Old Sturbridge Village, a beautifully-maintained recreation of a small, New England community of the 1830s, is a true window to the past - in part, owing to folks (both volunteers and staff) who bring life to the place with period costumes, a strong knowledge of the period and by actually duplicating the activities necessary to remain alive in the early 19th century. Here are some snapshots of some of the folks that make OSV so special.

Jer


Preparing for Thanksgiving:



"I knew I should've bought the BMW:"



Laboring in the blacksmith's shop:



Producing nails one at a time. Get the point?



A carpenter having a barrel of fun:



I got a bang out of this musket demonstration:



My daughter and son-in-law: "Geez, Honey, we're sure not in Palo Alto anymore. We've been here for over an hour and seen not one Nobel Laureate ! I'm also thinking it might just get cold here in the winter ."

[daacon]

ha great commentary there Mr. Youngman - There's a lot of things I could live without - but I am afraid I am too old and too spoiled to be without my 2000's list of 'bare essentials' (well ok I could perhaps give up HD TV for SD but not for hockey games and sports in general , that's it !) .....none of which you have portrayed here

[Bob Harris]

nice series Jer, I'm not sure if life was simpler then as many have said. What a change for your daughter and SIL, but a new adventure for the both of them,

[normhead]

Interesting Jer… by the way, the carpenter who makes barrels is a cooper. One of the guys I apprenticed with started life as a cooper in Croatia. Thanks for posting.

[Ex Finn.]

Very nice series. Thanks for sharing. (I would feel right at home in that blacksmith shop).

[eaglem]

I agree with Ex Finn that this is a good and interesting series of shots.

[Schraubstock]

A carpenter having a barrel of fun:

A cooper having a... ?

We have a similar attraction here in Victoria at Sovereign Hill (Ballarat, Australia) and old Gold mining town where a lot of period dressed people are reenacting everyday life of old. Unfortunately modern eyewear does not go well with old costumes I find. But it doesn't spoil the fun.

Greetings

[charliezap]

I've been to some of those Period places Jer where the people actually talk like they are from that time and know nothing of the present.--charliezap

[slowpez]

What fun Jer. I wouldn't last a day back in the good old days.

[tessfully]

Great series with an entertaining dialogue! We have a Pioneer Village outside of Toronto that is very similar. Always fun and interesting to visit.

[Sailor]

ha great commentary there Mr. Youngman - There's a lot of things I could live without - but I am afraid I am too old and too spoiled to be without my 2000's list of 'bare essentials' (well ok I could perhaps give up HD TV for SD but not for hockey games and sports in general , that's it !) .....none of which you have portrayed here

Hey, buddy, I don't things folks in that day had much "down" time; they truly worked constantly in order to live.

Jer

nice series Jer, I'm not sure if life was simpler then as many have said. What a change for your daughter and SIL, but a new adventure for the both of them,

Thanks, brother Bob. These people were admirable, but - in truth - they lived very hard and often short lives.

Jer

Interesting Jer… by the way, the carpenter who makes barrels is a cooper. One of the guys I apprenticed with started life as a cooper in Croatia. Thanks for posting.

Thanks, Norm. I don't know why I dubbed this poor fellow a carpenter instead of a cooper, since he spent about 15 minutes detailing a cooper's work life. I guess it's because I'm a car guy; it's difficult to use the word, "cooper", with out preceding it with "Mini."

Jer

Very nice series. Thanks for sharing. (I would feel right at home in that blacksmith shop).

Thanks much - I'm glad you liked 'em.

Jer

[Sailor]

I agree with Ex Finn that this is a good and interesting series of shots.

Thanks, EM. I always appreciate your comments.

Jer

A cooper having a... ?

We have a similar attraction here in Victoria at Sovereign Hill (Ballarat, Australia) and old Gold mining town where a lot of period dressed people are reenacting everyday life of old. Unfortunately modern eyewear does not go well with old costumes I find. But it doesn't spoil the fun.

Greetings

Man you guys take this "cooper thing" seriously . These places are fun, but - as you say - you sometimes have to apply a little imagination.

Jer

I've been to some of those Period places Jer where the people actually talk like they are from that time and know nothing of the present.--charliezap

Maybe you were in a time warp, Capn. Now that we have family in your fair state, we'll be visiting area occasionally. I want to see Plymouth Plantation and - especially - Mystic Seaport again.

Jer

What fun Jer. I wouldn't last a day back in the good old days.

Thanks, Susan. And I'm with you, I don't think I could last a day, either.

Jer

Great series with an entertaining dialogue! We have a Pioneer Village outside of Toronto that is very similar. Always fun and interesting to visit.

Hey, tess, I appreciate it. Thanks for looking.

Jer