OldSturbridgeVillage

Old Sturbridge Village is a living history museum with heritage breed animals and historians in costume depicting early New England life from 1790-1840.

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

On December 20, 1838, Mary Arnold penned a friendship letter that read “Friendship! mysterious cement of the soul! sweetner of life, & folder of society, I owe thee much! Thou hast deserved from me Far, far beyond what I can ever repay..." #ArchivesHandwriting

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

heart-rending sight to see three coffins in the meetinghouse at the same time. There was a large collection of people. Our family and several of Lyman's cousins from Holland attended the funerals.

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

In 1835, Pliny Freeman wrote to his son, Pliny Jr., to share the tragic news of Beulah Freeman's untimely death. She was killed by a lightning strike to her home at only 27 years old. Amazingly, her two young children were found alive.

#ArchivesHandwriting

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

and about one-and-a-half miles apart. The news came to us about eight that night. The funerals at four the next day. The funerals were attended in a meetinghouse in the village nearby. Mr. Gray of Sutton and Mr. Clark of Sturbridge attended the funerals. It was a melancholy and

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

Asa Knight operated a store in Dummerston, VT from 1826 until his sudden death in 1851. His store building was moved to the Village in 1972. Pictured here is a page from his 1834-36 daybook, as well as his portrait and a view of the store as it looks today.

#ArchivesHandwriting

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

New England is famous for its picturesque fall scenes, like the one depicted in this watercolor. The artist captured autumn leaves slowly changing color outside the Litchfield Female Academy in Litchfield, Connecticut. #ArchivesLandscape

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

The landscape in 1830s New England was quite different from today! As much as 60-80% of the New England landscape was cleared for agriculture, grazing, and buildings. Today, a much larger percentage (an estimated 80%) of New England is covered in forest. #ArchivesLandscape

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

These snowy landscape scenes of Old Sturbridge Village were captured by Harriet Cushman, a long-term and beloved Village employee, in the 1940s.

#ArchivesLandscape

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

This 1892 map of Southbridge, MA offers a unique perspective of the town. Unlike other birds-eye views, this map (which was likely decorative rather than directional) shows the town from an almost lateral perspective. #ArchivesLandscape

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

@kittensnotkids The author is indeed using the long S (it is a late 18th-century manuscript) and it does seem to say “Fricassee White”

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

This handwritten cookbook in the #OSVResearchLibrary includes several copied diagrams of how to lay out your #ArchivesFeast. Though the handwriting is cryptic in places, dishes like “Dish of Fish,” “Lambe Pye,” (lamb pie) & “Sheeps Tongue All a Mod” (a la mode) are decipherable.

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

In her 1845 book 'The New England Economical Housekeeper,' Esther Allen Howland provides a full menu for a Thanksgiving feast, including roast turkey, mince, pumpkin, and apple pies, turnip sauce, oyster sauce, cheese, and more! #ArchivesFeast

[OldSturbridgeVillage @oldsturbridge]

In early 19th-century New England, pie was commonly eaten as a part of the main meal.

Find several historical receipts (with modern adaptations) for pies, including carrot pie, Marlborough pudding, and apple pork pie, on our website at https://t.co/9tFCHUiDTJ

#ArchivesFeast