It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.

Winthrop II bought the land from Tantasqua (local area sachem) and mined graphite, lead, and iron.

Sturbridge is bordered by Charlton and Southbridge to the east, Union, Connecticut and Woodstock, Connecticut, to the south, Brimfield and Holland to the west, and Brookfield and East Brookfield to the north.

Haynes Street ends at Main Street (Massachusetts Route 131), which connects Sturbridge Center with Southbridge; on the west side of town, Massachusetts Route 148 connects Fiskdale with Brookfield.

On August 18, 1955, gale-force winds and torrential downpour from Hurricane Diane created floodwaters that broke dams in surrounding towns and flooded the village.

The northwestern portion of the town, Fiskdale, is a census-designated place with its own post office and ZIP-code assignment.

Old Sturbridge Village, located on U.S. Route 20, is a living museum that re-creates life in rural New England from 1790s to the 1830s.

The park includes 10 miles (16 km) of trails and Walker Pond, which offers a setting for fishing, canoeing, and swimming.

Sturbridge students also attend Tantasqua Regional Junior High School (grades 7–8) and Tantasqua Regional High School, in the Fiskdale section of town.