Many places in West Virginia, such as museums, celebrate the heritage of our region with historical artifacts. But these artifacts are generally comprised of immobile objects, like ghosts from the past, lacking the life that people once imbued into them. But in Huntington, WV, there is a place where the past lives and breathes before your very eyes.
Heritage Farm Museum & Village was a bare property purchased by Mike and Henriella Perry in 1973.
At the time, the couple was very interested in the methods used to build a log cabin. This, coupled with their love of antiquing, is where the idea for Heritage Farm first blossomed. What was once just a private collection of artifacts in a barn, is now an entire Appalachian Village from the early 19th century.
The village itself is very impressive, considering that roughly 40 years ago, it was just a single building.
The village now has 30 structures and is roughly the length of two city blocks. Among the structures are seven museums, housing thousands of artifacts from the past, and several reenactors to breathe life into the village and tell you all about the history of life on the Appalachian frontier.
You can enter a recreated general store typical of the time period, watch a blacksmith working with raw metals, take your kids to a petting zoo, visit the museums, browse the gift shop and admire the log church. You can even spend a night in frontier cabins during their many events.
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Speaking of events, Heritage Farm has a regular host of events called Way Back Weekends, each of which focus on a specific theme of frontier life.
This is when Heritage Farm shines brightest, and truly becomes full of life. The events run from May to December. At any of these events you can expect to watch the blacksmith hard at work, see two artisans in the Artisan Center creating works of art, have lunch in Our Daily Bread cafe and treat your kids to several children's activities, including wagon rides.
The events, and the location in general, strongly focus on historical education dealing with the roots of modern life in this region. This is not limited strictly to Way Back Weekends, either. Heritage Farm is open all year long, offering regular tours. You can even purchase an annual pass, good for any day the museum is open.
Heritage Farm Museum & Village is located at 3300 Harvey Road in Huntington. To learn more, including hours and their event schedule, be sure to visit their website here.
Have you ever been to Heritage Farm? Feel free to leave a comment below and tell us all about your visit.
