The Hospitable House of Grandma Maria Rural Life Museum

The family of the Parfenov peasants lived here for more than 100 years. Grips, Russian stove bread paddle, and other kitchen utensils were used by three generations of housewives; the museum collection consists of the household items that belonged to Grandma Maria, the last hostess of the house. We try to tell the history of the village and its people through the prism of one family, the Parfenovs.

Place of Power

For our family, Khvoshchevatka is more than a homeland, it is a place of power. It’s our family estate and an old corner of Khvoshchevatka life. The great-grandfather Konstantin Ivanovich Parfenov (1874-1942) was born in the village, he built his house and yard himself. The homestead is located in a picturesque place, near the Klinok land, in the triangle of the meandering and deep Klinovskiy ravine, as if on a peninsula. Behind the ravine, you can see the Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Church and the Don River.

Right behind the hut there is an old garden.

Here we hold gatherings with folklore groups, sing songs, play games, drink tea.

But the most important thing was missing – a room where visitors could sit together and have a cup of tea. I decided to call that place the Grandma’s Cupboard. By the name of antique furniture. It was in the cupboard that Grandma’s cups and dishes, pies and jam were stored, ready for a tea party. We made a presentation for our project and received a small grant. The room for the Grandma’s Cupboard was built.

But the main thing — the old cupboard — was still missing. I reached out to the deputy Dmitry Alexandrovich Fedorov for help in purchasing a cupboard. Dmitry Alexandrovich himself organized the search and held negotiations with the owners. At last, the long-awaited moment had come. The cupboard arrived at our Hospitable House. And with its arrival the atmosphere of “the old days” filled the museum.

Now we have a memorial area with an old hut of the late 19th century and an interactive area – a tea house with an antique cupboard called the Grandma’s Cupboard. The first visitors have already seen the Cupboard and enjoyed the atmosphere of the old days.

Director of the “Hospitable House of Grandma Maria” Museum Center E.A.Vinogradova.

The Hospitable House of Grandma Maria Rural Life Museum