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Sauder Village Historic Buildings

See the historic buildings in Ohio's largest living history museum.

Erie’s Farm Shop

A great place to start your visit! In this historic building, you'll be introduced to the story of Erie Sauder, the farm-boy-turned-entrepreneur who went on to find both Sauder Woodworking and Sauder Village. This building originally sat on the Sauder family farm just south of Archbold, Ohio. Here, teenage Erie began "fiddling" with wood on his hand-built gasoline-powered lathe. This small shed, with its humble exterior, is the birthplace of Sauder Woodworking, now the largest manufacturer of ready-to-assemble furniture in the country.

Follow this link to learn more about Erie Sauder.

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Cabinet Shop

Woodworking is an important part of Northwest Ohio’s heritage. While pedaling the foot-powered lathe or jig saw, costumed guides will share stories about the craftsmanship of woodworkers before the age of electricity. Looking around the shop, you’ll see Erie Sauder’s large collection of woodworking tools on display. You’ll even have a chance to get involved in woodworking by putting together different types of joints at the interactive exhibit on the Cabinet Shop porch!

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St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

People of many faiths helped settle Northwest Ohio, and the church was the heart of all small communities. While visiting this country church, you can slide into a pew and sing along as our costumed guide plays traditional hymns on the 100-year-old pump organ. Hear stories about days-gone-by when this historic building was used as both a church and school, and learn about the important role faith had in settling the Ohio frontier.

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Dr. McGuffin’s Office

A stark contrast to modern medical facilities, a visit to this small town doctor’s office will give you a glimpse at healthcare of the early 1900s. Check out the glass syringes, otoscope, rawhide splints, cork-tipped medicine bottles and dental tools while our costumed guide shares stories of Dr. George McGuffin’s practice in nearby Pettisville, Ohio.

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District 16 School

Can you imagine schools without cafeterias, gymnasiums, computers and smartboards? Slide into the original school desks, practice writing on an old-time slate and hear stories about students between the ages of 6 and 21 all learning in the same classroom! Be sure to pay attention to stories about a typical school day, see old-time maps and the long-used McGuffey Reader. On many special event days, you can participate in an old-fashioned spelling bee — fun for all ages!

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W.O. Taylor Printing Office

As you step inside this old-time print shop, you’ll smell the ink and see our printer at work making tickets, tags, recipes and other projects used throughout the Village. This building is a replica of the one that housed the Archbold community’s first newspaper, the Archbold Herald. Highlights include a working hand press, linotype and a large newspaper press.

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Water-Powered Grist Mill

Milling grain into flour was a crucial step in providing food for families since earliest history. In the 1700 and 1800s, water-powered gristmills such as ours were common sights in most settled areas. In our mill, we grind corn into meal which we use for our cooking demonstrations and for selling to guests. You’ll learn the history of milling and get to try grinding corn with stones as Native Americans did for centuries.

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Welcome Center

The first stop on your tour will be our Welcome Center which houses our Admissions Desk for tickets, the Village Cafe, Village Gift Shop, and restrooms. Welcome to the Village!

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Festival Barn

A relaxing area used for group lunchrooms, picnic spaces, special event activities and kids crafts.

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Harvesting Building

A relaxing area used for group lunchrooms, picnic spaces, special event activities and kids crafts.

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Cider Mill

Open for Special Events such as Apple Week.
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Barn Getaway

Escape the hustle & bustle of a hectic schedule, plan a fun-filled get-away with great food, memorable experiences and warm hospitality. 

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