Kitchen & Gardens

The kitchen at McDowell House features an open fireplace and a plethora of antique cooking instruments such as a toaster, a deep fryer, and a butter mold. There is also a small kitchen garden where plants could have been grown for seasoning food and dyeing clothes.

McDowell House has a beautiful formal garden. Much of the brick cross and circle pattern is original. The McDowells would have enjoyed sitting in and strolling through the garden, as well as throwing outdoor parties here. Evergreen boxwoods keep the garden beautiful all year long, while a variety of blooming plants appear for the enjoyment of visitors, especially in the spring.

A medicinal garden near the apothecary showcases plants that were commonly used as herbal remedies at the time. Few patent medicines existed, and plants like rosemary and lavender were popular treatments for illnesses. Dr. McDowell and his apprentices would have turned plants like these into pills, liquids, and ointments to ease the medical symptoms of his patients.