It’s Pioneer Day in Utah, which is a state holiday that celebrates the heritage of the settlers who came here in the 19th century. We have parades and fireworks and everyone hangs out and barbecues all day. For Eva’s first Pioneer Day, we took her to the local living history museum, This is the Place park, so we could get the real pioneer experience.
That turned out to be a completely horrible idea, because the rest of Utah was crammed into the same park, but we enjoy the park on all other days of the year. It’s fun to wander through the cabins, visit with the farm animals, and talk to the volunteers who walk around in period costume. It’s been a great way for the kids to start learning about history and, if I could find pioneers in our past, I would love being able to point out what their great-great-grandparents lives looked like. Alas, our family pioneers have yet to reveal themselves.
Luckily, pioneers aren’t the only subject for living history museums. I’ve collected a list of history-based tourist attractions by state that would be a fun family genealogy outing:
Alabama
Alaska
California
- China Camp State Park
- California Citrus State Historic Park, Riverside
- Orcutt Ranch Horticulture Center, Los Angeles
- Stein Family Farm / National City Living History Farm Preserve, San Diego
- Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, California
- Fort Tejon
Florida
- Mission San Luis de Apalachee, Tallahassee
- Morningside Nature Center, Gainesville
- Panhandle Pioneer Settlement Living History Museum, Blountstown
- Colonial Spanish Quarter Living History Museum, St. Augustine
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
- Blackberry Farm, Aurora
- Corron Farm, Campton Hills
- Garfield Farm and Inn Museum, Campton Hills
- Peck Farm Park, Geneva
- Kline Creek Farm, West Chicago
- Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, Charleston
- Naper Settlement, Naperville
- Primrose Farm, St. Charles Township
- Volkening Heritage Farm, Schaumburg
- Wagner Farm, Glenview, Cook County
Indiana
- Amish Acres Historic Farm & Heritage Resort, Nappanee
- Buckley Homestead Living History Farm, Lowell
- Conner Prairie, Fishers
- Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Lincoln City
- Prophetstown State Park, Battle Ground
- Historic Tunnel Mill, Charlestown
Iowa
Kentucky
- Mountain Homeplace, Staffordsville
- Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Mercer County
- Frazier History Museum
Maryland
- Carroll County Almshouse and Farm, Westminster
- National Colonial Farm, Accokeek
- Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm, Oxon Hill
Massachusetts
- Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge
- Pioneer Village, Salem
- Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth
- Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Newbury
- Waters Farm, Sutton
- Minute Man National Historical Park
Michigan
Minnesota
- Heman Gibbs Farmstead, Falcon Heights
- The Landing, Shakopee
- Oliver H. Kelley Homestead, Elk River
- Fort Snelling
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
- Erie Canal Village, Rome
- Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown
- Genesee Country Village and Museum, Mumford
- Mabee Farm Historic Site, Rotterdam Junction
- Muscoot Farm, Somers
- Museum Village, Monroe
- Old Bethpage Village, Old Bethpage, Long Island
- Queens County Farm Museum, Glen Oaks, Queens
- Storm King Art Center, Mountainville
- Tilly Foster Farm Museum, Brewster
- Fort Ticonderoga
North Carolina
- Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Flat Rock
- Historic Latta Plantation, Huntersville
- Horne Creek Living Historical Farm, Pinnacle
North Dakota
Ohio
- Hale Farm and Village, Bath Township, Summit County
- Heritage Village Museum, Sharonville
- Malabar Farm State Park, Richland County
- Sauder Village, Archbold, OH
- Fort Meigs
Oregon
- Dorris Ranch Living History Farm, Springfield
- Dufur Historical Society Living History Museum, Dufur
- High Desert Museum, Bend
- Philip Foster Farm on the Oregon Trail Eagle Creek, Oregon
- Schreiber Log Cabin, Dufur
- Sherwood Heritage Center, Sherwood
- B Street Living Permaculture Museum, Pacific University
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
- Exchange Place – Gaines Preston Farm, Kingsport
- Museum of Appalachia, Norris
- The Homeplace, Land Between the Lakes
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
- Chippokes Plantation State Park, Surry
- Claude Moore Colonial Farm, McLean
- Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg
- Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, Staunton
- Matthews Living History Farm Museum, Independence
Utah
Washington
West Virginia