A hike to the Roulette Farm

Off in the distance is the Roulette Farm, now visible because of the magnificent brush-clearing job done by our friends from Save Historic Antietam Foundation (SHAF).

Follow me to the break in the fence at the Mumma Farm lane.

Just across the lane is the second break and the trail that heads east toward the Roulette Farm lane.  This trail runs north of, and  parallel to, the Sunken Road.

And a very charming trail it is.

Look to the right (south) and you catch a glimpse of the monuments above the Sunken Road.

A left turn brings us to the fence line where SHAF cleared all of that brush.

This has been a fantastic September for a variety of fungi.  Here I demonstrate why a "puffball" has that name, as it explosively sends spores off to insure new generations of progeny.

A glance to the left (west) and the low-lying visitor center comes (barely) into view.

Shift your gaze to the east, and glimpse South Mountain just above Elk Ridge in the foregound.

Straight ahead the Roulette Barn peeks over the ridge...

within shouting distance of the Mumma Farm.

Hey! looks like some work's happening, perfect timing.


Travis mixes up some resin after replacing a rotted timber on one of the historic outbuildings at the Roulette place.

And I hear work going on inside.  Again the timing is fantastic.  Looks like I'll finally get a glimpse inside.

Up the steps to the back porch and Eric from Cultural Resources lets me in for a quick look around.

A surprisingly expansive living room with lots of built-ins typical of houses of the era.

A trip up this narrow and well-trod stairway leads to the second floor and...

side-by-side bedrooms with great southern exposure and a fantastic view of...

the tower as well as the high ground just north of the Sunken Road.  This room  would have been a mighty hazardous perch 146 years ago.

Eric pointed out the cool...

hand-forged nails in the floorboards.

Back downstairs in the kitchen I checked out the bread warmer.

And then it was down to the cellar.


Here's the cellar door, from where William Roulette watched the Sunken Road fight.  Shouting to the Union troops passing in ranks through his farmyard:

"Drive 'em boys, Drive em!  Take anything you want, but Drive 'em!"

They will oblige him on both counts.


Note the hair helping to bond the plaster together on the cellar wall.  Again this is typical to the period.  This house is still very much the one that William Roulette called home.


The side door provides both my exit, and return route to the outbuilding that's being preserved.


I shout goodbye to the guys and hit the trail back to the VC.

This is one of my favorite times of year,  some plants are starting to thin out and others are jungle-lush.

Goldenrod tells me... 

autumn is on the way.

Brilliant berries trailside.

The end of the trail brings me to the handsome Mumma house.

Then its out the drive and back up to the Visitor Center, again just peeking over the high ground.

Thanks for taking this walk with me.  

The days  may be getting shorter, but they're getting better too.

I'll see you again next Sunday.

Mannie