Experience the History of Blackland Prairie Farming

The American Association of Museums accredited Heritage Farmstead Museum, in Plano, is the premiere living history site interpreting the Texas Blackland Prairie region in North Texas. Built in 1891 in a region of rich soil by Hunter Farrell, a successful businessman in Collin County, the farmhouse, with elaborate jigsaw trim, wrap-around porches and north-south orientation with opposing doorways, satisfied the need for shade and cross-ventilation in a period before air conditioning. Together with three barns and several outbuildings on a 365-acre spread, the homestead is definitely a showplace. The family retained ownership of the home and ran it as a farm until 1972.
The Plano Heritage Museum was formed to preserve the home and grounds. The Heritage Farmstead Association works to preserve, teach and demonstrate the past to more than 30,000 visitors annually. The collection contains 10,000 objects and archival materials related to Blackland Prairie life in North Texas from 1890 to 1920. The library comprises information about the history of Plano, North Texas, Blackland Prairie life and Native Americans in the Texas region.
Location: 1900 West 15th St., Plano. For more information, call 973-881-0140 or visit HeritageFarmstead.org.