Heritage Farm Museum and Village facts for kids
Motto: Celebrating Appalachian Ingenuity & Adventure
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Heritage Village
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| Established | 4 May 1996 |
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| Location | Huntington, WV |
| Type | Appalachian History and Culture |
| Founder | A. Michael and Henriella Perry |
Heritage Farm Museum and Village is a special outdoor museum in Huntington, West Virginia. It's like stepping back in time to learn about the history and culture of the Appalachian region. This museum shows what life was like in Appalachia from the 1800s until today. It started with a private collection from A. Michael "Mike" and Henriella Perry. Now, it's a whole village that was named West Virginia's first museum connected to the Smithsonian in May 2022.
Contents
History of Heritage Farm
In 1973, Mike and Henriella Perry moved to a farmhouse near Huntington. They found old wooden logs under their house. This made them curious about how cabins were built long ago. They also loved collecting old things. These hobbies led to the idea for Heritage Farm.
At first, their collection was in a barn. Soon, they started gathering old buildings and materials. They wanted to show how people lived every day in Appalachia. Heritage Farm officially opened with its first "May Festival" on May 4, 1996. For many years, this festival was the only time the village was open.
Today, Heritage Farm welcomes visitors from May through October. It is open on Fridays and Saturdays. In December, the farm has "Christmas Village" for four evenings. The buildings are decorated with lights, and there are fun holiday activities.
Museum Buildings to Explore
Heritage Farm has seven main museum buildings. Each one teaches you about a different part of Appalachian life.
| Name | What You'll See | Image |
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| Progress Museum | Learn about how technology and society changed in Appalachia. It covers everything from the first settlers to the mid-1900s. |  |
| Transportation Museum | See many types of vehicles and models. This includes old wagons, bicycles, steam engines, and early American cars. |  |
| Country Store Museum | This looks like a country store from the 1800s. It has a pharmacy, post office, butcher shop, and other old displays. |  |
| The Bowes Doll and Carriage Exhibit | This exhibit was created by Don and Connie Bowes. It's like a walk-through dollhouse with many handmade doll furnishings. |  |
| Heritage Museum | This museum has some of the first displays shown at Heritage Farm. You can see a barbershop, a woodworking office, old washing machines, and butter churns. |  |
| Industry Museum | Discover how important industries were to the Appalachian region. It has a walk-through coal mine and a glassblowing furnace. |  |
| Children's Hands-On Activity Center | This museum helps kids learn about farm chores and tasks. It shows what farm life was like for children. |  |
Adventure Park Fun
In 2021, Heritage Farm added an Adventure Park. It has high-ropes courses and a zip line. This park lets you enjoy the adventurous spirit of Appalachia. There are six parts to the Adventure Park. It's a good idea to book your activities ahead of time to make sure you get a spot.
| Name | What It Is | Things to Know | Image |
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| RedTail Racers Dual Zipline | Two zip lines, each 1100 feet long. You'll fly over the valley at 40 miles per hour, 130 feet high! | -You must weigh between 75-250 pounds.
-Wear closed-toe shoes and shorts or pants. |
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| TalithaKoum | A challenging course high in the air with three levels. It ranges from 15 to 40 feet high. You'll cross rope bridges, wobbly platforms, and cargo nets. | -You must weigh between 75-250 pounds.
-Wear closed-toe shoes and shorts or pants. |
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| Mountain Top Drop | A 40-foot free fall from the TalithaKoum tower. It's like a controlled jump! This is included if you buy TalithaKoum, or you can book it separately. | -You must weigh between 75-250 pounds.
-Wear closed-toe shoes and shorts or pants. |
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| TreeRock Challenge | A fun aerial course for families with two levels. It's 5 to 15 feet high. It has rope bridges and two small zip lines. | -You must weigh between 50-250 pounds.
-Wear closed-toe shoes and shorts or pants. |
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| Rock Climbing Wall | A 25-foot tall rock wall. Your purchase lets you climb for the whole day. | -You must be at least 42 inches tall.
-You must weigh between 45-250 pounds. -Wear closed-toe shoes and shorts or pants. |
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| Holler Hauler | A guided ride in a UTV (a type of off-road vehicle) through the hills of Heritage Farm. This ride takes you to the RedTail Racers, TalithaKoum, and Mountain Top Drop. You can also book it on its own. | No specific requirements. |
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Places to Stay (Lodging)
Heritage Farm also has buildings where visitors can stay overnight. Most of the log cabins are made from logs from the 1800s, found around West Virginia. Other cool places to stay include an old dairy barn. It was rebuilt into a center for meetings and retreats. There's also a 1940s train car called a Caboose with beds that fold out.
| Name | What It Is | Image |
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| Applebutter Inn | This inn is located right inside Heritage Village. |  |
| Blackberry Inn | This cabin was originally from Lavalette, West Virginia. Two parts were added using logs from Mason County, West Virginia. | |
| Hollyberry Inn | This building was a farmhouse and was already in its spot before Heritage Farm started. |  |
| Strawberry Inn | This was the first cabin put back together at the farm. Its logs came from different cabins in Cabell and Wayne counties in West Virginia. |  |
| Woodbury Inn | This is the most private and newest cabin addition. |  |
| Barn Conference and Retreat Center | An old dairy barn from the 1800s. It has 9000 square feet of space and is used for camps and meetings. |  |
| Caboose | A real N&W Virginian railroad caboose. It can sleep four people. |
Historic Buildings and Tools
Besides museums and places to stay, Heritage Farm has many old buildings and tools. These show how people lived and worked in Appalachia every day. Some tools are only used during special festival days.
| Name | What It Is | Image |
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| Blacksmith Shop | A complete blacksmith shop with a working forge (a special oven for heating metal). |  |
| Bread Oven | A large oven that bakes bread using wood fire. | |
| Church | A log church from the 1800s. It was moved here from Lincoln County, West Virginia. |  |
| Conway Frontier Cabin | A log cabin that belonged to the Conway family. It was moved a short distance to Heritage Farm. |  |
| Potter's Kiln and Shed | A working kiln (oven for pottery) and a shed. Local potters work here and teach classes. | |
| Sawmill | A sawmill that still works today. | |
| Schoolhouse | An old one-room schoolhouse from the early 1900s. It used to be called Lick Creek School. |  |
| Tobacco Barn | An old log barn that looks like a tobacco barn from the 1800s. | |
| Windmill | A recreation of an early American windmill. |  |
Fun Things to Do (Attractions)
Meet the Artisans
Heritage Farm has local artisans who show off old ways of making things. They use real, old tools for their crafts. You might see broom makers, weavers, printers, tinsmiths, woodworkers, and blacksmiths. Sometimes, these artisans also teach classes to visitors.
Special Festivals and Events
The farm hosts many fun events throughout the year. These have included old-time music festivals and cast-iron cooking competitions. There have also been special weekends about the Hatfield and McCoy families. Don't miss the Spring Festival, Fall Festival, and Christmas Village. Christmas Village happens on four evenings in December. It's a beautiful village lit up with lights. You can visit Santa, see a live nativity scene, and take a wagon ride to see the lights. There's also Christmas music and gifts from the artisans.
Visit the Petting Zoo
A petting zoo with farm animals is open on festival days and during the summer. You can meet miniature horses, goats, pigs, sheep, and rabbits. They also have some unusual farm animals like llamas, peacocks, and even a camel!
See also
- List of museums in Huntington, West Virginia
