It has been one crazy week in Rhode Island. A tropical storm moved through and knocked our power out for nearly 24 hours. As we were recovering from that, Massachusetts announced that Rhode Island was no longer considered a "low-risk" state for COVID exposure (despite no obvious change in the numbers) and therefore would be subject to quarantine. For us, that meant we could no longer cross the state border for historical field trips. Luckily, we did visit one historic site in Massachusetts this week prior to the ban taking effect.
Old Sturbridge Village recreates a rural New England Village from the 1830s. My children were mesmerized by this step back into time. Classic New England elements are brought into one place. There is a simple Quaker meeting house and a simple white New England church building. As a child, I remember repeatedly looking through a book about New England churches that my parents owned. Visiting here was like stepping into the pictures of that book. Additionally, a covered bridge brought in from Vermont sits on the property as does a perfect New England farm.
Old Sturbridge Village recreates a rural New England Village from the 1830s. My children were mesmerized by this step back into time. Classic New England elements are brought into one place. There is a simple Quaker meeting house and a simple white New England church building. As a child, I remember repeatedly looking through a book about New England churches that my parents owned. Visiting here was like stepping into the pictures of that book. Additionally, a covered bridge brought in from Vermont sits on the property as does a perfect New England farm.
While the picture above shows the girls inside a building, I must note that most buildings are not open due to COVID. Ropes close off the entrances, but do allow you to see inside the buildings. Many of the demonstrations have been moved outside. Also, the outdoor playground and indoor discovery room that would be perfect for younger children are currently off-limits. The good news is that entry prices are very reasonable through the summer. With the purchase of an adult ticket, three children are admitted for free.
My girls quickly identify the animals as one of their favorite parts of Sturbridge Village. Chickens roam around the farm area. Sheep fill the pastures. Cows can be seen both in the pasture and up close in the barn. According to the website, even the breeds of these animals are historically accurate to the time period. Related to animals, we learned a very interesting fact about pounds, which I had always assumed were a more recent invention of urban areas. At Sturbridge, just off the town common, there is a stone pen called the pound. When animals strayed too far from home, they were placed in the pound where the owner could pay a fine for the animal's release.
My girls quickly identify the animals as one of their favorite parts of Sturbridge Village. Chickens roam around the farm area. Sheep fill the pastures. Cows can be seen both in the pasture and up close in the barn. According to the website, even the breeds of these animals are historically accurate to the time period. Related to animals, we learned a very interesting fact about pounds, which I had always assumed were a more recent invention of urban areas. At Sturbridge, just off the town common, there is a stone pen called the pound. When animals strayed too far from home, they were placed in the pound where the owner could pay a fine for the animal's release.
Another favorite part of the village was the carryall. The carryall is essential an 1830s version of a shuttle bus. Two amazingly strong horses pull a very large wagon. We rode the carryall from the blacksmith shop back to the tavern for lunch. Our driver also served as a wonderful guide to the village. He explained the history of how certain structures came to village as well as how the mills worked. As a special treat, the horses pulled us through the covered bridge.
The costumed historical interpreters were wonderful--even with masks. We very much enjoyed watching the cooper shape the wood, the blacksmith explain how wagon wheels were made and the shoemaker work on shoes.
The girls also enjoyed the town bank. They found the display of 1830s money from different countries fascinating. It allowed them to pictures coins they had only previously read about.
Old Sturbridge Village was undoubtedly a very successful outing. We enjoyed it even with the COVID restrictions, but do hope to return during more normal times. I will leave you with a few more pictures from our trip.
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