Saturday, June 15, 2013

Time Travel: Greenfield Village

I'm afraid I've been badly misplaced. Alright, that's a lie. I've got this horrible habit of compulsive lying that I'm trying to break by admitting it every time I do it. (Friend: I love this movie! Me: Me too! Wait, not I don't. I lied.) Ok, now its out in the open. Hold me accountable, please.

Let me clarify.  Because I know that God doesn't make errors, I know that I belong right where I am. However, all other evidence points to me being born about 60 years later than my prime era.  I am forever yearning for another year.

That year, or era, really, is the post-war era. The fifties. Sigh. Please don't correct me if I'm wrong. I've grown pretty attached to my little picture of what life back them was like. People ALWAYS looked good. Women wore dresses (no muffin tops here) and in general looked a lot more classy than we do in general today. You'd never catch a man out in his holey, stained, disgusting undershirt and sweats if he could help it. They didn't sag or have pierced ears. Everyone could dance (no, I'm not talking about grinding, jumping, or fist pumping), and the music was fun and live more often than not.  Everyone was always having a good time.  And most cars had windows that rolled down manually. I love that.

Now, I get that the fifties had its fair share of rough times. Their fun just seems like it was funner, and you'll not convince me otherwise.

Meanwhile, here I am, stuck it the two-thousand-teens, where people sag, can't dance, and have power windows in their cars. And that's great; that's where we're at as a society right now.  Maybe in 60 years there will be someone like me wishing she could see every guy's boxers. I don't know. But until then, I'll be traveling back in time as much as possible via Greenfield Village, a place for people stuck in a past they'll never really know.

A window in an old (duh) lumber mill at the Village. 


Greenfield Village really is a very spectacular place. The dedicated souls working there have manages to salvage countless pieces of American history, from Thomas Edison's workshop in Menlo Park to Noah Webster's home.  It's a village made of places where crazy important stories began once upon a time, and I think that's another reason I love old things. I love places with a story.

As we entered today, it was a bit rainy. We were definitely the odd ones out, weaving between people trying to make a quick getaway from the precipitation armed only with umbrellas, which the masses seemed to have left at home.



Which was all right with us, as we were left with most of the place to ourselves. 



Just before entering the village, you'll find yourself in Josephine F. Ford Plaza.  It's a pretty little sanctuary with historical pieces and art orbiting a - very clean - tiered fountain.


Greenfield Village itself, is, as I've hinted a bit, a completely other world.  Train tracks, early electric lights, and dated buildings are the norm. Although everything here is decidedly old, the feeling is eclectic with the best of every part of the late 19th and 20th century. 






We were hugely in luck today.  The kiln was firing clay things.  


I'll have you know that they kiln only fires clay things once or twice a year. Things like this teapot, which made me green with envy, although I thought it should go to a better home where people actually drink tea. It's a beaut, though, isn't it? 


All that fire may have been the cause for lucky thing number two of the day: vintage fire trucks!




What with the smoke coming from the firing shed and the fire truck brigade, the view from across the millpond was pretty alarming. I was convinced we were in the middle of an old-fashioned crisis!


Once assured that all was safe and sound, we found ourselves wandering through the Liberty Craftworks area of the village. 



We popped into the printing shot, where we met with the only Greenfield Village staffer who's ever been unable to answer a question - and the poor guy was filling in for a sick friend on a day's notice! Did I mention how extremely knowledgable the staff at GFV is?





We've always got to make time for a stop in the glass blowing shop.  It's absolutely fascinating! Workers demonstrate how to make vases, ornaments, and statues - the very ones that are sold in the village store!



I can't help but be amazed with what the artists can do. 


Of course, there's the occasional casualty. Poor little guy. 


And now, ladies and gentlemen, if you think you can handle it, we move on to surprise number 3: There was a classic car show and a dancing demonstration.  I was almost driven out of my mind (no pun inteneded) with fifties-itis!


Remember Herbie?




This slate-gray hotrod was hee-uge! 





The hood ornament from an extremely well-kept (according to the family car expert) Rolls.


Check out that trendy upholstery! 



I don't care who you are, that's funny.  




Unfortunately, the photos of the dancers will have to wait for another day.  Until then, though, you'll at least consider a quick time-travel trip to The Golden Age with me, won't you?

Could you choose, when would you have been born?  Got your own local Greenfield Village? Talk about it!

Love, Bella

2 comments :

  1. What a fun posting! You have a similar style to mine.
    Plus, U time-travel as often as I can...but I go back a bit further than the 1950's...
    Hey! Check out this post I wrote about '50's music: http://passionforthepast.blogspot.com/2009/02/pre-beatles-rock-and-roll.html
    By the way, thank you for liking my blog about Greenfield Village - - - - -

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, it was really fun to do! I noticed that, too! Thanks for referring your post about 50's music - it might just come in handy for the second Greenfield Village post I'm currently working on. I really appreciate it!

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