This week, eight of the Fillies are meeting up in Deadwood, SD for a mini retreat and book signing. I’m sure many of us will be posting about our western adventures. My husband Wes and I got an early start and left Texas this past Saturday, planning to stop in Colorado Springs and Cody, WY before meeting up with everyone in Deadwood.
We took a day to visit the Garden of the Gods and a wonderful living history ranch right next door.
My favorite thing about Rock Ledge Ranch was that not only did it have have wonderfully knowledgeable docents and tradesmen throughout the property, but they had young docents-in-training. Seeing these children in costume made it feel like we had truly stepped back in time. And they weren’t just running around in costume. They knew their stuff!
We started with a cabin representing the one the original homesteader had on the property back in 1867. Wes enjoyed meeting Martha the cow before we made it to the cabin where some lovely young girls were playing checkers.
We encountered more children as we made our way through the farm section. Feeding the horses a treat and corralling chickens into the coop.
Next, we headed to Rock Ledge House. This house represents the Victoria era and belonged to a family who ran an orchard. During the lean years, they used the extra space in their house to take in boarders, sometimes 3 or 4 to a room. One upstairs room was for male boarders, the other for female boarders. The children had rooms down the hall.
We came to the smithy next, and the blacksmith working the forge was an excellent craftsman. Not only did he make practical items, but he created the gorgeous rose pictured below.
The final stop on the ranch was a visit to Orchard House. This was representative of the Edwardian era, built in 1907. During the time the family lived in the house, there were only female servants, and we had the chance to interact with all of them, from housekeeper, to cook, to a pair of maids.
I had such a lovely afternoon stepping back in time.
Have you ever visited a living history museum or an historical home where a costumed docent showed you around and filled your mind with fabulous historical tidbits?
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I am a history major, love history, and I’ve been to many living history museums. They are a great way to learn.
I agree! I loved that there were so many young people there learning to appreciate the history of their area.
Hey Karen! You all are having a good time. This is good! Thank you for the tour this week! How exciting to see this creation of the past! The only place I’ve been sorta like that was in White Springs, Fl. Where they showed how to make sugar cane and a few animals. Very small. But, they have a quilt show usually too with awards. And I’ve been to the mountains, Pigeon Forge. They had a similar tour based on the pioneers there. They were also dressed for their part. And lastly, the Civil War reenactments at the Olustee State Park near Lake City. The Olustee Festival is usually a big event in February with venders and a few dressed up in that period. They used to have an Olustee Ball at night, but I’ve never been. Wouldn’t that be fun to dress in a ball gown??!
Wishing you all a good time! Can’t wait to read everyone’s post on how they enjoyed their trip! Safe travels!
It sounds like you’ve visited quite a few. Love that! And yes an historic ball in costume would be FABULOUS!
This looks like an excellent place to visit! We used to have an interactive plantation right down the road from where I live. At certain times of the year, you could watch them make soap, candles as well as bring in crops, etc.
I find all of that so fascinating!
When my daughters were younger I took them to Saunder’s Village in northern Ohio where they participated in making biscuits, washing socks on a washboard, making a small ball from wool, and singing worship music in a small church. The girls enjoyed it.
I think it’s a great way to help history come alive for kids. For anyone, really. ?
What a great time you’ve been having. I have never been to a living history museum. But I would love it! Looking forward to meeting you in Deadwood.
So excited that you will be there, Kathy!
In addition to Williamsburg, I’ve been to a lot of living history museums, many of which had costumed docents.
In school, we went to Hagley, one of the former du Pont properties, and went through the day in the life type of experience.
That sounds wonderful! I’ve never been to Williamsburg, but it’s on my bucket list. ?
One of the best we have ever visited was Plymouth Plantation. The people are so well informed and do not get out of character at all. We visited Williamsburg for our 50th wedding anniversary and it was amazing as well.
Those sound spectacular!
We have visited several of these types of history depicted, one of which is at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge. We also have been to Cades Cove with more than one person reenacting a grain mill and various other past types of work. Out west we have also visited an abandoned fort/town with a bar that was still open and a jail which was not open, thankfully. I love to visit historic homes and businesses. So enriching.
I adore visiting historic homes. They had 3 on this ranch. I took far too many pictures. ?
When I was about 11 or 12, our family visited a historic farm in Washington state where we lived, & we enjoyed milking a cow, gathering eggs, & feeding livestock. I loved the costumes that the docents wore, but now it’s been so long that I don’t remember the name of the place.
I now live near Martin’s Cove, which is a church historic site that we visit quite often. It is also a working ranch (the Sun Ranch), & the volunteers help to run the ranch. Sometimes the volunteers dress in “pioneer” costumes, but not all the time. The men do wear typical cowboy boots and hats & jeans as they work with cattle & run the ranch! Independence Rock and Devil’s Gate are also close & we visit them too, but they are just stops to see & climb on… no docents or volunteers.
Sounds like a great place to visit and learn about ranch life!
Not entering the giveaway…My husband and I love visiting historical living museums (he calls them “brown spots” due to them being on the Historical Registry). Living on the East Coast, we have been to Sturbridge Village, Freedom Trail (while we were in college in Boston), Plimouth Plantation, Shelburne Falls Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown, Mt. Vernon, Monticello, Petersburg, VA Civil War museum, Old Town Alexandria, Va, Gateway Arch National Park, Biltmore Estates, Old Tucson, Arizona…etc. Attending Deadwood Reads is definitely something on my bucket list…have a fabulous time!
What a wonderful list! I love your “brown spots”!
Hi, how fun for you! Yes, I have visited some, and they are so much fun!
Mini time machines. ?
We visited Historic Williamsburg last summer and it was amazing. We learned so much and even the kids loved it.
That sounds great!
I went to Williamsburg, Va. I have also been to the Wilcott House. Thank you for sharing such fabulous pictures. God bless you.
I would love to see Williamsburg one day!
We lived in Colorado Springs from 1982 to 1985 and spent many hours in Garden Of The Gods. We have been back several times since and I had never in all that time heard of the Rock Ledge Ranch. What a disappointment. We will definitely stop in next time we get out that way. Visits to places like this are a favorite pastime of ours and I have volunteered for programs at them.
We visited the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Montana when we took our grandson out west about 10 years ago. We have visited Ft. Davis, TX, Old Town San Diego, many National Parks with living history exhibits, several historic establishments in our home town (the oldest in the state), and many in towns we have visited on our travels. Our town has historic festivals where re-enactors dress and stay in character. There are several historic homes that are living museums, one a fort, with costumed docents and characters.
My husband and son have done blacksmithing at one of them.
I bet you would love the ranch. The entrance is actually at the back of the overflow lot for Garden of the Gods.
How cool that your husband does blacksmithing!