Old Sturbridge Village Pound - Sturbridge, MA
Posted by: 
chrissyml
N 42° 06.360 W 072° 05.940
18T E 739865 N 4665618
The town pound of an 1830s village
Waymark Code: WM14FGF
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 06/28/2021
Views: 6
Old Sturbridge Village is a living history museum that is meant to represent a New England town in 1830. It has many relocated structures from surrounding states that create the look and feel of a village, including a meeting house, tavern, houses, stores, a bank, and a law office.
There are other structures that are built as reproductions in order to flesh out the town. This town pound is a reproduction. It has an interpretive sign that explains to visitors what a town pound was.
From the museum's website:
"Built by Old Sturbridge Village in 1955
In farming communities, disputes inevitably arose when one person’s livestock damaged another person’s crops. New England laws required farmers to fence their fields and keep farm animals from straying. Owners had to pay a fine to a town-appointed pound keeper to recover stray animals and were liable for any damage the animals had done. The large stone Town Pound is a reproduction. Most pounds were not as substantial —many were simple wooden pens."
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