Greenfield Village is a town that Henry Ford built on 80 acreas of land in 1929. Going there is a journey into America's past where you can experience the sights and sounds of America's fascinating beginnings.
Throughout the village many of the buildings had been moved from their original sites and states. One such building was the Wright Brothers workshop and home. Another was Thomas Edison's lab and Henry Ford's birthplace, that's just to name a few. As you entered these homes and shops there was always knowledgable staff dressed in the time period with interesting stories relating to where you were.
Jackie and I enjoyed the Cohen Millinery shop. There were authenic hats from the late 1800's to 1929. The staff member showed us the hats and how fashions had changed. One interesting fact was in the 1890's women had real stuffed birds on their hats until it was outlawed, then they went to using feathers!
In the Village there were many forms of transportation. You could take a ride in a Model T or a horse drawn carriage. Lee and Evelyn hopped a ride on the steam engine locomotive that took them around the Village. You could also walk through 4 working farms, or visit the artisans blowing glass, making pottery or weaving cloth.
While most of us roamed the village, Thom and Marc watched 5 innings of the 18th Annual Historic 1867 Base Ball Tournament. (Base ball was spelled as 2 words in 1867) The players were dressed in authenic wool uniforms, played without base ball gloves and had no umpire.
We all enjoyed ourselves and left the Village in time to arrive back at the hotel for our farewell Roundup Banquet where many of us dressed in our period costumes. Our entertainment was a female trio named the Whatabouts. These women sang songs spanning 1940 to 1960. They encouraged audience participation and made the evening fun.
Tomorrow we will leave early and start for home.
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