3 August 2023 to 14 August 2023 - East Wareham MA to Concord MA
Part 3 - Sturbridge Historical Village
Drove out from Boston for about an hour to visit Sturbridge. Buildings from all over New England have been moved to the village and organized to resemble what Sturbridge might have looked in the 1830s. Volunteer dress in period costumes made from fabric typical of the times and role play characters who lived in Sturbridge in the 1830s. We really enjoyed visiting with the volunteers and learning about their daily lives.
Several games popular in the 1830s were available to try. Russ is reading up on what might have been a predecessor to pickleball (haha).
The town was laid out around a village green. I was impressed with how far the country had progressed in the 200 years since the arrival of the Pilgrims.
One of the volunteers told us that the countryside is not as it was in the 1830s. Back then, most of the trees had been cut down for farms and fuel. When residents realized that wood was becoming low in supply, they started requiring towns to grow wood lots.
An apprentice learning the tin making trade. Products made here are used elsewhere in the village and are sold in the gift shop.
Women sewed in the few moments they had available during the day, usually in the afternoon after the main meal of the day. Rooms were darker, so they sewed by open windows, if the weather allowed it.
Villagers had time to plant flowers and took great pride in their gardens.
I was struck with how monochromatic the mercantile store was. Wood, pottery and glass, with some metal predominated the room. Textiles were sold on the other wall - this was the only colorful area and even it was muted compared to today.
This is the town pound. Rather than holding dogs and cats, cows, sheep and pigs found wandering loose around the village would be gathered up and kept here, waiting for their owners to claim them.
A textile museum provided a good explanation of the clothing worn at the time and how it was made. Women volunteers in the village sew clothes for the volunteers, using the tools and methods of the time.
Predecessor of the Maytag.
The village meeting house.
Wallpaper was popular at the time. If you owned a nice home, you had wallpaper on the walls.
A young man demonstrated some of the musical instruments of the time. This is a lap organ or a melodeon. The young man said he found it difficult to play because of the effort needed to rock the instrument from side to side to create the air while also positioning his fingers correctly.
The women who gave us a tour of this house explained that the house was very cold in the winter. The heat from the huge fireplace went up the chimney and not out into the room. The benches often had tall backs so they would be moved close to the fireplace and create a boxed-in area which was better at capturing what heat the fireplace did generate.
No candles were used for extra light in the daytime since candles cost money and this is New England after all. Well known for their frugality.
A shoe cobbler's shop.
Pottery was fired in this kiln. It took 1 to 4 cords of wood to get the kiln to the right temperature. The pottery had a dark brown/red glaze applied. You could buy pottery fired in this kiln at the gift shop.
A schoolhouse of the time period. Education was free in Massachusetts and most people could read and write and do rudimentary arithmetic. Few went to college, usually just the minister. Most left school after 3rd grade.
Shooing the chickens home after a day of free-range feeding.
A businessman returning home after a day in his store.
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