Musee de Venoge

07/04/2025

PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT THE LAND!
The American dream cannot be encapsulated in a 30 second or a 60 second sound bite. Rather it is the dream of individuals past, present and future, all endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights.

We here at Musee de Venoge wish you the most Glorious and Happy Independence Day. As we celebrate today we remember freedom is not free. Instead its rests on only one person's shoulders. The person who is willing to die for it.

Two hundred and forty nine years ago we Declared our beliefs to the world, 249 years later our beliefs still ring true. Truth cannot die. Herewith is a small sample of our Declaration of Independence read by COL Steve Abolt. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o2PHcwuQI7E
As we said, this land we love is not a 60 second sound bite. If you want to hear the entire reading go to our Venoge YouTube Channel and search for last years Independence Day Fireside Stream. The Reading of the Declaration begins at 1 hour and 5 minutes into the broadcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL8w2homS7c
HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

A small part of a reading of the Declaration of Independence at Musee de Venoge by Steve Abolt. Visit our live stream to see the entire program.

07/04/2025

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY ONE AND ALL!
There is no more quintessential American holiday than July 4, Independence Day! We have had a number of memorable celebrations here at Musee de Venoge over the years.

One question we get asked is: "How do you keep young people engaged in the fun?" We are glad you asked! Here is a "fun" little video from last years celebration featuring Mrs. Weaver and Mrs. Gagnon. The fun these two ladies are having is contagious. Wait....not a good choice of words. How about infectious....hmmm...maybe not. Anyway they sure are having a good time. We think you will too by watching.

Also don't forget the real meaning of today. Be sure and read aloud the Declaration of Independence. If there isn't a reading of our principal document nearby where you live you can watch a replay of COL Steve Abolt reading the Declaration here at Venoge. You'll find it in last year's live stream of Independence Day on our Venoge YouTube Channel. The reading begins at one hour 4 minutes and 57 seconds into the broadcast.

Happy Birthday America!!!!

FREEDOM TO BE AMUSEDThis little snippet was lifted from Musee de Venoge’s latest live Fireside Stream, Early Independence Day Episode 5. Ever wonder how to a...

06/08/2025

ALL HAIL THE HERO!
The Marquis de Lafayette has made a grand return to the United States. Hero of our American Revolution the revered General is making one final visit to the country which he helped establish. Plans call for a visit to every state forming the Union in this year of 1825.

At the Eagle Tavern the boys are in eager anticipation of his visit. But that stop won't be in little Vevay. Instead, it will be 60 miles to the east in the big city of Cincinnati.

Captain Vincent Dufour and his vaunted Helvetian Artillery are stopping at nothing to honor this man and his link to our Nation's founding. Day and night they and their cannon Old Betts are getting ready. Through constant drill they intend all of Cincinnati to know they are the pride of little Vevay, Indiana.

Those Helvetian Artillerists are firing so fast every window in town is rattling. So are the glasses and bottles of ardent lining the shelves of the Eagle.

Don't let those glasses remain empty or those bottle remain full. Join the boys as they get in the....spirit...of the occasion in welcoming Lafayette. Raise your glass and laugh out loud at the fun! The Boys of the Eagle, like Marquis de Lafayette are back!

Hero of our Revolution, the Marquis de Lafayette is touring America. Captain Dufour and his Helvetian Artillery are drilling nonstop getting ready for his Ci...

06/06/2025

THE DRINKS ARE ON THE HOUSE!
This Sunday the Eagle Tavern reopens! The boys are in high....spirits.... as they get ready to welcome the Marquis de Lafayette. The venerable hero of our American Revolution is making a tour of the entire country he helped to found. One of his stops is in Cincinnati.

Captain Dufour is a figure of martial splendor in his new uniform. He and his Helvetian artillery along with their cannon, Old Betts, plan to be there. Old Betts is thundering and the Helvetians are drilling day and night getting ready to make the journey.

All that constant drill works up a powerful thirst. Where better to quench that thirst than Vevay's Eagle Tavern. Himself has prepared a special beverage to memorialize Captain Dufour and the occasion. He even is giving them away....gratis!

Free? That can't be right? Not Himself!

Don't pay any attention to that old maxim of Greeks bearing gifts. Himself is an upstanding and honorable man. Besides, he isn't an ancient Greek.

It won't be Greek to you when you watch this Sunday. The Boys are back. The drinks and laughs are free!

You know what else is free? Subscribing to our YouTube Channel. Click the link. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvc-26hd38quVTGfivkHBgw

06/01/2025

JUNE IS BUSTING OUT ALL OVER!
And leading the charge are the boys of the Eagle Tavern! Yes, the boys are back after a long dry spell. We use that phrase cautiously here in the Ohio Valley. We have had one wet Spring.

But, Spring is ending and Summer is just around the corner. So is the next episode of Tales from The Tavern! It will premiere a week from today. That is Sunday, June 8 if you don't have a calendar handy.

There is high excitement in little Vevay. The Marquis de Lafayette is preparing to visit Cincinnati. The Helvetian Artillery under Captain Dufour plans to be there to honor him.

You be sure to be with them by watching us next Sunday to see what happens. We guarantee it is "Rarefied!"

We also guarantee you can see all our previous Tavern episodes along with 150 other videos produced by us by subscribing to our Musee de Venoge YouTube Channel. You won't even have to go with the Helvetians to Cincinnati to do that! Just click the link: https://www.youtube.com/.de.Venoge

05/27/2025

THOSE LADIES ARE COOKING!
As part of the Memorial Day long weekend, two of the ladies you have seen in our YouTube videos had a special getaway at Musee de Venoge. A cooking getaway that is!

Mrs. Willyard and Mrs. Gagnon spent three days on site. During that time they did plenty of hearth-side cooking. They also planted vegetable in the Venoge kitchen garden. We, however, can neither confirm nor deny if any....adult libations...were consumed during those 72 hours of planting and cooking.

Mrs. Weaver got "wind" of all those delicious aromas and joined Laura and Dana. She also will neither confirm nor deny the existence of ....strong beverages.....during her visit with the other ladies.

To get the truth, we contacted our legal department. He told the ladies to "Plead the fifth. Just make sure it is a fifth of good Kentucky Bourbon!"

Here are some photos for the ladies culinary Extravaganza, which we can neither confirm nor deny in involved ...libations. Our legal department is such a stickler.

Photos: Dana Gagnon, Laura Willyard, Donna Weaver

05/26/2025

WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER AND BE THANKFUL
On July 1st, 1863 the troopers of CO A, 3rd Indiana Cavalry were posted along a rail fence. Composed of men from Switzerland County they had been raised for service back in 1861. On this hot July day, having fought at places like, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, these veterans knew what was marching towards them.
To their left and front they could make out a dusty column moving east along the Chambersburg Pike. Company A's position was just west of the small town called Gettysburg, PA.
One of those troopers was Pvt. John Edward Weaver. He was 22 years old. By the end of the day he would vie with two others for a dubious distinction.
If the name sounds familiar, it should. John was the grandson of Jacob and Charlotte Weaver the first owners of Venoge. He was the son of their oldest son, John.
One of the most fascinating things we have experienced while working on our film, "To Make A Beginning" are the many unknown and interesting connecting facts we seem to keep uncovering. We owe a special thanks to Mr. Richard Moss. He has been sending us all kinds of genealogical data on the Weaver family. It was he who discovered John E. Weaver and his presence at Gettysburg.
All of these incredible details we have been discovering have shed new light on the Weavers, Venoge, and Switzerland County. One fact was that dubious distinction John E. Weaver could claim.
He is believed to be the first Federal soldier wounded in the actual three-day battle. Two men from the Illinois Cavalry Regiments also have laid claim to that title. All three of those men most assuredly did not seek that distinction.
John never made it back to Vevay and Switzerland County. After having his leg amputated he lingered until August 3. On that day he finally succumbed to infection at the large Union Field Hospital called Camp Letterman. Today he, along with 79 other Hoosiers, rest in the Gettysburg National Cemetery.
Sometimes there is so much more to an old house. There are stories yet to be told.
Saying Happy Memorial Day, never really seems the right collection of words. So, on this somber day we remember John Weaver and his sacrifice and all those countless others who Memorial Day is set aside to honor. Freedom is not free. Lest we forget.

05/18/2025

MOVE OVER BUCKWHEAT!
You've been replaced. Get ready to give your breakfast, dinner, or supper a little extra adornment by making Pancakes of Rice! Rice pancakes? INDEED! They're not just for breakfast anymore!

Mrs. Weaver returns to the Venoge hearth for another episode of "Cooking in QuickTime." This culinary journey will have you looking at food staple that will put your a breakfast in a whole other light.

Using Eliza Leslie's 1807 recipe get ready to enjoy Pancakes of Rice! We guarantee once you see how simple these are to make, we'll wager they will soon be a staple on your breakfast table.

And, if you haven't yet done so be sure and make the Musee de Venoge YouTube Channel a "staple" of your viewing enjoyment! That is easy to do too! Just click the subscribe button, and the watch Mrs. Weaver work her hearth-side magic!

Flap jacks griddle cakes or pancakes? To quote the poet: "A rose by any other name." Here are pancakes made with an ingredient you've probably never consider...

05/16/2025

THIS IS REALLY GRATING!
It seems like forever since we released a cooking video! Well, fear not. The long drought is over. We use that phrase carefully....especially with all the flooding we had here in the Ohio Valley.

But on this Sunday Mrs. Weaver is back in the kitchen with a new episode of "Cooking in Quick Time!" We call this episode delicious. It's also called Rice Pancakes from 1807!

You will definitely want to make these at home. We also hope you'll like and subscribe to our YouTube Channel! You won't even have to fire up the oven to do that! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvc-26hd38quVTGfivkHBgw

05/14/2025

SCHOOL DAYS, GOOD OLD GOLDEN RULE DAYS....
Tuesday Venoge and the Thiebaud Farmstead hosted the 4th grade from Vevay's Jeff-Craig school. In the barn, Happy Smith introduced them to archaeology and some of the methods used and what to look for. It was a hands-on activity that had everyone working.

In the Venoge cottage, Donna Weaver had the students pick questions about the house and early ways of living, out of a bowl. Every one got a chance to stump Mrs. Weaver!

Our history here in the county is varied and complex. The students went home with more parts of the puzzle....some assembly required!

05/12/2025

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?
Our kitchen garden at Venoge has a start now! All thanks to Marco and Lorrie Lapenna and their trusty tiller. They pulled all of the pesky and poison (ask Socrates) hemlock plants first...then got to work on the rest. Photos by Lorrie Lapenna.

05/09/2025

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ARDENT!
The Eagle Tavern was in rare form this past weekend We filmed the next episode of "Tales from the Tavern." All of Vevay is a buzz at the impeding visit of the Marquis de Lafayette. The Helvetian artillery is rattling the windows and bottles with their incessant drilling and firing. The boys are trying to match round for round with touches of the "Creature": AKA Ardent!

The episode will debut at the end of this month. Now to answer a question you probably all are asking? WHERE is Donna Weaver in all of the pictures? She is in every one. She took them.

Get your glasses ready to be filled! The Eagle Tavern will reopen for business by month's end! CHEERS! No....not the TV show. As long as your raising a glass be sure to hit the like and subscribe button. You can do that easily while lowering your glass after finishing your next 2 oz. curl exercise. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvc-26hd38quVTGfivkHBgw