In 1926, One Rainy weekend in Manchester VT four friends gathered for a weekend of golf. Amongst them was Albert Wells, President of the American Optical Company in Southbridge, MA and his brothers. Rather then lose the weekends congress on account of foul weather the men elected to make the best of their situation, they’d venture out antiquing and take advantage of the shops in the region. Albert reluctantly accompanied the others unbeknownst that the path before him would lead to a lasting legacy of local heritage and preservation of a begone era, culminating in the formation of a New England iconic landmark, synonymous with life, progress and all things that make up the foundations of this unique landscape. On that day amongst the two beach wagons worth of spectacular “oddities” came something more then just the material, but also the very seeds of the concept of memorializing the past, our past. This is the story of Old Sturbridge village (OSV). A place frozen in time.
Every spring and fall school buses from all over the north east corner fill the rear lot at OSV, it is here where New Englanders are introduced to an experience that will create memories they’ll take with them for a life time. A living, breathing, snap shot of the past, forever synonymous with their childhood. Later in life many return with families of their own, greeted by a nostalgia filled familiarity of a simpler time. And while most take comfort in revisiting the unchanged landscape, and personified embodiment of “Yankee ingenuity” on display daily across the four seasons, few recall the origins, history, and evolution of new England’s largest living museum. From it’s early iteration as one family’s obsession to collect and display the tools and the wares our early 19th century ancestors depended upon in daily, to honoring the individuals of that era, as well as the many passionate and dedicated individuals both past and present whom have chosen to embrace the challenges of carrying on the traditions, knowledge, and heritage OSV represents, and the importance of preserving it for future generations. Our film will tell this story, spanning the 70 plus year history of this iconic landmark. By utilizing the vast amount of archival media stored in OSV’s extensive research library, as well as testimony of former and current employees, volunteers, and notable contributors, we will visually walk you through OSV’s progression from the seeds planted with collection began by the Wells family. We shall highlight its formative years, as OSV began to take shape. We shall feature the expansion of the grounds of the village, as the literal stones would be laid that would form the foundations of OSV to house vast amount of items accumulated in the earlier years, and later the further organic evolution of the village as life would be breathed into the collection through use of interpretive recreations of daily life by passionate individuals, skilled in lost craftsmanship and knowledge. A step that would lead to what we know as OSV in the contemporary. We wish in our film to convey that evolution, to distill it, in the live and testaments of the men and women who enriched it.
explore events and moments that served as milestones and the individuals who guided OSV through the years. Our journey through OSV’s past shall revisit little known facts such as the villages ties to Hollywood features, or how it would serve as as a classroom and inspiration for arguably our nations greatest visual historian. Our goal for this project is to offer a new, unseen perspective, and allow the viewer to experience the village through fresh eyes, and truly strengthen the link to both our past as new englanders as well as the cultural impact this landmark has on the region.
As the village approaches its ¾ of century anniversary our film will show the next phases of OSV’s evolution by inviting the public to further engage in new events and functions showcased at the village, further demonstrating OSV’s ability to evolve while maintaining its legacy rooted in the past, a place that remains suspended in time for generations to come.
