The Edwin Smith Historical Museum's exhibit of an 1800s era cabin.

A representation of a typical colonial kitchen.

A typical bed and clothes worn in Colonial New England.

Fireplaces were central to life in New England during the Colonial Era. Most houses were built with centralized fireplaces which would work to heat the entire home. Fireplaces from this time were designed primarily to cook in pots, but many had editions which could aid in cooking bread or meat.

Rifles during the colonial era were for more than just home defense, and were often used in war or hunting. Many rifles during this time used a similar flintlock design but varied drastically in ornamentation and engravings. Often more ornate rifles are signs of wealth and hung over the fireplace for display as well as ease of use.

Treenware, or plates made of wood, weren’t strictly used by poorer families during the colonial era, though pewter was more common for families of means. The introduction of pewter to New England was highly criticized for the sounds of silverware on plates and the visible scratches left behind with use. The criticisms did little to halt the transition to pewter, for not long after the American Revolution, New England experienced a booming trade with Great Britain, making pewter cheap enough for most families.