Hale Farm & Village

While situated within the authorized borders of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Hale Farm & Village is owned and operated by the Western Reserve Historical Society.  The Western Reserve is the area between the 41st parallel and Lake Erie and extending 120 miles west from the Pennsylvania border.  Its creation dates back to colonial times when Connecticut held a royal grant to lands west of the Allegheny Mountains.  After the Revolutionary War, the new federal government offered to assume the war debts of several states in return for relinquishing any claims to territory west of the Alleghenies.  During negotiations, Connecticut demanded that it be allowed to retain title to the Western Reserve as it had suffered relatively more damages than other states.  Connecticut sold the land to the Connecticut Land Company for $1.2 million in 1795.  The land east of the Cuyahoga River was surveyed by a team led by Moses Cleaveland in 1796.  The area was incorporated into the Northwest Territory in 1800 when Connecticut ceded its claim to the federal government.

Jonathan Hale of Glastonbury, Connecticut arrived in the Western Reserve in 1810 after having purchased 500 acres of land.  He began work on the brick house above in 1825.  When it was completed, it and the Frazee House were the only two brick houses in the Cuyahoga Valley.  The property was transferred from a descendant of Jonathan Hale to the Historical Society and opened as a living history museum in 1958.  The current admission charge is $10 per adult with children aged 3 to 12 admitted for $5.  During our visit in September, 2012, the farm was only open on the weekends.  The carriage museum was closed, but most of the other buildings on the farm were open.  We saw demonstrations of weaving and spinning as well as candle making and broom making.  In addition, the broom maker also had a set of bagpipes that he played for his own enjoyment (and ours) when no visitors were nearby.  All of the crafts people wore period costumes of the mid-1800s.  The weaver used thread produced on site to create rugs for the floors, curtains for the windows of all the buildings on the site and even made some of the costumes worn by the interpreters.  As it was drizzling rain and the interiors were only lit by natural light and a few candles, I didn't take any pictures of these areas.

Across Oak Hill Drive to the east are a number of historically significant buildings that were transported from other sites around the area.  Additional costumed interpreters were stationed at several of these to discuss features of the buildings and gardens.

1845 Stone House

"Wheatfield" commons

Meetinghouse

Pipe Organ in the Meetinghouse

Goldsmith House

House closed for renovations

Saltbox House

General Store and House

Because so many buildings have been moved to the site from other locations and placed in a seemingly haphazard manner, there isn't the sense of a village or community in the same way as Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.  While each building has some historical significance, it has been plucked out of context and placed in the field.  For example, one house had its privy located adjacent to the creek where the pit would flood if it could even be dug.  However, seeing some of the old tools, like spinning wheels and butter churns, brought back some memories from childhood for my wife.  

While there is some cooperation between the historical society and the park service, the historical society is not a park partner like the railroad and both Metro Park systems.  

The museum website is http://www.halefarm.org.
The park website is http://www.nps.gov/cuva/index.htm.