Colonial cooking demonstration held at Pricketts Fort

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Have you ever thought about how people made bread in the times before the American Revolution? Volunteers at Pricketts Fort put on a demonstration on Tuesday, showing off just that.

The fort held its final Colonial Hearth Cooking Demonstration of its summer season on Tuesday, which showcased how a loaf of bread was baked during the colonial period. The recipe, oven and attire of the volunteers are all accurate to the time period.

The outdoor beehive oven that was used in the demonstration has been used for more than 6,000 years, honoring the deep traditions and developments of bread baking.

Bob Smith, who has been volunteering at Pricketts Fort since 2016, spoke with 12 News about the need for preserving the history of colonial cooking.

“If we don’t preserve it, where’s it going to be? It’s going to be gone. So, do you want to keep it, or do you want to let it go? People have to make the decision. If it’s not important to people, then they don’t need to come volunteer, if it is important, then come. We could always use the help,” Smith said.

The next Colonial Hearth Cooking Demonstration will happen during the Fort’s Christmas season on Dec. 5. The next event set to be held at Pricketts Fort will be traditional music day on Sept. 6.