For a community of historic buildings putting the past on display, the Eastern Carolina Village and Farm Museum has a promising future. Established in 1976, its continued growth since 2009 has it well positioned for local gatherings and as a regional destination.
When the former Village of Yesteryear was moved from its home on the Pitt County fairgrounds six years ago, it was a major undertaking. Now situated on a 5.6-acre site on the former Pitt County Home farm on County Home Road, the village has continued to develop and grow.
Popular attractions in the village include: A 1915 Hamilton steam engine; a farm water tower (which came from the boyhood home of Les Turnage, a village founder); the Eagles School, a one-room schoolhouse built in 1903 near Fountain; the Satterthwait Store, opened in the Pactolus area around 1879; the Thomas Adrian Savage House, built in the 1850s near Bell’s Fork; several log structures including a tobacco barn, corn crib, church, cabin, stables, hen house, smoke house, and a log house that contains the village’s occupational artifacts -- including old Daily Reflector printing presses.
The buildings and fixtures represent life in Pitt County between 1840 and 1940, and it’s a history lesson that appeals to visitors from near and far. “You are going to get a history lesson you won’t get anywhere else,” Roger Kammerer, secretary of the village board of directors, told The Daily Reflector in a story published last week. “We had people from other parts of North Carolina who have said, ‘I’ve never heard about this.’”
More visitors are coming from other states, either including the village in stops along the way or making it a destination because they have ancestors who migrated from Pitt County. “We get people every month from Texas, Georgia,” Kammerer said, “because they track these people who left back to Pitt County.”
Since the relocation, the board of directors has continued to upgrade the site with fencing, landscaping and restroom facilities. Those amenities and the site’s proximity to the Pitt County Farmers Market make it especially appealing for visitors who want to take their time and soak in the history.
While the village is hosting more groups and activities, its directors must obtain a certificate of occupancy from Greenville city government before it can offer regular hours of operation. Projects are underway to provide more handicapped accessibility and other improvements. There always are repair and maintenance needs that rely on public donations, and citizens who contribute can know they are investing in one of Pitt County’s true treasures.
