Once upon a time: 1850 tells typical stories of the everyday life of the inhabitants of a central-european town from the mid-19th-century with the help of three buildings:

The left building is the „White Eagle House“. Originally it belonged to the urban administration, which used it as function and ball room. The groundfloors shop was lastly leased to a pharmacist and his wife, who purchased the building a few years ago, when the urban administration decided to build new function and ball rooms elsewhere in town. Now the upper floor is used as living and bed room, the rest of the building, however, didn’t change. A tower in the courtyard also belongs to the „White Eagle House“. It used to be an archival tower, now the ground floor holds a pantry, the upper floor is used as room for the little daughter of the couple.

Unlike the „White Eagle House“ the two other buildings are half timbered houses. Built in 16. century, they are sharing the same staircase from the ground floor to the upper floor. Originally they resembled each other in appearance, but as time went by, the facades were altered, so that they look very different from each other now. In 18. and 19. century half timbered houses were said to be old fashioned and plastered, so that they looked like stone houses. That’s why you can’t see the framed construction.

The building in the center is the „Floating House“, which was built without ground floor above a public alleyway. Granny, a mature lady, who can’t walk properly anymore, lives there. Usually she is sitting in her comfortable armchair and is watching what’s going on at the street. Nothing escapes her – due to her mirror, that she can bring in any position with a stick in her hand. Grandpa, her husband, owns a carriage and delivers goods all over town. Her youngest daughter also lives in the „Floating House“ and is working as housemaid in the pharmacy next door.

The right building is the „Butchers House“ and belongs to the butcher and his adolescent son, who make the best boiled sausages in town. The sausages are so tasty, that all folks wants to eat it.

More detailled storytelling to be found in the instruction manual.