Activities here at the Museum

GROUP - Aug 3rd ALFA Visit to museum

Republished with permission from Aug 2018 edition of "Neighbors" a publication of the Alabama Farmers Federation:

A familiar sight greets beach-bound travelers, snowbirds and locals on U.S. Highway 231 just north of Troy — a cluster of wood buildings, stuffed-to-the-brim general store, farm implements and a black-as-night locomotive.

The Pioneer Museum of Alabama has preserved the past since 1971, and thanks to a donation from the Alfa Foundation, its work educating students and lending trips down memory lane is headed back to tip-top condition.

“Every museum has its own challenges,” said Jeff Kervin, museum board chairman. “We’re trying to preserve items that are antiques to begin with, which is why partnerships with organizations like Alfa are so important.”

The Alfa Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Alfa Insurance. Its $21,750 donation helped re-roof the museum’s dogtrot cabin with cedar shake shingles — similar to the original ax-split roofing.

“We’re proud to help maintain this piece of history,” said Steve Stroud, Pike County Farmers Federation president and a Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa state board member. “The dogtrot cabin is integral to the museum, showcasing how Alabama pioneers lived. It’s imperative to teach the next generation how hard work and resourcefulness laid the foundation for modern society.”

At the museum, director Barbara Tatom’s roots run deep. Clad in her Junior Girl Scout uniform, Tatom was present for the museum’s ribbon cutting where founder Curren Farmer actually severed a plow line — nearly 50 years ago.

“I remember the excitement when Mr. Farmer started collecting items,” Tatom said. “We want to draw all ages to our museum. Older generations can share their knowledge and memories with younger students and families who visit.”

As director, she’s revamping the museum, which covers facets of pioneer life — cast-iron kitchen gadgets, quilts, furniture, corn-husk toys, musical instruments, hand-stitched clothing and Native American interactions. In the general store, décor reminds visitors it was a common gathering spot, serving as post office and a market for shoes, dry goods, tools, fabric and even caskets. An authentic schoolhouse, tenant house, corn crib and smokehouse dot the museum property. A nature trail winds through the acreage, while a covered bridge leads to a period church.

Outdoor occupations such as distilling turpentine, blacksmithing, logging and milling are featured, as are modes of transportation, like buggies, a horse-drawn hearse and wagons. Farmer’s inspiration for the museum included plows and other farm equipment, which round out the displays.

“I look at the equipment and am amazed by our ancestors’ ingenuity,” Tatom said. “Visitors are, too. People spend anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours with us.”

Throughout the year, the museum’s picnic areas and an amphitheater set the stage for reunions, students, church groups and weddings. Some attendees of the Federation’s Commodity Producers Conference Aug. 3 will soak up Alabama’s agricultural history during museum tours. 

“We hope visitors see the back-breaking work it took to produce food to survive and leave here with a greater appreciation for what they have,” Kervin said.  

 

 

 

PUBLIC Spring Plantin' May 1st and 2nd 2020

 

PUBLIC Pioneer Days October 9th and 10th 2020

 

PUBLIC Ole Time Christmas December 11th and 12th 2020

 

WELCOME!

Operating Hours

OPEN  

Thursday-Saturday 9am-4pm

 

Winter hours: 

Thursday-Saturday 9am-4pm

November 7, 2024 to March 8, 2025

 

Weeks Closed in 2024:

Thanksgiving week Nov 25-30, Christmas and New Year weeks December 23-January 4

 

Pioneer Museum of Alabama
248 Highway 231 N
Troy, AL 36081

Phone: (334) 566-3597
Email: pioneer@troycable.net

 

ADMISSION:

  • Adults $10
  • Seniors $9 (Age 60+)
  • Students (age 6-college) $8
  • Children 5 and Under FREE

Military Discount  Available.

Discounts do not apply for Pioneer Days,  Ole Time Christmas, and Thunder on the Three Notch.

 

Join us on Facebook at 

Pioneer Museum of Alabama.

Convenient Layout

The main building of the museum is divided into several sections.

The entrance opens into the Gift Shop.

The West Wing houses collections including Lifestyles, Textiles, Sewing and Quilting.

The South Wing houses a Pioneer Kitchen, a Native American exhibit, a military exhibit featuring the Civil War, Spanish American War and World War One, a Printing exhibit, and farming exhibits.

The Agricultural and Transportation Wing houses exhibits including Blacksmithing, Logging, Construction, Cotton and Farming, and a collection of Carriages and Wagons.

The Main Street area features shops and businesses of downtown Troy, Alabama circa 1900.  The magnificent Larry Godwin mural depicts the old Troy Depot and The Hotel Troy while highlighting the horse drawn wagon and railway travel of the era.

 

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