Nestled within a backdrop of antique shops and high end resturaunts is Old Sturbridge Village, a town set in 1830s Massachusetts. The authentic town features real buildings from all over New England, all situated around a large Town Common, surrounded by trees.

When guests enter OSV they're transported back in time and feel thousands of miles away from modern civilization. Horse drawn carriages, farmers tending to animals and gardens, blacksmiths and other craftsmen working on their crafts by candlelight and men, women and children dressed in historically accurate clothing all aid in giving people an extraordinary experience.

OSV showcases 40 antique buildings that have been furnished to show how life was like during the 19^th century. The village itself has three areas, the Common, the Mill Neighborhood and the Countryside. A country store, farm house, pottery shop and large bank complete with a giant safe are some of the buildings visitors can explore.

When people think of the history of New England and Massachusetts in particular, most start to think of Salem, of superstitions and witch hunts. According to Hill, by the 1830's “people were a little more sophistocated.” People weren't talking about witches all too much. In fact, many people were embarassed by the history in the area, of their ancestors and their wild witch hunts.

Despite most New Englanders not being aware of Halloween's existence at the time, OSV is the perfect backdrop for the fall season, for Halloween. Many people flock to the village for a unique experience around this time. For that reason, OSV offers a Harvest Celebration at the end of the month, where members of the village tell guests various ghost stories and tall tales that were popular at the time.

“Ghost stories were extremely popular,” said Hill, “especially in the winter months, when people were inside more often and there was less work to be done after the harvest.”

The tradition of telling ghost stories was carried over from England. Ghost stories in New England had the traditional themes – which mostly involved the devil – but also had influence from African Americans and nautical disasters, lost ships that reappear.

“People did believe in haunted houses and haunted taverns,” said Hill. “There was a popular story from Connecticut about Native Americans. One tribe invited another over for a feast. They ended up insulting their food and a huge fight ensued. It caught the attention of the heavens and the Native Americans were turned into a mountain, a lake. Now when you see fires up on the hill in Thompson, Conn it's supposedly the spirits of these Native Americans.”

People looking to escape the hustle and bustle of tourist-infested Salem often find OSV a unique and immersive alternative, a chance to explore an authentic 19^th century village in its entirety.