Fear of crime was a concern in early America as it is today. Limited light sources heightened residents’ worries – sometimes fostered by superstitious beliefs – of thieves, wayward travelers, and pranksters. Families shut themselves inside, barred the front door, and retreated to family life. Outside, the more disorderly element frequented taverns, carried on in the streets, or engaged in raucous behavior.

On this tour, visitors will learn what the lock-down rituals would be for the Loockerman family in the early 19th-century, as they try to keep their family secure.