Nonpro t
BY KAREN CHANEY
Poncho, a mammoth Jackstock donkey, is available for photo opportunities.
Activities during week-long summer camps include learning about and assisting farm animals.
Tours of the historic Wilson House, circa 1891, are given weekly.
PHOTOS BY KAREN CHANEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Heritage Farmstead Museum preserves history
With 13 original structures situated on the four acres that comprise Heritage Farmstead Museum, Kathy Wilson, recently retired vice president of marketing, development and livestock calls this an “educational historic mecca.” Although over 15,000 kids lter through the “mecca” a year via eld trips, educational inten- tions are not always on the forefront of attendees’ minds. Wilson said people walk the dirt paths for several reasons, like engagements, weddings, summer camps, events such as Lights on the Farm and more. “Anybody that walks in here is going to be educated,” Wilson said. “People from Germany, Japan, Mexico ... can relate to the wash station where they’re scrubbing on scrub boards and they’re hanging clothes on the clothesline. I watch grandparents tell their grandchildren, ‘This is how I did my laundry growing up in Japan or Germany.’ It is universal.” The backstory The 12-room house was built in 1891 by Hunter Farrell for his wife Mary Alice and daughter Ammie and was situated on 363 acres. Other existing buildings original to the historic site are the foreman’s cottage, pole barn, lambing barn, ram barn carriage house, smoke house, potting shed and more. The house was last lived in in 1972. In 1973, Heritage Association, a nonpro t organization
which manages Heritage Farmstead Museum was formed. What’s happening Throughout the year events are held where guests can interact with historic live exhibits and take a mule drawn wagon ride. Photo opportu- nities with farm animals and demonstrations on sheep shearing, wool and ber processing and weaving are also available. Heritage Farmstead gives public tours, o ers grounds admissions and tours of the Victorian home. “You can come and be led by a docent, which is a tour guide, often dressed in a prairie dress, that will take them through the Victorian home and talk a little bit about the history of the house. Then they love to walk the four acres,” Wilson said. “It’s beautiful to get up face to face with our animals. We have a mammoth Jackstock donkey back there named Poncho and we have pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and ducks.” Get involved In addition to nancial donations that are put towards building upkeep, attending livestock, a recent initiative to clean up the on-property creek and more, the nonpro t organization has a need for volunteers. Wilson said volunteers lead educa- tion tours, work in the weekly preschool program, prepare for events, clean animal pens and more.
A variety of fowl, including this polish hen, call Heritage Farmstead Museum home.
Volunteer opportunities include tending Heritage Farmstead Museum’s livestock including Angora goats.
W. 15THST.
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1900 West 15th St., Plano www.heritagefarmstead.org
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PLANO SOUTH EDITION
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