Going back in time: Mountain Craft Days opens this week with new demos, traditional fare

SOMERSET — Bill Stumpf, of Titusville, has a story to tell. In fact, he has many. They are all true. They are all local. They are all from decades ago. Just ask him about the bear paws in Shanksville, which appears to be one of his favorites.

Mark Ware, executive director at the Historicaland Genealogical Society of Somerset County, found Stumpf while in Titusville at the Drake Well Museum. The Drake Well dates back to 1859, when oil was struck and launched the petroleum industry's birth in Pennsylvania.

Ware and Stumpf became friends and have maintained that friendship for more than 20 years. While in Titusville, Ware taught his new friend coopering (making of barrels) and now Stumpf does coopering demonstrations at the Drake Well. He also piqued Stumpf's interest in Mountain Craft Days, and now Stumpf travels to the Somerset County event annually to become its storyteller.

Welcome to to the festival that provides many events and demonstrations taking visitors and artisans back in time to the pioneer days, but also covers all time periods. Called Mountain Craft Days, the festival that has survived for nearly 60 years, will open this coming weekend at the Somerset Historical Center.

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Started in 1970 as a three-hour Sunday afternoon display of traditional trades and crafts, the event has grown to three days that draw thousands of visitors from all over to the site that continues as a celebration of the native and pioneer spirit, and as the major fundraiser for the Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County.

There will be of course the traditional fare, such as tasty eats made the way they were created in the pioneer days. How about cornbread, cider, ham poppye or roasted corn and barbeque chicken? Artisans dressed in colonial (some in other periods) apparel, one of the conditions for participating artisans, can be found throughout the property.

There will be the traditional demonstrations by loggers and stone masons, to name a few. And there is always something new.

Besides sprucing up the site, such as putting up new fencing this year, some of the new artisans visitors will encounter include a soap maker, Joann Thomas, of the Davidsville area.

"We also have a bowl carver this year," Ware said. The bowls are decorated using different woods and enhancing the different grains. For the first time, Michael Hardwig, a retired school teacher, will display his long rifles.

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Auctions of period pieces and musicians will also be part of the tradition.

For Ware, who has never missed a Mountain Craft Days festival since its inception, he has seen fourth generations of artisans demonstrating such things as making cider (over 40 years) and apple butter, a Ware family tradition.

Meanwhile, "the auction monies are put into a fund to perpetuate traditional crafts.," he said. "We are having several people learning crafts right now. We are paying for our guy learning shoemaking."

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The committee funds tools for the trade and sends individuals to school to learn.

Someone interested in learning a craft that is not being demonstrated at the festival or may become lost can submit their request to the Mountain Craft Day Committee. They review the request to make sure it is not now part of the festival or may be a craft that could become lost, Ware said.

Friday is school tour day. Somerset and Meyersdale are scheduled to come this year.

Youngsters can learn ropemaking at the festival this year, Ware said.

The Mountain Craft Days festival is scheduled for Sept. 6, 7 and 8. It runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

There is an admission charge. Free on-site parking is available. In the case of inclement weather, free shuttles will be provided.

Be aware that there can be hold-ups in traffic along Route 985 that passes by the Somerset Historical Center during the festival.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Mountain Craft Days a tradition for nearly 60 years