Interest in such farms has resulted in the formation of the Association for Living Historic Farms and Agricultural Museums, to which individuals and institutions can belong. Some of those interested in living history farms have had considerable experience in museum work, and for them much of the information in this handbook is elementary. Early claims for small sums of money are discussed in the second section of the chapter.
An organization that pre-exists a historic farm living project may want to modify some of the early steps. If their money and their support makes the difference between developing a living historic farm attraction or not, then it may be necessary to make the most of the situation. Two current historic living farm projects have evolved from the restoration efforts of such organizations.
The announcement of the new corporation may be the first official news to the press and other interested organizations. Before all the issues raised in the first part of this section have reached their final conclusion, the participants of the organizing group should visit other historical sites. Agriculture in such situations must be interpreted in the most recent period of the time period represented.
Even if the entire development is within the same time period, it may be desirable for the farm to be isolated from the restored village.
A Director for the Project
Although there is much scope in the nature of the prospectus to be prepared, certain types of information are generally found. As some names are likely to be well known in the community, this can provide a preliminary bookmark list. Some material from the presentation may go to press at this time.
This would at the same time explain part of the program that will be implemented at the site. The ratio stems primarily from the theatrical aspect of the work and the implied support services – costumes, props, etc. Federal labor laws always apply when any portion of the farm's funds come from the federal government.
The effectiveness of the system depends on the cooperation of the members who provide the information. Throughout much of our history, much of the processing of agricultural products took place right on the farm.
CAPITAL AND OVERHEAD The Expenses of Development and Operation
When combined, the estimates for both phases of providing public access and service facilities account for about 45 percent of the estimated $350,000 in development costs for the entire project over land and antique furniture. When Old Sturbridge Village proposed the expansion of the Pliny Freeman farm, it estimated the cost at better than $70,000. The reproduction of equipment and agricultural tools required only $10,000 of the estimates and additional livestock but $1,750.
The example of the Hackett Ranch is less useful for estimating reconstruction and repair costs. In such cases, some of the laborers are already on the budget and some tools and equipment are already available for use. The Audubon Society's estimate for the Plains Conservation Center's personnel and labor costs is approximately 80 percent of the annual operating costs after development.
However, the budget does not include percentages of the many tourist facilities, parking and utilities that would form part of the budgets of most living historic farms. 15 percent in addition to the direct operating costs of a facility to cover administrative, research and monitoring costs. For example, in a preliminary estimate of the annual operating budget for the expanded farm, Old Sturbridge Village estimated salaries at $9,360 but labor costs at $10,800.
So in the case of the proposed agriculture budget, 71 percent of the total $18,630 went to labor and personnel costs. It appears that adding 30 percent to the salaries of the non-administrative, research and supervisory staff plus 15 percent of the non-salary expenditures of the entire budget will total the salary costs. This is provided that administrative, research and supervisory staff only require 15 percent of the operating budget.
The labor required for a living historic farm will undoubtedly be the biggest expense of the budget. Account must be taken of several other expenditure categories that require smaller parts of the budget. For the crops there would be expenses for seeds, grains, fertilizers and such carts, equipment and tools as are necessary to cultivate the land.
INCOME
Living historic farms can get high insurance premiums if they follow the practice of the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, which allows animals to roam among tourists. Plimoth Plantation charges adults $1.00 for the plantation and 75* to see Mayflower II, while children under 14 pay 50* for each seat. Because they vary so widely in quality, the amount they take from tourists also varies greatly.
However, costs come to about $1.10 per visitor, so these sources combine to account for about 95 percent of annual revenue. One of the best gift shop tactics is to sell items related to or produced by the project. Lee's hometown, Stratford Hall, sells bacon, red smoke on site and meal in two-pound bags, ground in the grist mill there.
Upper Canada Village sells cheese, quilts and some woolen goods, all made in the historic village. So far, visitors there have spent virtually $1.00 per paid admission in the gift shop alone. Landahl notes that some authorities suggest that sales revenue should equal access revenue, although this rarely occurs, and earning better than half as much this way should not be too difficult.11.
Another way to measure the return on the sale of items produced within a historic village is what Williamsburg suggests. In 1966, officials estimated that about 80 percent of the $700,000 spent in operating craft shops was recouped through the sale of manufactured items. The corporation, in turn, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Colonial Williamsburg, Incorporated, a not-for-profit corporation.
Old Sturbridge Village followed a similar corporate arrangement in operating its gift shop, restaurant and motel. Whatever the success of the various income-producing activities available, and regardless of the size of the donation or tax-derived contribution to the budget, living historical farms are primarily educational tools. The primary concern of most projects is to develop as good an educational program as possible for the amount of funds that can be obtained.
STATE DIRECTORY OF HISTORIC FARMS AND MUSEUMS
The San Joaquin County Historical Society assists in the development and operation of the site, which is on valuable tokay grape land bequeathed to the county by its owner. This reconstruction of the Tom Lincoln pioneer homestead leads the way in the National Park Service's development of living historic farms. It will depict three different eras of Iowa agriculture—a pioneer homestead of the 1840s, a steam-.
Shakertown is one of the largest open-air museums in the country and is still expanding. The various farm tools and implements in the museum and throughout the village make this one of the best collections. A turn-of-the-century general store is the focus of this living museum.
Traditional Zuni agricultural practices can be developed at Ojo Caliente on the Zuni Reservation. Walnut Grove, a project of the Spartanburg County Historical Society, is a restored 1765 mansion and associated farm buildings. An important place in the history of the 'Lost State of Franklin' is the focus of a restoration project.
The board has acquired most of the buildings in Plymouth, where it now operates a farming museum. Various buildings associated with an 18th century plantation are interpreted and farming is part of the story. One of the crafts taught leads to the reconstruction on campus of a typical early mountaineer settlement.
Part of the interpretation administration building was built several years ago thanks to private contributions. Some of the planning that went into this effort is covered elsewhere in this handbook. The Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, New York, has pioneered many of the museum-related efforts that make up living historic farms.
DIRECTORY OF PERSONS INTERESTED IN LIVING HISTORICAL FARMS
Hume, Director Department of Archeology Colonial Williamsburg Williamsburg Virginia 23185 Carlisle Humelsine, President Colonial Williamsburg Williamsburg, Virginia 23185 James L. 20510 Kermit McKeever, Chief Division of Parks and Recreation Department of Natural Resources Charleston, West Virginia 25305 William Y.
INDEX
State Directory of Historic Farms and Museums, 43 State Historical Societies, uses of, 20, 21 States, funds from, 25.
