Heritage Farm
In 1973, co-founders Mike and Henriella Perry decided to relocate from the city of Huntington, West Virginia to a farmhouse on the outskirts of town. It was here they discovered the seed that would birth a dream in the old, hand-hewn logs hidden behind the farmhouse walls.
Efforts to understand the tools and techniques involved in building a log cabin, coupled with their hobby of antiquing, led to the genesis of what would become Heritage Farm. Originally a private collection housed in a nearby barn, they soon began to accumulate authentic period structures and materials that they felt would convey an appreciation for everyday life in Appalachia from the 19th century to the present.
Heritage Farm began with the first "Spring Festival" on May 4, 1996. This yearly event was the only day the village was open to the general public until 2006. Since then, The Farm has added a petting zoo, working saw mill, Artisan Center, and much more! The newest attractions to The Farm include the Nature Center and Treehouse Trek!
They designed the Nature Center to be a unique “living classroom” experience where visitors are able to learn about the wildlife of Appalachia while actually being surrounded by live animals native to the area.
The Treehouse Trek takes visitors to new heights via a 750 foot series of canopy bridges that send you 60 feet high into the forest. Visitors will be eye level with squirrels traversing from tree to tree and birds gathering seeds and insects for food. Offshoots of the bridges will allow participants to exercise like the native wildlife in unique ways utilizing ropes and planks to challenge guests to balance like a chipmunk, climb like a raccoon, jump like a squirrel, perch like a bird and hang like an opossum. At the pinnacle of this trek will be a 24’ X 32’ treehouse with amazing views of the Appalachian woodlands and its wildlife. The space can also function as a classroom, a presentation station, and more. For those who do not wish to climb 60 feet into the sky, there will still be a mile and a half ground-level footpath trail system to walk and enjoy nature’s wonders.
