Austin, Texas
Street Address
1400 Pioneer Farms DriveAustin, TX 78754
Mailing Address
11418 Sprinkle Cut-Off RoadAustin, TX 78754
phone: 512-837-1215
fax: 512-837-4503
e-mail: pioneerfarms@hsaustin.org
web: www.pioneerfarms.org

Hours

Wednsdays and Fridays, 9-2 (Fall and Spring) Sundays 1-5 (Year-round)
Thursdays and Saturdays, open for special events. Check Web for details.

Admissions

Adults $8, children $6.
Admission varies for special events.

Staff

Michael Ward
phone: 512-837-1215
Kalin Johnson
phone: 512-837-1215
Rosemary Morrow
phone: 512-837-1215
John Mayfield
phone: 512-837-1215
Rhonda Leggett
phone: 512-837-1215
Karey Nalle Oddo
phone: 512-837-1215
Celeste Scarborough
phone: 512-837-1215
Robert Swim
phone: 512-837-1215
Angela Walters
phone: 512-837-1215
Description

Pioneer Farms is a living history museum depicting the lifestyle of early-day Texans - when Austin was just a small town, long before cars and cell phones had been invented, when bonnets and buggies were in vogue. Pioneer Farms is a volunteer-run property of the Heritage Society of Austin, one of Texas' oldest organizations dedicated to historic preservation.
Step back in time for a variety of educational programs for both children and adults.

Our museum features three historic farmsteads and an entry village, plus acres of prairie pastures, farmyards and wildlife. Each is interpreted just as life would have been in the 1800s on Central Texas' Blacklands Prairie.

History

In the fall of 1844, Texas Ranger Lt. James O. Rice, an original settler of Austin, laid claim to 1,280 acres of virgin land at the northward crossing of Walnut Creek - including the land that now includes Pioneer Farms. The site edged the Blackland Prairie with its tall grasses and ancient live oaks, and once hosted the Tonkawa Indians in a creek side campsite.

In 1852, Frederick and Harriet Jourdan settled on the land with eight children and nine slaves, and eventually amassed a 2,000-acre farm.

In 1956, the Jourdan grandchildren, Laura and Eugene Giles, donated the core of their grandparents' property to the Heritage Society of Austin for a park to honor early- day settlers.

Pioneer Farms is managed and staffed solely by volunteers who are working to keep Texas history alive.

Artifact Collections

"Oh, Pioneers!" highlights the histories of several important early-day settlers to this area, including the Jourdans, the Bachmans, the Aynesworths and the Bells. Through preserved artifacts and flowing narratives, this exhibit is sure to please from the biggest to the littlest pioneers in your family.

"Writing History" is a display of inkwells that once belonged to governors, famous historical figures and every-day Texans - made from fancy glass, shiny brass, wood from a famous battleship, even a horse's hoof. One of the most incredibly intriguing displays of a bygone necessity, with a history of each inkwell.

Educational Programs

Step back in time for a variety of educational programs for both children and adults.

Included are from our popular weekday Daily Life on the Prairie for children, to our acclaimed Pioneer School classes and work- shops that meet on weekends.

Governance

Nine-member Board of Governors.

Library
Access: Students, Scholars, Staff Only, Members
Appointment required: Yes
Publications

Quarterly newsletter, Pioneer Farms Gazette;annual report, annual almanac, booklets for Pioneer School educational programs (seasonal); sales catalog of Heritage Artisans merchandise made at Pioneer Farms (twice a year).

Pioneer Farms Gazette
Pioneer Farms Annual Report
Frontier Merchant sales catalog
ADA
Wheelchair Accessible
Exhibitions
Museum Events
DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

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May 1 - 4, 2024

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West Virginia Association of Museums 2024 Conference

June 6 - 8, 2024

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