Play Ball! The popularity of baseball in the 1920s engaged both the urban and rural communities. From the major league contests to the pick-up games in cow pastures, baseball was a popular spectator sport and great entertainment.
The Farm at Prophetstown will be hosting a Historic Baseball Game on October 23, 2021. The Vintage All-Stars, a team comprised of players across the Midwest, will travel to The Farm to play our hometown team, The Bo’Janglers, named after our mini-horse who is a visitor favorite full of personality.
The Bo’Janglers will consist of several, local community members. The game rules and the lingo were a bit different back at the turn of the century. It was a no mitt, all grit game! Rules teams will follow were established in the 1860s. Do you know what the saying, “Any jelly bean with a pole can cork a meatball out of a dew drop”, means? Hang around a vintage baseball game long enough and you might piece it together. In the distinctive jargon of what we call “our national pastime”, Any jellybean (player) with a pole (bat) can cork (hit) a dew drop (slow high pitch) that comes right down middle of the plate (meatball).
The Farm at Prophetstown offers a unique experience to visitors on all aspects of farm life in the 1920s. Programs, events and classes revolve around topics like baking, blacksmithing, gardening, canning, animal care, and era-specific family entertainment and crafts. Farm-to-table cooking is highlighted with The Farm’s popular multi-course dinners served on beautiful china from the early 1900s.
The Farm practices aspects of sustainable agriculture and offers a variety of heritage breed animals that would have been found on farms during this time period. Two farmhouses on the property serve as museums and offer a glimpse into how families lived in the 1920s, with additional buildings that include a magnificent barn, a blacksmith shop, a corn crib, chicken coops and other facilities for visitors to explore and enjoy.
The Farm draws on a wide range of resources such as beekeepers, master gardeners, farm professionals, and home economics experts. The staff is dedicated to showing, sharing, and teaching about historic agriculture and the homesteading arts, as well as outstanding animal care and excellent customer service. Admission is free with state park entry.