We celebrate yesteryears with summer weekend tours as well as special events throughout the year.  We hope you will join us! We also offer a variety of folkways classes designed to impart knowledge of traditional crafts like basket weaving, open-hearth cooking, period clothing, and blacksmithing. Students will learn about and use traditional tools, supplies and ingredients. If you are interested in any of these or other subjects, or for more information, please contact us.

BE SURE TO STOP IN THE FARM MUSEUM GIFT AND BOOK SHOP- it is open during all Special Events and during Weekend Tour times

LIVING HISTORY PROGRAMS Weekdays May, June, September and October   
The Spring 2009  Living History Programs for elementary students from throughout Southeast and Mid Michigan has been fully scheduled throughout May and into June. These programs an include a school class in the one room Dewey School, life in the log cabin days, life on the farmhouse, and life on the farm including the barns, workshop and out buildings. The participants learn what life was like and get to help with a typical day's chores. These programs can be a full school day, or one half day. For information, fees and reservations for  Fall 2009 or Spring and Fall 2010 programs  call the WAHS Living History Programs at 517-851-8745 or send E-Mail to info@waterloofarmmuseum.org.

FARM MUSEUM ANNUAL MEETING, Sunday, May 17, 12:00 pm.
We are looking forward to a wonderful time, fellowship and fun! 

FARM MUSEUM  WEEKEND TOURS BEGIN, Friday, May 29, 1 am, and then Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 1pm-5pm. Open through Monday, September 7.
Waterloo Farm Museum provides guided tours of the ten-room farmhouse, log cabin, barns, blacksmith and woodworking workshop, bake house, ice house, milk cellar, and windmill.  These tours are lead by knowledgeable guides in period dress. The gift shop will also be open at this time as well, to browse and purchase books, crafts, toys, collectables and clothing.

Museum tour fees are $4 for adults, $3 for seniors (62+) and $2  for children aged 5-17. There is no museum tour fee for children under 5 and members of the Waterloo Area Historical Society.

 BLACKSMITHS, SOLDIERS and LOG CABIN WEEKEND, Saturday, June 27th 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and  Sunday, June 28th 12:00 p.m. – 5 p.m.

• We honor and foster an understanding and appreciation in children and adults of the pioneer farmers of Michigan, their family life and their children's schooling. This years event will feature more opportunities than ever for children and adults to enjoy hands-on pioneer experiences. Spend the day in the Civil War Encampment, try your hand at wood carving, or learn how to make socks on a 19th century sock machine. The baker will be busy in the bake house, the blacksmith in his shop, Mr. Realy in the barn, and Mrs. Realy in her garden. The weekend culminates as we join Michigan's statewide Log Cabin Day celebration, when you can observe a young couple setting up housekeeping in their log house.
   
• CIVIL WAR SOLDIER ENCAMPMENT: See Civil War soldiers carrying out their daily activities, and see how those they left behind coped.
• BLACKSMITH FESTIVAL: Blacksmiths from near and far will join our blacksmith, setting up their forges to demonstrate their skills.
• LOG CABIN DAY: Log Cabin Day is a statewide event that shows the way to the past. It is still the only annual statewide log cabin celebration in the USA. Come out to the farm and see one of the few log cabins open to the public. We are very proud of our log house and surroundings. Guides will be available to give tours.

Admission to the Waterloo Farm Museum grounds for this event is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors (62+) and $2 for children aged 5-17. There is no admission charge for children under 5 and members of the Waterloo Area Historical Society. Admission includes a guided tour of the ten-room farmhouse.

ANTIQUE TRACTOR AND FARM EQUIPMENT SHOW and GRANDMA'S ATTIC SALE Saturday, August 15, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m,  Sunday August 16, Noon - 5p.m.

All are welcome to come and view or show off their tractors, trucks and farm equipment. 

Shop for treasures at Grandma's Attic Sale. Bring any items you wish to donate for sale (Except clothing)

For information call 517-851-8745

There is no admission fee to the Waterloo Farm Museum grounds for this event.
Guided tours of the ten-room farmhouse and out buildings are available for the normal fees of .$4 for adults, $3 for seniors (62+) and $2  for children aged 5-17. There is no museum tour fee for children under 5 and members of the Waterloo Area Historical Society.

FARM MUSEUM  WEEKEND TOURS END Sunday August 31, 2008 The Farm Museum Tours and  Museum Gift Shop close for the season, except for special events.

PIONEER DAY, second Sunday in October - this year Sunday, October 11th Noon - 5 p.m.

The celebration of late 19th century farm life includes tours of the Farm Museum and Dewey School, live music, and demonstrations of crafts, trades, and traditional cooking methods. Now in its fifth decade, Pioneer Day is the premier event on the Waterloo Area Historical Society's calendar. The festivities include activities at both of the Society's locations: the Farm Museum, , and the Dewey School Museum.

A visit to the Farm Museum and tour includes a complex of farm buildings including the restored ten-room Farmhouse dating from 1855. In the Farmhouse kitchen you will be greeted by the delicious smells of Sunday dinner being readied for the dining room table. A docent in every room will be your guide as you tour the house set with utensils, furniture, clothing, and other household items of the time. There will demonstrations of butter making in the Spring House, hearth cooking in the Log House, brick-oven baking in the Bake House, and blacksmithing in the workshop.

• Costumed demonstrators will bring history alive

• Demonstrations of traditional tasks like spinning, dressmaking, weaving and quilting,

• Exhibits of farm tools used for chores such as corn husking and shelling, cider pressing, and sauerkraut making.

• Try out stilt-walking or other outdoor games.

• Musicians playing  

• Horse-drawn wagon rides

• Craftsmen demonstrating and selling their wares

• Farm goods, jams, preserves, apple butter and delicious snacks and treats for sale

Visitors can watch the preparation of meals and if they get hungry, savor some Waterloo Bean Soup, then pick up a jar with the traditional recipe attached to try at home or give as a gift. Whether your taste runs to primitive folk art, woven goods, or wildlife art, you'll find demonstrators with their wares for sale. The Museum Gift Shop will also be open and stocked with items from bygone days, as well as books and souvenirs of the farms well as a wonderful selection of dried flowers and fall arrangements in the barn.

Admission to the Waterloo Farm Museum grounds for this event is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors (62+) and $2 for children aged 5-17. There is no admission charge for children under 5 and members of the Waterloo Area Historical Society. Admission includes a guided tour of the ten-room farmhouse.

CHRISTMAS ON THE FARM, Saturday, December 5th 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday, December 6th Noon - 4 p.m.

This re-creation of the  holiday's traditions will include tours of the ten-room farmhouse, the  authentic log house, eight outbuildings, and the one-room Dewey School. New  this year is a traditional Christmas program at Dewey School. Hand-crafted  greens, home-made baked goods, and gift items will be available for  purchase. Free refreshments and live music will be among the offerings for this homespun weekend.  Please join us!!

• At the farmstead, natural decorations of dried herbs, spices, flowers, nuts, cedar and pine will set the scene in the 10-room farmhouse, where costumed guides will recount the activities that would have been taking place in each room at

• Singers and musicians perform traditional holiday melodies.

• The savory scents of the season will fill the air as dinner is prepared in the warm farm kitchen, reviving memories of the folks who once occupied this historic farmstead.

• Visitors will also be welcomed into the log house, which will be decorated as it would have been in the 1840's, before the family moved into the farmhouse.

• The Gift Shop will offer items for sale to fill stockings and remind us for former lifestyles-books, handmade toys, soaps, candles, and other wonderful things.

• Baked goods, jams, jellies, and other tempting treats will also be available.

• Wreaths, swags, and table centerpieces made of fresh greenery will be available for purchase in the Ice House.

• Be sure to visit the blacksmith working at the forge.

• The Waterloo Area Historical Society's Dewey School Museum will be open for tours and decorated for the season.

• It will serve as the setting for a traditional Christmas program as well. The schoolhouse is located a short drive away on Territorial Rd., about ¾ mile west of Parks Rd. Maps will be available at the farm.  

Admission to the Waterloo Farm Museum grounds for this event is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors (62+) and $2 for children aged 5-17. There is no admission charge for children under 5 and members of the Waterloo Area Historical Society. Admission includes a guided tour of the ten-room farmhouse.

BE SURE TO STOP IN THE FARM MUSEUM GIFT AND BOOK SHOP!

For more information please contact us.
©Waterloo Area Historical Society