Living history farm grand opening this weekend near Butler

Friday, August 13, 2010

Poplar Heights Living History Farm will have its grand opening this weekend.

Highlighting the event will be demonstrations by the Osage Spinners and Weavers, the Missouri Basketweavers Guild, Durbin Blacksmithing, and the opening of Seelinger Broom Works featuring Bill Soetaert, master broom maker.

Kids can visit with the sheep, goats, cows, horses and chickens, play games, ride stick horses and milk Nadine the wooden cow. There are wagon rides for everyone and old style music concerts by the South Fork String Band and Ralph and Cherlyn New on the Hammer Dulcimer.

The free event celebrates a 100-year-old dream by the descendants of Adam Seelinger to preserve the 1890s way of life at Poplar Heights Farm. Open 9 to 5 on Saturday and Sunday, visitors will step back to a different age in history through viewing the grounds and planned activities..

The Main House, built in the 1870s, has been fully restored and will be open for tours along with the Threshing Barn, Summer Kitchen and Broom Corn Barn. The Learning Center is hosting an exhibit on one-room schools and Maude's Mercantile urges early Christmas shopping. Both the house and center are air conditioned.

The Elks Lodge will be serving sandwiches and potatoes, Fat Bob will have fresh fried pork rinds and kettle corn, Ella Stark will be making and serving homemade root beer and root beer floats to cool off with. The Friends of Poplar Heights will be serving pie and drinks, and there will be plenty of shade under all the trees and the large tent.

To get to Poplar Heights Farm, take H Highway east from Butler to UU Highway, go north on UU Highway 2 miles then east on No. 5004 for 1 1/3 miles. There are signs starting at H and UU to direct visitors to the facility.

For more information visit the Web site at www.poplarheightsfarm.org or call (660) 679-0764.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: