L. Norman Dillon Farm Museum
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Image of orchard sprayer
Image of a schooner wagon
Image future plans for L. Norman Dillon Farm Museum
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
L. Norman Dillon spent his life as a farmer. His favorite place was in the eastern West Virginia panhandle, Apple Pie Ridge. Apple Pie Ridge is located in Berkeley County. Mr. Dillon retired in 1974. He was so passionate about the agrarian way of life that he devised a way to keep the old ways alive. He donated $10,000 to the school board. “That money came with the stipulation that a volunteer advisory committee assist with planning and eventual implementation of an agricultural heritage museum.” Dillon was devoted to the project and made sure that all monies earned would be used solely for the museum. A portion of the original Dillon farm is now owned by the Board of Education. The museum was formally dedicated in 1987. The museum is used as a way to keep ties to the past.
The museum has acquired many pieces of farm equipment, tools, and processes that are no longer in use today. There are many interesting things to see at the L. Norman Dillon Farm Museum, both inside and outside. There is a volunteer Blacksmith on site that works steel for visitor’s amazement and education. There are numerous antique agricultural machines available for viewing such as the orchard sprayer, portable apple grader, the Stewart sheep shearing machine, a Farmall Model H and McCormick Deering #2 steel husker shredder. The museum also houses several wooden farm pieces such as wooden wheelbarrows and several schooner style wagons.
The L. Norman Dillon Farm Museum is an important part of agricultural history and will only continue to grow and acquire more innovative items from the past.