This year’s gingerbread display is based on the farming operations that once formed a vital component of life at Winterthur when it was a private home. A dairy herd, animal husbandry, and agricultural crops were as integral then to the world of Winterthur as museum operations are today.
Cows were a part of the Winterthur landscape from its earliest days, grazing contentedly in the shadow of the mansion. In 1917, Henry Francis du Pont purchased four bulls and two cows for the astounding sum of $70,000 (about $1.6 million today). The breed was Holstein-Friesian, considered to be the most prolific milkers. That group became known at Winterthur as the “Foundation Herd.”
To house the herd, du Pont constructed a huge barn complex at the top of Farm Hill. Staff included a farm manager, resident veterinarian, dairy manager, and herdsmen. A creamery across from the dairy barn could process 10,000 pounds of milk a day. An electric cable tramway capable of transferring six milk cans at a time connected the second level of the dairy barn to the top of the creamery, where the milk was sterilized and pasteurized before being sold as “Winterthur Special Holstein Milk” in bottles carrying the motto “Better Milk for Better Babies from Winterthur Farms.” The milk was celebrated throughout the local area for its high quality.
Following H. F. du Pont’s death in 1969, and per his instructions, the Winterthur herd was sold at auction, ending a memorable chapter in Winterthur’s history.
The gingerbread representation of Farm Hill includes the various barns, as well as some of the workers’ homes. Weighing in at more than 300 pounds, the display includes more than 108 pounds of gingerbread! It is the creation of the skilled hands of artisans from Bredenbeck’s Bakery in Philadelphia.
This is the third year that Bredenbeck’s has dazzled Yuletide visitors with their artistry. In 2022, they presented an impressive gingerbread house of the Winterthur mansion, followed by a model made to replicate Enchanted Woods. We are grateful to Bredenbeck’s head sugar artist Diana Anello and bakery co-owners Jacob Boyd and Irvin Boyd for this wonderful Yuletide display. Don’t miss it!
See the display on view through January 5, 2024 in the Galleries. Plan your visit today!