Janice, one of two horses, greets visitors to the museum.

POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Located just outside this small town is a tourist attraction that evokes memories of days gone by.


The West Virginia State Farm Museum is “dedicated to the preservation of our farm life heritage,” according to the museum’s slogan. Many pieces of farm history — including homes of some of the state’s early residents — are on display there.


Walden Roush founded the farm museum, which is operated by volunteers, in 1976. A former educator, he believed it was necessary to preserve farm life heritage. According to Lloyd Akers, museum director, “Mason County was a huge agricultural community, but the family farm has been declining since the 1970s.”


There are approximately 33 separate buildings that make up the state farm museum. The first museum building, the “Green Building,” houses old artifacts, corn planters and saddles. Also within that structure are Amish stage coaches from the 1970s, a cider press circa 1900, motor  plows circa 1940 and an array of other farm memorabilia.


Another building houses a blacksmith shop, formerly owned by Tim Harper. This was transported to the museum in the 1970s. Harper operated the shop in St. Albans near the Coal River. Akers said he remembers visiting that shop as a boy.