Wheatland Dairy Louver

Dateca.1775

OriginAmerica, Virginia, Williamsburg, Wheatland Dairy

MediumWood; Whitewash

Dimensions18 3/8" (H) x 3 1/2" (W) x 5/8" (T)

Object numberAF-36-1.1X.1

DescriptionInstead of windows, dairies had long horizontal openings just under the roofs to keep the sun out and allowed warm air inside to escape, both of which were necessary to preserving as much coolness as possible for producing and storing cream, butter, and cheese.

The most stylish of the up-market grillework in the 18th and 19th century is the "cyma" or "S-curved" louver. This type of louver can be seen on the Sherwood Forest Dairy in Charles City County, Virginia.
Label TextThis louver survives from a Williamsburg property just outside of the Historic Area. The property known as "Wheatland" belonged to renowned English naturalist Mark Catesby's sister and her husband in the 18th century and painter Georgia O'Keeffe's family in the early 20th century. The dairy no longer stands, but the louver was reproduced on many of the dairies in the Historic Area, including on the Charlton Dairy.
ProvenanceWheatland Dairy