These unusual items have people asking:

What is it?

A. Pencil sharpener

B. CameraC. Pet carrierD. Candy

dispenser

B. CameraThe Brownie box camera was popular with children in the early 1900s. The camera was held waist high while the photographer looked into a viewfinder on top. A small switch was flipped to take the picture. A key on the side advanced the film.

What is it?

A. Popcorn popper

B. FishnetC. Poop scooperD. Fly Swatter

A. Popcorn popper

Popcorn kernels were placed in the wire basket and held over the fire until they popped.

What is it?

A. Map chestB. Cigar boxC. Music boxD. Sewing kit

C. Music BoxInside the box is a steel comb and a cylinder covered with raised dots. When a key is wound, the cylinder rotates and plucks out a tune on the comb.

You might know someone who has a musical jewelry box. Maybe it has a little ballerina inside that twirls when the lid is lifted. These jewelry boxes are simple versions of the fancy music boxes of the past.

What is it?

A. Cheese plate & knifeB. Vegetable chopper & scoopC. Painter’s knife & palletD. Crumber set

This small tray and matching scraper was used to remove crumbs from the dinner table.

D. Crumber set

What is it?

A. Railroad jackB. DoorstopC. Water pumpD. Candlestick

A. Railroad jack A railroad jack is a tool used to lift heavy railroad cars. The jack has a large screw inside. A rod is used to turn the screw, raising the top a little at a time and lifting the load.

What is it?

A. PropellerB. TorpedoC. SpinnerD. Anchor

C. SpinnerThe spinner was attached by a rope to a log. As the spinner was dragged behind a ship, it turned a set of gears in the log.

The rail at the back of a ship is called the taffrail. Sailors used the taffrail log and spinner to calculate the ship’s speed and distance traveled.

What is it?

A. Vegetable BowlB. Coffee CupC. Soup TureenD. Chamber Pot

D. Chamber PotBefore indoor plumbing was common, an outhouse served as a the toilet. This separate building was usually some distance away from the house, so if someone had to “go” during the night, they would use a chamber pot. When not in use, the chamber pot was kept out of sight, under the bed or in a nightstand.

What is it?

A. Hurricane shelterB. DungeonC. Secret tunnelD. Root cellar

D. Root cellarThis underground storage area used cold from the ground to keep food from spoiling too quickly. This was especially important in the days before refrigeration.

Because Miami is at sea level, flooding is common during heavy rain. If someone hid in the root cellar during a hurricane, they would be in danger of drowning!

What is it?A. SafeB. Pressure

cookerC. Ice boxD. Tool box

B. Pressure cookerThe Toledo Cooker had a place for a pan of water on the bottom. When the cooker was placed on the stove, the water boiled and filled it with steam. Food or canning jars would heat up quickly in the hot, pressurized interior.

Look for these things and more during your visit to

The Barnacle Historic State Park.