From Chelmsford to Chickapee, Longfellow to Dr. Seuss

Today we began our slow move westward across Massachusetts. It was a dark, cold rainy day.

 The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains. and the wind is never weary;
..............................................................
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
     Some days must be dark and dreary.
                                           H. W. Longfellow from "The Rainy Day"

This is the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, made famous in Longfellow's collection of poems "Tales of a Wayside Inn"

 It sits on the Boston Post road, a road marked by history.


George Washington was here.

 This writing desk belonged to the Wadsworth family.  Although Longfellow did not stay here at this inn, he wrote of it from tales his good friends relayed from having spent many summers here.

 While the inn was closed in 1831, it is very much open for your business now, and looks like a wonderful place to stay of dine.


The Grist mill at the inn.

 From Sudbury we traveled the back roads to Sturbridge to the outdoor museum at Old Sturbridge village.

 This is a living museum, with museum workers in character of the period, 1830.  They were wonderful to talk to.

 There were houses small and grand, farms and flocks and shops and everything a 1830's village would have had, all housed in period buildings moved to this site.

 The tin smith and his apprentice.

 The school keeper.

 The potter was quite a character.

 The cook/housewife.

 Skimming the clabber cream.

 The cooper.  I was unable to come up with anything to trade for a new milk pail.  He was entirely self sufficient.

 The blacksmith.

 The water-powered saw mill.

 This bridge lover is no relation, at least that we know of, but after this trip, he could be, since we share a love of covered bridges.

 We spent quite a while here before heading to Springfield, again on the backroads.  In Springfield we especially wanted to see the Dr. Seuss Memorial.  Theodor Geisel was a "local boy", and the sculptures were created by his step-daughter.

 Thing 1 and Thing 2.

 We finished our day at the Student Prince and Fort Dining Room, a German restaurant in old buildings on the site of the original fort in Springfield, a city begun in 1636.

 Tonight we are in Chickapee, at the southern end of the Pioneer Valley.