Saturday, May 22, 2010

Old Sturbridge Village (Part,the first)






We went to Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts, this week, with Mr. Tom, my 3 boys, my sister and Nana & Grandpa. It was a lovely day and we meandered around.


     Old Sturbridge Village is a living museum. It is a prototype of a New England Village in Massachusetts  somewhere between the years 1790 to 1840. It's like going through a time machine! Many of the buildings are appropriately ancient and were moved to this location. Others are new and built on site but in a manner appropriate to the time period. (Think nails made by their own smithy.) There are people in historic garb in all of the houses who share a bit about what life was like for the people who lived there as they go about some of those historic people's work.


     I might as well get the sad news over with, right away. We missed the lilacs and apple trees and most of the tulips had passed and the Great House was closed for renovations.  Also, my camera is seriously on the fritz (just trust me, it is!). Never fear for us, though, there was plenty to amaze us and fun to be had!



The Great House





The Great House's Barn





We were in between anything interesting happening in the garden, too, but it's "bones" were still lovely!







We peeked in the windows!






Happily, the parsonage was open




      The official state church was Congregational. There were, also, Quaker churches. (This is an interesting point in history - you had to pay taxes to the congregational church, whether you belonged to it or not. The poor Baptists, for example! There was a definite need for separation of church and state to preserve freedom of religion. Maybe, I shouldn't even bring the subject up....)


      Apparently, not much has changed for the pastor and his wife for a couple hundred years. Oh! Except, Tom was signed up to be pastor for an indefinite amount of time (he's been pastor here for 17 years, now). A Pastor at that time was only signed up for a year. If he didn't make any waves or irritate the wrong people, he might be signed up for another. I think that a lot of pastors were migratory at that time, although, I am sure that some pastors and their towns were a match made in heaven.


~ ~ ~



They had beautiful china and blue flow ware!






The historic wallpaper everywhere was gloriously pretty!










The pastor's library and a meeting room.





chairs in the narthex of the church.



Also, I got to go shopping!






Pretend shopping, that is.



This beautiful and historic wallpaper was behind all of the wares on the shelves.











The fabrics were historic too. The fashion, then, was, the more patterns piled together, the better! Oh! Take me back! This sounds perfect to me!






My sister and I, also, had fun discussing the possibilities for trimming a hat!

(It made my mind fly across the Atlantic to England at that time and a certain Bennett family.)







Yes, life was so refined back then!




(er, click photo to enlarge, if ye dare!)



I have more to share in a few days - a few photos of soldiers' paraphernalia and antique glass and the farmhouse. We didn't miss all of the new life in the barnyard!



Love,

Katy Noelle








10 comments:

  1. Oh- what a wonderful trip, my Love!
    I´d like that, too!
    This great village impress me much!
    Thank you for sharing :-)
    Here is it sunny for the first time and I am still working in the garden- I have to clean the front garden- I am tired now and I have still to run my round in the fields...
    I had a wonderful pause with my husband on a bank with a glass of pink prosecco, so I hope, I am able to do my work ;-))
    Love and kisses, my lovely friend- Ines

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  2. Very interesting post, Katy! That looks like so much fun. I love anything historic, particularly living history museums. I had an number of ancestors from MA, and one of them (the Rev. Roger Williams) received the left foot of fellowship and found refuge in Rhode Island. He believed in freedom of religion, too. He didn't do so bad after his ouster. He went on to become the first colonial governor of RI and the founder of Providence. Then he turned around and saved the hides of the very people who ousted him from MA! LOL!

    When we were up in those parts a few years ago, I also paid a visit to the Whipple House (another ancestor) in Ipswich. That was an interesting tour as well because that house is one of the earliest colonial buildings still existent in the US. If you get a chance, go. They have a nice herb garden out front, and you also learn some interesting facts about people being fined and punished for dressing outside of their station in life. I was fascinated. I love history!

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  3. We went there with my parents about 17 years ago-it was very interesting and the town was charming too.

    Lovely photos you shared.

    Carolyn

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  4. Thank you for visiting. Please do let me know when you are next headed to my city. We could go to the Met!

    Your Sturbridge visit reminds me that I also was there. I think it might have been in the 1960's, perhaps with some roommates from that time ... '60s, not the Sturbridge era.

    I wish that I could find more time to post fresh blogs. I just grab the moment when the moment presents itself.

    Cheers!

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  5. What an interesting outting! Can't wait for Part 2 :0) (LOVE that picture with your children and your Dad) Hugs!

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  6. did the boys have fun or were they bored? i keep wondering if my guys are ready for sturbridge or if they'll be bored and antsy. hmmm?

    xo
    elyse

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  7. Katy, What a wonderfully interesting post. It looks, and sounds, like you had a wonderful day. I remember going to a place like this with my parents when I was a child. It was such fun.

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  8. Loved, loved your tour, Kathy Noelle. These lovely ladies are awesome, making me daydream!
    The last picture is so funny, most definitely a keeper and cherish for ever.

    Come on, bring Part 2 on ;)

    xoxo

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  9. My daughter went there and my mother, they have been very interested.I wish i could go once!i love your last picture too!!!

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  10. Great post Katy - it's so interesting to view trips and days out taken in other places in the world - being a history buff Sturbridge looks fascinating to me. Having the 'residents' in 'character' just adds to the fun!

    I love the haberdashery shop and the last photo is classic!

    Katy I'm sorry I haven't been around much but I've decided to cut back on my posting and commenting because I just don't seem to have the time to blog and pursue my other interests as well - I'm trying to find the right balance ... oh but just to say I adore those little chicks and your playful puppies are just too sweet!

    I WILL still be commenting but just not as often:-)

    Jeanne
    xoxo

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Short and witty, long and heartfelt, just a blip to say hello - I love all of your comments! Feel free ...

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