIOUS STATIONS VIEWING VIGNETTES, WHICH DRAMATIZED HISTORIC EVENTS. EXAMPLES OF NEWLY DEVELOPED PROGRAMS IN 2022 ARE: "LIVING HISTORY" LECTURE SERIES. DURING THE SEASON, WE SCHEDULED MONTHLY LECTURES BY GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERTISE IN SPECIFIC SUBJECTS, SUCH AS THE WAR OF 1 812, MEDICINAL PLANTS, AND PERIOD CLOTHING. "HANDS-ON HERITAGE" DAYS. THIS IS ANOTHER NEW PROGRAM SERIES OFFERED MONTHLY, FAMILIES ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THEMED PERIOD ACTIVITIES RELATING TO EVENTS SUCH AS MAY DAY, FOURTH OF JULY, HARVEST SEASON AND OTHERS. NEARLY ALL FOURTH-GRADE STUDENTS (APPROXIMATELY 400) IN THE LANCASTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TRAVELED TO THE HULL FAMILY HOME & FARMSTEAD IN THE SPRING OF 2022. THEIR VISIT CONSISTED OF A TOUR OF THE RESTORED HULL HOUSE AND THE FAMILY CEMETERY, AS WELL AS AN EXAMINATION OF THE HULL FAMILY TREE. SOME CLASSES EXPERIENCED OUR EXTENDED DAY, IN WHICH THEY PARTICIPATED IN PIONEER GAMES, VISITED THE KITCHEN GARDEN AND LEARNED ABOUT MEDICINAL PLANTS, AND WERE INTRODUCED TO TOOLS AND CHORES OF THE PERIOD. IN ANOTHER NEW EFFORT, SEVENTH GRADE CLASSES FROM DEPEW MIDDLE SCHOOL VISITED FOR A FULL DAY OF ACTIVITIES AND PRESENTATIONS ABOUT LIFE IN THE EARLY 1800S.

SITE DEVELOPMENT: WITH THE RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC FARM HOUSE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE, THE ORGANIZATION SHIFTED ITS FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FARMSTEAD GROUNDS. THIS INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION/RECREATION OF SEVERAL STRUCTURES THAT WERE PART OF THE HULL FAMILY FARMING OPERATIONS BUT HAVE LONG BEEN DEMOLISHED. THREE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN SITE DEVELOPMENT WERE: THRESHING BARN PROJECT: ACQUISITION OF A 200-YEAR-OLD BARN THAT WILL BE PROFESSIONALLY RECONSTRUCTED ON THE HULL HOUSE SITE IN THE LOCATION IDENTIFIED BY ARCHEOLOGY STUDIES OF THE FARM'S "THRESHING BARN". THE ENGINEERING STUDIES AND TOWN CONSTRUCTION PERMITS ARE NOW IN PLACE SO THAT WORK CAN COMMENCE TO RECONSTRUCT THE BARN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ALL FUNDING IS NOW SECURE AND MOST OF THE MATERIALS ORE ON SITE. WE HAVE EXECUTED SEVERAL CONTRACTS AND CONSULTING AGREEMENTS AND EXPECT THIS PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED IN 2023. ROOT CELLAR PROJECT: MUCH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE HERE. WE NEARLY COMPLETED RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FARM'S "ROOT CELLAR", THE FOUNDATION OF WHICH WAS UNEARTHED OVER TEN YEARS AGO BY OUR ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS. ALL THAT REMAINS IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ROOF, WHICH WILL RECOMMENCE IN THE SPRING. OTHER PROJECTS: WE COMPLETED RENOVATION OF A NON-HISTORIC BUT KEY MAINTENANCE BARN ON SITE THAT INCLUDES A NEW ROOF, PAINTING, WINDOW REPLACEMENTS, AND A SMALL EXPANSION FOR STORAGE OF MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT. INSTALLATION OF A "KITCHEN GARDEN" WAS COMPLETED IN 2022 WITH A HISTORICALLY CORRECT FENCE. THE GARDEN WOULD HAVE SERVED THE FAMILY NEEDS FOR VEGETABLES, HERBS, AND PERHAPS SOME FRUITS.