The couple who have lived for 10 years in the 19th century (without cell phone)

If time travel were possible, we would probably go from one era to the next experiencing the past and the future endlessly. Sarah and Gabriel Chrisman didn’t want to wait for the invention of the time machine and traveled to the past on their own. They recreated the 19th century lifestyle and atmosphere and have been doing so for 10 years.

Ladies and gentlemen, the awesome.club is pleased to present the couple who live in the past and maintain an unusual lifestyle.

Sarah and Gabriel Chrisman are exploring the past in a very different way: they are completely immersed in the 19th century, more precisely in the period from 1880 to 1890. At that moment, humanity made great progress and cars and telephones began to appear. , among other objects.

The so-called Victorian Era (a reference to Queen Victoria, who governed England in the 19th century) has always enchanted the couple. Once, Gabriel even gave Sarah a corset exactly like the ones women wore at the time.

A year later, the couple bought an old house built in 1888 in the city of Port Townsend, Washington, USA. And that’s how the dive into the past began.

When they first moved in, there was a refrigerator in the kitchen, but Sarah and Gabriel replaced it with an ice chest. There is electricity, but they use light bulbs like those invented by Thomas Edison. During the night they light lamps with oil; and during the cold season, they use gas or kerosene heaters.

The couple don’t have a cell phone, Sarah doesn’t have a driver’s license, and they only ride their bikes. Sarah often rides an 1880 model three-wheel bicycle, while Gabriel has three retro two-wheel bicycles.

The couple skips food processors, microwaves, washers and dryers and does everything by hand. Birthday gifts are always antiques, and they sew their clothes themselves, as a copy of the originals. Sarah wears a corset every day and Gabriel’s glasses are authentic, made in the 19th century.

Sarah wears an accessory called chatelaine: a set of chains attached to the belt used to carry hanging items: a miniature notebook, a pincushion, scissors, a box of coins, and other small objects. The lady bathes with a jug and combs her hair with a comb that is 130 years old.

The couple cooks on a wood stove, uses kerosene lamps, a mechanical meat grinder and has a mortar.

The recipes are obviously Victorian, found by Sarah in 19th century cookbooks. She also bakes bread and the family has a large collection of antique dishes.

The old bed, purchased by the couple, did not have a mattress, so Sarah handcrafted one out of feathers.

They spend their free time reading and walking. Gabriel is a former archiver and librarian. He currently works at a bicycle shop. Sarah is a writer. Reading is her favorite activity. She spends a lot of time studying 19th century books and magazines to understand and immerse herself even more in the era they chose to live in.

In addition, the collection of publications and postcards helps Sarah in her work. She writes popular science books (about fashion, morals and etiquette in those days) and Victorian-style novels. Sarah’s works are so much fun. For example, the book True ladies and proper people (Real ladies and real gentlemen) tells about the fittings (pieces of women’s clothing), which were super expensive due to taxes and therefore were smuggled.

Every morning Sarah winds up the mechanical clock in the living room and writes with her old pen, which she fills with ink herself. The writer assures that the Victorian Era helps her to give more veracity to her stories. The use of clothing is a way for her to better understand how women lived.

Of course, the modern world has its rules. Publishers don’t accept handwritten texts, so Sarah writes on the computer; her Facebook account is for her to talk about her books and tell other interesting facts about the Victorian Era.

In addition, the couple consults with writers, gives conferences and organizes excursions and educational activities.

However, they are criticized by many people who claim that they took only the good parts of a cruel and not at all beautiful time for humanity: the fabrics are lush, but the bicycle tires were manufactured by slaves in the British colonies; women were disenfranchised and thousands of people died of typhus and tuberculosis. But, on the other hand, the couple has many admirers, who always comment on their courage.

Sarah and Gabriel guarantee: “Our goal is not to recreate the past in detail; we know this is impossible. We are not actors and we do not pretend to be other people. We try to be ourselves and do what we love. The way we live is a true freedom of choice.”

If you had the opportunity, what era would you like to live in? Tell us in the comments!