Tough Jobs

My name is Michael French and I'm from Plymouth, MA.

My Tough Job is as a 17th Century Interpretive Artisan. I work for the Interpretive Artisan Department at Plimoth Plantation and the five of us build and maintain the 1627 recreation of the first Plymouth Colony. My day can consist of pit sawing boards, hewing posts, riving clapboards, gathering thatch, and daubing walls all in order to represent traditional 17th century skills and practices. We pride ourselves on producing an authentic representation of the true 17th century village through our labor and doing so while in period correct attire. Yes that consists of wool, canvas and linen. But during our off season, from December to March, we continue the work but do so in our Carhartt's. Oh how I wish Carhartt's were around back then...sooo much more comfortable.