Step into the shoes of local farmers and craftsmen who helped shape the history and culture of rural East Tennessee. Pioneer families sustained their lives on the homestead using large-scale agricultural equipment like plows, a scythe, corn sheller, and cider press. Other featured artifacts can be found in an extensive display of woodworking and cobbler tools from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
This exhibit also details the history of Mayfield Dairy, which was founded in Athens. The Mayfield family has a long history in McMinn County dating back to the 1820s. In 1923, the Mayfields built a pasteurizing plant and began selling milk and cottage cheese. Various artifacts from Mayfield Dairy include bottling machines and milk containers. Young visitors can enjoy the Museum’s hands-on interactive area and experience what life was like on the farm.