We entered the English part of the village down this dirt road lined with about ten small homes. Each had the name of one of the original families over the door. I was immediately struck by how English these houses looked compared to the ones in the 1830 living history museum, Old Sturbridge Village, near us. We would continue to find how radically living conditions had changed between 1627 and 1830 in New England.
We had a lovely chat with a young man who had come under contract to a settler who had since died. He was housed with another family now. He was pounding out bent nails since iron was scarce and unavailable in the Colony.
We were intrigued that each house had an individual style to it, though they were all about the same size. Most had a double bed they had brought over from England and assorted straw filled mattress-like pads piled in a corner for the other family members to sleep on. But each bed was positioned differently in each home; each had its own kind of curtain around it; and each bed had been individually made. All homes were dark, dirt floored, small and equipped for cooking. Each had a small garden outside. Chickens wandered freely all over the village and were rounded up collectively each evening into a shared chicken coop.
We left grateful for electricity, running water, heat and windows. But we also left with a very clear understanding of what life in 1627 had been like for both the English and the Wampanoag.
Saved By Words 
How interesting! I’d love to visit the living history museums in New England, especially for those very early periods. The closest I’ve come is Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia which is around the time of the Revolutionary War, but also very interesting.
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I am hoping to get there one day too. Next week I will be in Philadelphia to see the historic section.
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It always strikes me how hard their lives were. No such thing as retirement or a quiet life. No wonder life spans were short
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Fascinating & so interesting! 😀
Thank you Elizabeth.
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Good to see how authentic it is. If nothing else, it surely makes us appreciate the everyday luxuries we enjoy and take for granted.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I do love these historic replica places! Thank you for sharing these. I hope to visit them one day. I have loved Jamestown and Roanoke “the Lost Colony” site. The way of life as a pioneer, explorer must have been so difficult.
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I was very impressed by Plimoth Plantation. More than I thought I would be.
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Which colony did you prefer?
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The Wampanoag seemed to have made better use of their location and their homes had more light in the summer.
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Heavy and hard and short, their lives were, I imagine. Time for me to put down my iPad, get out of my cosy bed, empty the washing machine, have a hot shower, dress in store bought clothes, make coffee… We’re almost like a different species,our lives are so different.
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And I noticed the same between 1620 and 1830. My grandmother felt the same between 1890 and 1970.
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Oh my goodness. Of course, it would be so.
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That is a very scary looking town!
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Imagine it on Halloween!
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Ha! Now that would be interesting! 🤔
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Museums and especially “living” museums depicting life as it was is a great way of travelling back i time to understand life, society and culture as it was. It’s equally interesting in comparing them with now. It can help us connect with where we personally come from when exploring our own family and towns history.
Hey Barney this is right up your street (if you pardon the pun) @BarneyBradshaw
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I learn a lot at various ones.
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