So the Salem from the infamous Salem Witch Trials is in Massachusettes near Boston. Remember I'm in the South. Just in case you were confused.
Winston-Salem, NC is just over an hour drive from me. So Molly and I went to check it out the last Saturday in June.
The bridge to Old Salem.
Old Salem was established in 1766 by members of the Moravian Church. I had never heard of this religion before buying my ticket at the visitor center. It is a Protestant denomination started in 1457.
The village is pretty much exactly as it was back in the 1700s. All of the shops have people in period dress, doing whatever craft in the exact manner it was done in that time. It was fascinating!
We started at the gunsmith. Notice above the flag.
The gunsmith also made a few other things including keys.
He was super brilliant to listen to and watch as he worked.
Then we went to the printing shop, which also had a little photo studio and blackroom. I loved these empty frames on the wall.
Interesting Facts: In the Moravian religion you belong to a "choir" (not used in today's sense of the word). A choir was by sex and age. All the girls/women would wear a colored ribbon in their hair or bonnet to show which choir they belonged to. All the boys/men had ties that were a certain color to signify which choir they belonged to. They sit in church, work, play, and are educated in these "choir" groups. When women were over 18 and not married they moved into the Single Women Home and Men moved into the Single Men Home. They didn't move out of this "Home" until they were married. Women and Men both learned trades and were self sufficient. And it was prohibited for single men to visit the women's home and vice a versa. Today they do not use these "homes" for the unmarried adults or the clothing to signify their choir.
Below is the chapel in the old Men's Home, they still use this chapel for church services (I will no longer complain about the benches at my church, at least they have backs). Also the organ in the corner is the original from the 1770s and its still used today. The little old lady tour guide plunked right down and played us a hymn. Taking pictures while a hymn played didn't feel right, even taking pictures in their chapel felt weird but I asked permission first.
Below is the chapel in the old Men's Home, they still use this chapel for church services (I will no longer complain about the benches at my church, at least they have backs). Also the organ in the corner is the original from the 1770s and its still used today. The little old lady tour guide plunked right down and played us a hymn. Taking pictures while a hymn played didn't feel right, even taking pictures in their chapel felt weird but I asked permission first.
Still in the boys home, they had a pottery shop.
The guy is working the pottery wheel with his foot, thats why the foot is a blur. All the pieces are replicas, made here in this shop in the exact way, with the same materials they used back then. This just simply fascinated me non-stop.
I loved this little music stand for string quartets, I want to host a little get-together on a wintery night with a string quartet playing in the corner. Someday.
The apothecary's shop and house.
So you know those "choirs" I mentioned, they are even buried in them. Not with your family and loved ones but by sex and age. For some reason, this really bothered me. I know its just a body, the spirit is gone, but my body better be right next to my family.
Also, if you can't read the sign, their cemetery is called God's Acre. The name I do like.
Bakery? YES, please!
It was a pretty warm day (compared to AZ, it was super nice) but for here it was a scorcher. Made it nice because fewer tourists were there but because of the heat the bakers were already done for the day since they use the old school wood burning giant stoves that heat up everything. So we went upstairs and had some ice-cream.
So many choices, it was a hard decision. In the end I went with Monster Cookie Crunch.
This ice-cream was a bit lighter blue than Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, hence the name Monster Cookie Crunch. And it dyed EVERYTHING blue. My lips, tongue, teeth - all blue, this picture does not do it justice. (Side note and kind of gross but funny, so stop reading now if you want, it totally dyed my poo for a couple days.) That much dye can't be good for the body. But it tasted delicious going in :)
After our sweet treat, we headed back down to pick up some baked goods.
This little lady was very sweet and helpful. I ended up with Moravian cookies, crackers, and spice cake. Cookies and cake - scrumptious, crackers - a bit weird, better with cheese.
After Old Salem, we met up with Chad. Funny I don't have a single picture of him. He lives there but I met him because he comes to Durham for activities and to hang out with more singles. He took us to Wake Forest to see the campus.
Outside the Chemistry Building
I love that all old colleges out here were started religiously and have a gorgeous church at the center of campus. Started by the Baptists and the mascot still the Demon Deacon, however it no longer has any religious affiliation.
The Chapel
Very simple, not at all like cathedrals, it surprised me.
Chad also showed us his laser lab. I'm not exactly sure his major or what he does but its something to do with physics and very tiny lasers.
We visited a local hot spot - Red, Hot & Blue for some bbq.
The decor was fabulous - drum lights, guitars, old radios.
The bbq - not the best, the chicken and ribs were too dry. The pork, cornbread, slaw, and hush puppies were good. I've pretty much become a connoisseur of bbq in the short time I've lived here.
Chad was an excellent host and we had a fun time hanging out. The lovely day was capped off by the best heat lightening I have ever seen, the entire drive home. Heat lightening, for me, is on the same scale as fireworks - wondrous and magical.
