Which place at the village had the biggest impact on you during your first visit?  

 

Emma: Well, I don't know about the first visit, but the places that always had the biggest impact on me were the blacksmith's shop and pottery shop because you could see something being created right in front of your eyes. Another spot that really impressed me was underneath the carding mill where you can see the gears working and the water churning. It was so majestic and powerful!

 

Eddie : The farm, always my favorite place to visit any time of year, especially right after the new lambs arrived.

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How did OSV impact your interest in History?

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Eddie: I had long loved history; OSV was one of many supporting fuels of that interest, although frankly it was a fairly minor one before I came to work here.  Mystic Seaport, Colonial Williamsburg, and books sparked more romantic feelings for me that more low-key OSV did.

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How long have you been an interpreter at OSV?

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Emma: It's been two years at the end of March! Yay!

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Eddie: I'll be two years in May.

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

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Emma : I have my own pottery and jewelry making business. It is very important to me to make my work out of stuff that people consider worthless. I enjoy finding beauty in commonplace things.

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Eddie: I'm a Computer Science student and web developer/designer as well some general programming and game development/design work. I spend a lot of time working on the computer so the village provides a nice balance to my life. 

 

Share one of your favorite moments while interpreting at the village.

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Emma: I don't remember any one in particular, but I love when people say, "Wow, I never knew that. That's really cool. Thank you." And you see that happy glow in their eyes.

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Eddie: I had a phenomenal water power tour once, it was a small group but they were very enthusiastic about water power and it allowed me to interpret points that I usually have to skip over with less interested groups. They asked me if I was an engineer afterward, it definitely boosted my confidence of my interpretation of the mills.

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What question by a visitor stumped you the most? 

 

Emma: Someone asked me if we have the flies in the Freeman farm kitchen brought in to provide the authentic experience.

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Eddie: I was asked about the legal processes behind running your own business or starting a store in the 1830's, I wasn't quite sure what processes an individual would go through in the time period to go about running a business.

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Which is your favorite part of the village and what do you love about it?

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Emma: Hmm, I really love it all actually. It is a very peaceful, happy place to me.

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Eddie: Freeman Farm, beautiful view of the fields any time of year, and full of cattle and sheep.

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If you could add a new feature to the village, what would that be and why?

 

Emma: Have period appropriate food at Bullard Tavern. So many people ask me why we don't have that. It would be a great draw and would satisfy the people who ask us if they can try the food we are making.

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Eddie: I've always wanted an Augmented Reality game for the village, just a simple game that will reward people for returning to the village and allow them to win rewards for repeat visits. A simple mobile app could handle something like this easily with a relatively low investment cost.

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What advice would you give a new interpreter?

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Emma: To read people and talk about what most interests them. You can fascinate anyone with history once you know what they like.

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Eddie: Don't feel like you have to know everything in your first year or two. You learn quick that most visitors have all of the same initial questions, if you have some interesting facts that you can use on top of the answers to those initial questions than you'll do great.

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Tell us a little bit about working with your significant other.

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Emma: It's wonderful! There is something so special and exciting about seeing him in costume talking very knowledgeably about a topic. I also really enjoy walking through the village with him. It's great to be able to show the public an aspect of life we don't often show at the village. People stop us to take our picture. It's very sweet.

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Eddie: Working with Emma at Old Sturbridge Village helps me to stay motivated. Even on a bad day, seeing her in the morning prepares me for the day. Walking through the village with her and having our picture taken together is always fun for both us, and the visitors love it as well, in my opinion it makes the village more immersive and realistic as a whole.

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