Something old is "new" again...

Our beloved pie safe has come home again! When the Seela was converted to a hands-on cabin last fall, our curator knew it was the perfect time to send this beautiful artifact out for conservation. Thanks to donations from generous patrons, we were able to dip into our improvement fund to make this exciting restoration happen!

The pie safe is a fine example of Texas-made furniture. It was hand-built in the 1880s by a man named Alvin Haubold. He made the cabinet for his family’s food storage. The wire screens kept unwanted pests out while allowing the food to ventilate. Wire screening, which made life quite a bit more comfortable and healthier by keeping insects out of homes, was widely available by the 1870s.

The piece is built out of long leaf pine – a very sturdy and valuable wood from very old trees. These pines grew to be more than 100 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Due to logging, most of these majestic trees had disappeared from Texas by the early 20th century. Today, less than five percent of the original Texas long-leaf pine forests remain.

The pie safe is now able to be viewed in the hallway of the Foster Home, the Village point of entry. We hope you'll come see it!