Just a ways down the road from the Smith Mountain Lake Visitors Center on 122 South is the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum in Ferrum, VA. The museum is considered by many to be the center for Blue Ridge Mountain Folklore. The institute was created in 1970 by Ferrum College to preserve the folklore of the Blue Ridge region. They offer more than just exhibits and galleries, but also have a living history farm. The farm is a re-created 1800’s Virginia-German farmstead.
The farm museum is like stepping back in time. You will be able to experience what life was like in the rural Blue Ridge Mountains. The farm’s interpreters dress in period costume and live life as it was in 1800. A thirty mile trip took the whole day or more! As you watch them cook over an open hearth, tend heirloom gardens, and complete the never ending list of farm chores,you realize how fast things move in the modern day.
The exhibits like the Virginia Rocks: The History of Rockabilly in the Commonwealth and other galleries at the museum are free. The Heritage Archives held in the Blue Ridge Institute are a collection of photos and recordings of the area. They even have the Galax Old Time Fiddlers Convention tapes available to listen to. There are admission fees for the farm museum, but you can make reservations for a more “hands on” experience through the different programs they offer.
History runs richly throughout the area. From Jefferson’s Poplar Forest home to the National D-Day Memorial, every generation will find something to interest them. Come for a visit and if you like it, then move here! Vicki Millehan, your local real estate expert, can help you find a place to call home in the Blue Ridge Mountains!
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