The Highland Village - Gaelic Folklife Experience

Horse drawn mowing machine

August 14th - Wednesday

This is a view from the Highland Village Museum.  It is all located on a hillside and it was truly an delightful afternoon.  The Village features 11 period buildings, a blackhouse, forge, general store, school, church, carding mill, barn and dwelling located on 43 acres of natural landscape.  The interpretation and animation at Highland Village explores four eras of Gaelic life and major events that shaped the people and this place.

We started out in the Black House which showed us how the Gaelic people lived prior to coming to Nova Scotia.  We were the guests of a Scotish family as they told stories and sang songs of past times.

The Black House

Highland Cattle

Soay Sheep native to Scotland, they do not have to shear them, they pull it off

Fordson Tractor - My father had one of these and my brother and I rode a many a mile on one of these

Horse drawn dump rake and manure spreader

The Church at the very top of the hill

The Carding Mill - Wool and its preparation for spinning were very important to their rural life and when it was no longer necessary to card it at home, it freed the lady of the house to do other important tasks.

The one room school house where teachers taught the student to teach English language only.  Students were punished for speaking Gaelic

The General Store, Post Office and gossip center

The Forge.  The forge is their hardware store and repair shoop.  Men gather there for conversation as ironwork is done and horses are shod.  The "smithy" made me a square nail to bring home.

An upstairs bedroom complete with a bathtub

A horse drawn hearse

Had troubles with the computer loading pictures tonight, so they are not in good order, but did the best with what I have.  I keep getting bumped off and then have to restart, it has taken over three hours to do this post.

This was my favorite place to visit and I wish my brother had been with me on this, he would have enjoyed it, as he enjoyed the work horses when Daddy had  them, and then Jerry purchased Belgian Work horses himself and used them later in life and what joy they brought to him.  Gentle creatures that they were.  I had to call him tonight and tell him all about it.