Step Back In Time, This Small Town 1850s Farm In Tennessee Is A True Hidden Gem
By Chris Dodge|Published July 03, 2023
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Chris Dodge
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My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
Sometimes the best way to get an education is to put yourself right in the middle of the story. Sure you can read all about a place in history but rarely do we get the chance to actually step back in time to experience it. After all the time machine still hasn’t been invented yet and even if it had, the ramifications can be quite a nightmare. So the next best thing is to visit The Homeplace in Dover, TN. This 1850s working farm truly is a trip through time and you might forget altogether what century you are in.
The Homeplace is located right off of the scenic drive in the Land Between Lakes in North Western Tennessee.
This lush and beautiful area takes you through a windy road all the way up to Kentucky and along the way, you can find The Homeplace. This is a working 1850s farm with interpreters putting in the hard work and you can join in to get a great hands-on education.
If you love animals then you will be excited to know there are plenty of them on the farm.
These animals served an important role and provided much of what was needed to survive. Sheep offered their wool as a means to make many articles of clothing, cows offered dairy products that would sustain the family, and working animals like mules help carry the heavy load required of farmers. Not only can you meet the animals but you will learn all about what they provided for the workers and their families.
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Every day The Homeplace offers events to give guests a taste of what life was like working on a pre-Civil War farm in the South.
Make sure to check the schedule for a specific day, but you can learn about blacksmithing, cooking, caring for animals, and a whole lot more. Interpreters will be wearing period-piece clothing and are always working to keep up with the heavy demands of farming in the 19th century. They are happy to teach you about what they are doing and often you can try your hand at a task yourself.
You can get a window into the past to see how people lived, how they prepared meals, and see what life was really like. Practices that may seem foreign to us today were essential back then. Places like the smokehouse offered a way to keep meat from spoiling before the invention of the refrigerator.
Life was much different back then and getting a glimpse into the past can give us an appreciation for the modern conveniences we have today.
It can be fascinating just how much hard work had to go into things that we don’t even think twice about today. The farm is the perfect place to get your hands dirty, see the work yourself, and experience life as if you have been transported to the 1850s themselves.
We love museums and want to encourage you to go to as many as possible because the wealth of knowledge stored in those buildings can last a lifetime.
However, there is something special about getting a hands-on experience to see for yourself what it would feel like. The Homeplace offers you space where the world written about in texts books can jump off from the pages and you can be placed right in the middle of the story.
The Homeplace in Dover, TN, is a lovely place to visit nestled into the wonderful Land Between Lakes scenic areas. Make sure you head on over to The Homeplace website and check out the various events and planned activities during each day to see which one would be a perfect fit for you. While you are there make sure you check out all the other natural beauty and fun activities in this region of Tennessee.
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