One of the most unique destinations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the Mountain Farm Museum, a collection of authentic farm buildings that have been assembled from their original locations throughout the park! While exploring this free open-air museum, you’ll get to see how families may have lived 100 years ago! Here are the top 5 reasons why you should visit the Mountain Farm Museum in Cherokee NC:
1. Fascinating Historical Structures
The Mountain Farm Museum features a variety of fascinating historical structures that were built in the late 19th century and moved to their current location in the 1950s! Some of the buildings that you can explore include a log farmhouse, barn, apple house, springhouse, and a working blacksmith shop. Be sure not to miss the Davis House, which offers a rare chance to see a log house built from chestnut wood before the chestnut blight destroyed the American Chestnut trees in the Smokies during the 1930s and early 1940s.
2. Departure Point for Walking Trails
There are a pair of excellent walking trails that start in the vicinity of the Mountain Farm Museum, so you’ll want to pack some hiking gear in the trunk! The Oconaluftee River Trail follows its namesake stream for 1.5 miles and begins near the entrance to the museum. This is one of just two trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that allows dogs, and the trail is stroller accessible! The other trail in the vicinity is the Mingus Creek Trail, which climbs past old farms to the Smokies high country.
3. Gardening and Agricultural Demonstrations
Another one of the top reasons why you should visit the Mountain Farm Museum is to enjoy the demonstrations of historic gardening and agricultural practices! These old farming methods will make you realize how labor intensive farming can be, especially in the days of the past! These demonstrations involve the whole family, so feel free to bring your kids along for a fun educational experience. Your children will also be excited to see some of the livestock on the farm, such as chickens and pigs!
4. Near Mingus Mill
Mingus Mill is another historic structure situated just a half mile north of the Mountain Farm Museum, which makes your trip to the area even more worthwhile! This historic gristmill was built in 1886 and uses a water-powered turbine instead of a water wheel to power all of the machinery in the building. Unlike the farm buildings at the Mountain Farm Museum, the gristmill is located at its original site and stands as a tribute to the test of time!
5. Adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
The Mountain Farm Museum is in a convenient location, as it sits in a field directly behind the Oconaluftee Visitor Center! This state-of-the-art facility features an interpretive museum with the history of Native Americans and early European Settlers in the Smokies, as well as the history of the establishment of the park. You’ll also enjoy browsing through the book and gift shop, where you can find a variety of fantastic publications about the park, souvenirs, traditional mountain foods, and more!
Now that you know about the Mountain Farm Museum in Cherokee NC, discover some of the other interesting places to visit in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
