A highlight of our visit to Plymouth, Massachusetts was a half day spent at a living history museum Plimouth Plantation. It features a Wampanoag village and an English village, both replicating how each would have looked in 1627. The interpreters in the Native American village belong to various nations, and they respond to questions in the present. The interpreters in the English village are Americans, and they respond to questions as if it were 1627.
Today’s photo was taken inside a reproduction of a Wampanoag summer house near the Eel River. The summer houses were made of a tree branch framework covered with overlapping mats made of cattails. The sleeping, sitting, eating, working platforms on the sides were covered with animal furs. I am resting on a black bear hide. The Native Americans lived near the river in the summer, gardening and fishing to store food for the long hard New England winters. In winter they moved inland into the forest where they had more protection from the elements. Their winter homes sheltered from one to four families and were made of bark over a branch frame.
Just before the arrival of the band of English Pilgrims the Native people had been decimated with a plague, the specifics of which are still unclear. The same disease swept down the New England coast from what is now Maine and is assumed to have been introduced by European sailors. The area where the Pilgrims landed was therefore uninhabited.
Tomorrow I will show you the English village.
Saved By Words 
A living museum sounds so interesting. Will look forward to pics of village
LikeLike
We have a few of those ‘living history’ villages here, mostly dedicated to Iron Age settlements.
http://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/
They are very education for both children and adults alike.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
I left a comment but it might be in spam, as it had a link. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks. I retrieved it from there. Then I lost it again!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know, after living here for almost five years and coming here for 20 overall, I’ve only ever seen one Native American in my life. That’s really sad.
LikeLike
You may have without knowing it.
LikeLike
This is true, especially in Alaska. But, it is sad nonetheless.
LikeLike
Growing up in Oregon I met many Native Americans.
LikeLike
I’m sure you did! I’ve spent most of my US-life on the east coast, and there aren’t as many over here. I hear New Mexico still has a lot of Native town settlements as well.
LikeLike
It does. In both New Mexico and Arizona you can get a real sense of Native towns, arts and food.
LikeLike
I’m terrified of Arizona 😅 New Mexico I’m willing to see. I don’t know much about the state though besides their Native population. What is NM usually known for?
LikeLike
New Mexico is gorgeous. The food is excellent. The art scene thriving. I enjoyed visiting both the Navajo and the Hopi Nations. Fascinating ruins also.
LikeLike
Really! It sounds like I’ll have to pay the place a visit. Any area in particular there worth seeing?
LikeLike
Sante Fe of course, but very spendy. Taos fascinating. Canyon de Chelly is in Arizona but it is in the Four Corners where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Nevada meet so it is not far. If you go get hiking advice and carry water.
LikeLike
Took a screenshot of this for future use. Thanks!
LikeLike
So interesting Elizabeth 😀
Bless you,
Jennifer
LikeLike
How sheltered do you think people would have been in a house like that during a rain storm?
LikeLike
They were quite dry since the mats overlapped.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A wonderful experience, Elizabeth. I would love to visit.
LikeLike
I hope you can get your family to the US at some point. I do know that it is very expensive to do that.
LikeLike
Dear Elizabeth,
Thank you for sharing your writings …a real life experience!
I started my blog few months before and I’m on the way to each my writings to others.Here is the link to my blog below so if you are interested in my writings, kindly please do follow and share with others too…
https://crozwalk.wordpress.com/
Thank You..
Stay Blessed !
LikeLike