While visiting my parents in Ohio, we got to go to Sauder's Historical Village in Archbold, OH. It is our favorite Ohio attraction and it was so good to go visit again!
Entrance to the Village and Gift Shop
Autumn, Mom, Sierra, Summer
Erie's Shop
Building #1 in the village is Erie's Shop. It was originally located on the Sauder Family Farm and is where Sauder Woodworking began when Erie Sauder began working with wood at the age of 16.
I LOVE the little outdoor courtyard! It is just a beautiful, peaceful place.
Checking the sign to see what was going on for the day.
The outside of the workshop where it all began.
Erie Sauder was born on his family’s farm south of Archbold to Daniel and Annie (Schrock) Sauder on August 6, 1904. As the oldest child and only son, Erie worked on the farm from an early age. However, his true love was working with wood. At the age of 16, he built a wood lathe to use in the workshop on the farm. When you visit Sauder Village you can see that same lathe in the original shop from the Sauder farm now called Erie's Farm Shop. His reputation grew and neighbors would often bring woodworking jobs to him.
In 1927 Erie married his neighbor, Leona Short, and started a family. He worked several years at the Archbold Ladder Company, but in 1934 he decided to start his own woodworking business in a small building behind their home in Archbold. Leona, who probably intended to be the traditional housewife and mom, took a correspondence course in accounting and took on that job for the Sauder Woodworking Company until she passed away in 1974. The company suffered two serious fires, one in 1938 and a very devastating one in 1945. Erie’s uncle William Sauder died in that fire. Having lost everything in the fire, Erie was hesitant to rebuild. But the local bank and other businessmen in the community encouraged and supported the rebuilding process. Today, Sauder Woodworking is the largest maker of ready-to-assemble furniture in the United States and ships its product to many countries around the world.
The inside of the workshop with Erie's tools.
Truly, humble beginnings.
The next building #2 is Sauder Cabinet Shop. It pays tribute to the importance of woodworking in this region's development. It also displays a unique collection of woodworking tools.
Woodworking is an important part of Northwest Ohio’s heritage. While pedaling the foot-powered lathe or jig saw, costumed guides will share stories about the craftsmanship of woodworkers before the age of electricity. Looking around the shop, you’ll see Erie Sauder’s large collection of woodworking tools on display. You’ll even have a chance to get involved in woodworking by putting together different types of joints at the interactive exhibit on the Cabinet Shop porch!
Building #3 is The Basket Shop. The ladies in the basket shop demonstrate how the pioneers made their own baskets in the pioneer days. They also explain the different baskets for different uses in their day-to-day life such as an egg gathering basket. What interesting work and how beautiful they are!
Building #4 is The Woodcarver Shop.
Woodcarvings and woodcraft are some of the oldest art forms and cultures. They created items to fulfill the basic needs of the community or family but individuals with artistic talents quickly added decorations and designs to them.
The above gentleman was carving Santa Clauses for Christmas.
Building #5 is The Tinsmith's Shop.
Explaining how to make things for a farm from tin. In this shop, reproductions of 1700-1800s traditional tinware are created.
From simple tin icicles to cookie cutters, lanterns, and finely crafted chandeliers, you’re sure to be inspired by a visit to our Tinshop. Watch as our tinsmith uses tools of days-gone-by to make 18th- and 19th-century tinware for sale in the shop.
Building #6 is the Black Swamp Cooperage.
It was closed for the day so we couldn't go inside.
Coopering is one of many woodcrafts featured at Sauder Village. A cooper was the person who made the wooden barrels, buckets, and other vessels needed to carry and store liquids. In our Cooper Shop, we preserve this ancient craft. Visitors can watch and learn from our talented coopers as they demonstrate their trade using tools and methods that have changed little over the centuries.
Building #7 is Anna's Spinning Shop.
The lady explained the process that it took to take the wool from the sheep to be able to use it to knit a sock. Shearing, washing, carding, spinning, dyeing. Nothing was a short or easy process in the early days.
Getting clothes for a pioneer family involved so much more than just heading to the mall! As you visit with our spinner, you’ll learn how wool is sheared from the sheep, washed, carded, and finally spun into the threads needed to make clothing. Try your hand at carding some wool and learn more about how natural dyes made from walnuts, berries, flowers and grasses turn the wool into beautiful skeins that are sold in this shop.
Summer got to try it. :)
They will also be growing a garden of natural things that they would have used in the pioneer days to dye their wool. Interesting!
Building #8 is Miss Barbara's Weaving Shop.
I saw a little kitten in the village!!
When you enter the weaving shop, you will hear the steady rhythm of the rise and fall of the harnesses, the shuttle being sent back and forth through the warp, and the beater bar being thrown to tighten the weave. All this happens under the careful hands of the skilled weavers who share their insights into this craft as they turn rags into beautiful rugs.
We watched the weaver at work on the 1862 two-harness barn farm loom - a loom that was found in most homes many years ago. Weaving threads into fabric continues the steps started in the Spinning Shop on the road to making clothing for the family.
Building #9 is St. Mark's Lutheran Church.
This early 1900s church building depicts the religious life of the German Lutherans who helped settle this region.
They have an organist who will play hymns on the church organ when you visit.
People of many faiths helped settle Northwest Ohio, and the church was the heart of all small communities. While visiting this country church, you can slide into a pew and sing along as our costumed guide plays traditional hymns on the 100-year-old pump organ. Hear stories about days-gone-by when this historic building was used as both a church and school, and learn about the important role faith had in settling the Ohio frontier.
Building #10 - Restrooms
Building #11 - Threads of Tradition Quilt Shop and Museum Building
The quilt shop has everything you need for quilting!
There is so much to see and read about in the museum. You can spend at least a couple hours in there alone. You can visit the exhibits and learn about the Sauder companies, grain, agriculture, and the Great Black Swamp, and more. Learning about the Great Black Swamp and its history was so intriguing to me having grown up in NW Ohio!
In order to fully experience all the village buildings, museums, and shops, you need to visit for TWO days. You won't be rushed and will truly be able to take it all in. I would have loved to do a two-day visit but they are not open Sunday-Tuesday.
Building #12 is Lauber's General Store.
This is one of our favorite buildings! The moment you step inside, you can smell the herbs-mmm! It brings you back to an era when all of your shopping was in one spot. Browse through the selection of collectibles, penny candy, kitchen items, toys, herbs, teas, and more.
Herbs!
I think of the Laura Ingalls days when Pa would go play checkers at the store by the Potbelly stove.
Before the days of large superstores, there was the General Store. Villagers could buy everything from food to fabric, pick up their mail, purchase gifts, and even catch up on the news of the community, all in one stop.
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