Old Sturbridge Village June 2008

Old Sturbridge Village

Massachusetts

I love these types of living history villages and museums. They really give you a sense of how life was during a particular time period and section of the country. This is one of the better villages I have been to. Very large that required the entire day to visit. If my memory is correct, many of the buildings along with the layout of the land are original. Especially the sawmill and pond. Below is a view of the sawmill

Sawmill Behind the building is the river that serves as both an energy source (waterwheel) and method of transport for the logs to the mill by floating them up the river. The archealogist I met at Abe Lincoln's New Salem went into to great detail on the importance of the sawmill to a town. It was usually the first building that is erected, so that homes could be build quickly

Printing Press and Printer.

Tavern and StageCoach station.

Most towns have one of these. The taverns are a place where news, politics and gossip is shared; traveleres come and go. This particular tavern is quite big compared to others I have been to. It had both a ladies and gentlemens area, along with sleeping rooms that could be rented.

The Stage Coach.

The Cordwainer (Shoemaker)

Inside the very orginal school house.

The school house

Inside the Potter's building. The kiln is outside which is the picture below

Below are two pictures of the upstair rooms of the Parson's home. This is very typical of most homes of the time period. The attic will hold many items that are broken, not being used and in general, just stuff. Folks at this time did not throw anything away.

Notice the spinning wheel, there is a cradle, stools. Below are beds but also the space is used to dry out herbs and veggies. All space is used for multiple puposes to maximize efficiency.

Below is the Church and the church graveyard. Some towns had the graveyard next to the church, like this one, and other towns designated an acre or so for the purpose of town cemetery.

One of the homes had a collection of the guns and tools used during the time period. These powder horns all had names of the owners inscribed on them. I also noticed on my visit to Ticonderoga, that many of the powderhorns were very ornately carved, either by the owner or a craftsman.

Below are the team of oxen. Oxen would not only be used for farming, but rented out to area folks to perform other labor intensive duties, like hauling logs to the mill, bringing product to market, removing stumps or boulders etc. A wealthy farmer could own up to half a dozen oxen teams for the purpose of renting them out.


A cotton separating machine, but not a cotton gin

A blacksmith and his shop