Pioneer Village (Salem, Massachusetts) facts for kids
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Pioneer Village, also known as Salem 1630: Pioneer Village, is a special place in Salem, Massachusetts. It's like a time machine that takes you back to the 1600s! This "living history museum" shows what the city of Salem was like when the first English settlers arrived. It opened in June 1930 and was the very first museum of its kind in the United States.
At Pioneer Village, you can experience life as it was for early English settlers. Instead of just reading about history, you can see it! You'll find a blacksmith’s shop, where metal items were made. There's also a sawmill for cutting wood and a saltworks for making salt. You can explore gardens, old-fashioned fireplaces, and different types of homes. These include a dugout (a simple shelter in the ground), a Wigwam (a Native American home), and cottages with thatched roofs (made of straw or reeds).
A very important building when the village first opened was the Governor’s House. This "fayre house" showed what the home of Governor John Endicott might have looked like. It was built in 1628. Today, the City of Salem's Witch House helps run Pioneer Village. The Witch House is another old building from the 1600s. It was once owned by Jonathan Corwin, a judge during the famous witchcraft trials.
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How Pioneer Village Started
Why Was Pioneer Village Created?
Two people, Joseph Everett Chandler and George Francis Dow, had the idea for Pioneer Village. Chandler was an architect, and Dow was a historian. They wanted to show everyone what life was truly like in 1630. They brought in other experts to help build it. This was all part of the "Tercentenary celebrations," which marked 300 years since Salem was founded. A famous landscape architect named Harlan Page Kelsey helped design the village. They created one of "America's first living history museums." The city of Salem promised to keep it safe forever.
A Play Set Becomes a Museum
The village was first built in 1930 as a set for a play. This play was held in Forest River Park in Salem, Massachusetts. People sat in the park and watched actors recreate what Salem might have looked like in June 1630. This was when important people like John Winthrop and the families of Thomas Dudley and Simon Bradstreet arrived. Anne Bradstreet, America's first published poet, was part of this group. A copy of the Arbella, the main ship of the Winthrop Fleet, was also built for the play.
The village was only supposed to be temporary. But people in Essex County, Massachusetts loved it so much! They wanted it to stay. So, Pioneer Village was saved from being taken down. It officially opened in June 1930 as the first living history museum in the United States.
Plans for the Future of Pioneer Village
In 2020, the City of Salem started a project. There was a plan to move some of the buildings from Pioneer Village to a different area in Salem. This area was called Camp Naumkeag. Some people in Salem were concerned about this plan. They felt it could change both historic places. Many residents did not agree with the idea of moving the buildings.
In 1986, the Salem Historical Commission said Pioneer Village was a historic site. They tried to get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This listing helps protect important places. It wasn't listed then. But in 2021, another review confirmed the village's historic importance. It was again recommended for the National Register. The future of America's first living history museum is still being discussed.
Visiting Pioneer Village
Tours and Special Events
You can visit Pioneer Village on Saturdays and Sundays. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can take self-guided tours. These tours start every 10 minutes from 12 PM to 4 PM. Visitors need to wear face-masks and keep a safe distance from others.
In October, the village usually has special evening tours and performances. These events are a fun way to experience the village in a different light.
