In 1980, Frank, Susan, and their children, Lisa and Gil, began volunteering at the Durant-Peterson House Museum. In early 1981, Susan was mentioned in our newsletter as one of "Three enthusiastic people [who] have put their hearts and minds to work creating the appropriate setting for the Durant-Peterson House."
Susan soon roped Frank into leading a team of other volunteers tending the Durant garden. "We would garden on the weekends--Frank did the heavy hoeing of squashes, corn, potatoes, and I did the weeding," Susan explained. Susan and Frank often referred to the diaries of Emma and Abba Durant when deciding what to plant so that they only grew the vegetables the Durants would have grown. In addition to gardening, Frank became our expert in tools from the 19th century while Susan was often found in the 1880s Peterson kitchen cooking up something yummy.
In 2021, Frank passed away. Susan, now 80 years young, continues to volunteer on most days the Durant-Peterson House is open. The experiences of guests have been elevated tremendously by both Frank and Susan during their over 40 years of volunteer service.
Thank you for reading! If this story interested, inspired, or informed you, please consider subscribing to our monthly e-newsletter so more of these stories come right to you!
PHOTO: Susan and Frank Wukitsch in the Durant garden, date unknown.
SOURCES: "Garden and Grounds," Restoration Advocate 2, no. 5 (February 1981): 2; Susan Wukitsch, "History of the Garden at the Durant House," Advocate 44, no. 1 (Spring 2022): 7.