Located right in the heart of Boone, NC, the Hickory Ridge Living History Museum is located on the grounds of the Horn In The West Outdoor Drama and next to The Watauga County Farmers Market. The museum tells the story of life in the North Carolina Mountains in the late 18th Century.
The settlers of the North Carolina mountains were a tough and independent bunch. When the Revolutionary War broke out, many believed that they were already living an independent life. Incursions in to their independent lifestyle from Maj Patrick Ferguson spurred the people of the mountains to take up arms in the Revolution and these men fought bravely at the Battle of Kings Mountain and many other important battles of the Southern Campaign of the Revolution.
Many of the cabins at the museum date from later than the 18th Century but have been set up to portray 18th Century life. The following picture is an original loom dating from the 18th Century.
The cabin in the next couple of photographs is the one original 18th Century build cabin on the museum property. None of the cabins were originally located at the museum site and have all been moved to the site.
The next cabin was originally a 19th Century barn that was dismantled and rebuilt at the museum and used to portray a 18th Century tavern.
The smallest of the cabins at the museum was originally a WPA cabin that was built in the early 20th Century. It was originally located at the site where the Convocation Center for Appalachian State University now stands. This cabin is used to portray the lifestyle of a longhunter.
The museum is a wonderful stop for history buffs, especially 18th Century history. A tour is provided by a knowledgeable guide in period dress. In the summer time, you can take in a performance of the Horn in the West outdoor drama, which is a fictionalized account of the life of North Carolina mountain people during the time of the Revolutionary War.
For more on the Hickory Ridge Living History Museum, or the Horn in the West Outdoor Drama, check out their website: Hickory Ridge Living History Museum
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