Myersville in Frederick County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Ye Olde Ostertag-Easterday Homestead
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, August 9, 2017
1. Ye Olde Ostertag-Easterday Homestead Marker
Inscription.
Ye Olde Ostertag-Easterday Homestead. . This house, built in the 'mid 1700's, is a typical pioneer log homestead house built in this area by early German settlers. the location of such early homes was very important as it helped to provide the many necessities for their existence. For example, a spring is in the basement, or nearby, which is a dependable source of water, essential for their needs, even if under the attack of Indians. The spring for this house is on the north side of the house and continues to this day to serve as the water source for this property. The basement of this house contains a 'pioneer refrigerator' in the form of a spring run-off trough which maintains a constant 51 degrees F, or the temperature of ground water in this area. Foods to be refrigerated were placed in heavy earthen jars and submerged the the water for cooling. Milk, butter and other perishables produced on this farm were effectively cooled in this manner until electricity became available, here in the 1940's. Watercress, a common food for early Americans, can be found in the spring branch, or stream, after leaving the basement of the house. Of course, the fireplace served as the central heating system, fired by wood, which was abundant in the area. , The old German Ostertag-Easterday Family Bible, sometimes on display in the house, was printed on the Guttenburg Press in 1765 in Germany and brought to America in the mid 1700's by our Ostertag (Easterday) family immigrants., Thank You -- The Easterdays
This house, built in the 'mid 1700's, is a typical pioneer log homestead house built in this area by early German settlers. the location of such early homes was very important as it helped to provide the many necessities for their existence. For example, a spring is in the basement, or nearby, which is a dependable source of water, essential for their needs, even if under the attack of Indians. The spring for this house is on the north side of the house and continues to this day to serve as the water source for this property. The basement of this house contains a 'pioneer refrigerator' in the form of a spring run-off trough which maintains a constant 51 degrees F, or the temperature of ground water in this area. Foods to be refrigerated were placed in heavy earthen jars and submerged the the water for cooling. Milk, butter and other perishables produced on this farm were effectively cooled in this manner until electricity became available, here in the 1940's. Watercress, a common food for early Americans, can be found in the spring branch, or stream, after leaving the basement of the house. Of course, the fireplace served as the central heating system, fired by wood, which was abundant in the area.
The old German Ostertag-Easterday Family Bible, sometimes on display in the house, was printed on the Guttenburg Press in 1765
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in Germany and brought to America in the mid 1700's by our Ostertag (Easterday) family immigrants.
Thank You -- The Easterdays
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1765.
Location. 39° 33.431′ N, 77° 34.12′ W. Marker is in Myersville, Maryland, in Frederick County. Marker can be reached from Easterday Road. At Easterday Vistas. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11847 Easterday Road, Myersville MD 21773, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 304 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 10, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
