STURBRIDGE, Mass. - At Old Sturbridge Village, dozens of employees help bring the past back to life - fully immersed in recreating what it was like for farmers, lawyers and teachers in the region two centuries ago.

It’s not very often those performers offer a peek into the process, but one of the Village’s top blacksmiths is reflecting on how he embarked on his unique career.

Ethan Choiniere has a knack for making farm tools, animal shoes, nail headers, ice skates, candle holders and any other assignment thrown his direction. Like his 19th century counterparts, Choiniere had to work his way up in the trade - learning from those who came before him at Old Sturbridge Village.

“I was working in Worcester at a restaurant, and I was having a really tough time with the long hours,” Choiniere said. “I knew I had to go anywhere but there, and there was an ad in the paper for working on the farm. That’s where I started here back in 2008.”

Choiniere said his love for working with his hands comes from his parents, and he appreciates working in this time capsule environment where those skills are as highly regarded as ever.

“People used to have such clever hands,” Choiniere said. “When I grew up, I was just really impressed with my fathers’ working hands, and wanted those to be my working hands. I was just fascinated with what humanity could do with hand skills, and naturally it lead me here, where this is the heyday of hand skills.”

While Choiniere appreciates the history around him at Old Sturbridge Village, he is most driven by his blacksmithing work and teaching it to young people and other visitors.

“I know that history has its place in everything, but I think when the lightbulb goes on for students is when I really shine,” Choiniere said. “I’m really fond of teaching. I teach classes here, and I also teach youth classes.”

When he first started as a blacksmith, Choiniere would judge his success based on how many things he made on a given day. Over time, he’s realized his purpose in this trade is a bit more complicated than those blacksmiths of long ago.

“In here, we make more memories than we make things,” Choiniere said. "We stop and we talk. I’m making this nail header, and it’s important stuff, but if it doesn’t get done by the end of the day, nobody is going to yell at me.”

Choiniere said people often come in and recall visiting the blacksmith shop years ago, and the lasting impact he can have on visitors keeps him going.

For those interested in seeing Choiniere at work, Old Sturbridge Village will be continuing its "Christmas By Candlelight" event through Dec. 30.