Living History Farms
Source: https://www.lhf.org
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:36
Living History Farms
CURRENT HOURS:
Programs by reservation November-April
EMPLOYMENT
MEMBERSHIP
VOLUNTEER
DONATE
Visit
Plan Your Visit
Visitor FAQ
About the Farms
Accessibility
Photo Policy
Purchase Tickets
Events & Programs
Upcoming Events
Day Camp
Historic Dinners & Teas
Historic Skills Classes
Barnyard Readers
Book Clubs
Flynn Mansion Mysteries
Schools & Groups
K-12 Schools
Homeschool Groups
Group Reservations for Youth (Scouts, 4-H, daycares)
Group Reservations for Adults
Historic Home Tours
Community Outreach
Frequently Asked Questions
Membership
Purchase or Renew
Membership
Member Benefits
Frequently Asked Questions
About Us
About Us
President’s Message
Annual Reports
Board of Directors
Rental Facilities
Saint Pope John Paul II Visit
Online Collections Database
Employment
Contact Us
Visit
Plan Your Visit
Visitor FAQ
About the Farms
Accessibility
Photo Policy
Purchase Tickets
Events & Programs
Upcoming Events
Day Camp
Historic Dinners & Teas
Historic Skills Classes
Barnyard Readers
Book Clubs
Flynn Mansion Mysteries
Schools & Groups
K-12 Schools
Homeschool Groups
Group Reservations for Youth (Scouts, 4-H, daycares)
Group Reservations for Adults
Historic Home Tours
Community Outreach
Frequently Asked Questions
Membership
Purchase or Renew
Membership
Member Benefits
Frequently Asked Questions
About Us
About Us
President’s Message
Annual Reports
Board of Directors
Rental Facilities
Saint Pope John Paul II Visit
Online Collections Database
Employment
Contact Us
volunteer
donate
FREE Folk Art Fair
DETAILS
April 30
Season opens!
DETAILS
June through August
Summer Day Camp
REGISTER
America 250
Events Celebrating the Semiquincentennial
CALENDAR
Visit
Living History Farms is an interactive outdoor history museum, which educates and connects all peoples to the many stories of Midwestern rural heritage.
Plan your visit
Educators
Living History Farms is proud to offer a dedicated education department and award-winning programs for K-12 schools and homeschooling families.
Learn More
Events & Programs
From family events, to harvest celebrations and Day Camps, your whole family will look forward to attending special events & programs at Living History Farms.
Pick an event
Membership
Come experience your favorites again and again, and get the best value for your money, with a membership to Living History Farms.
Membership levels
Volunteer
Donate
Experience
300 YEARS OF HISTORY
Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa, tells the amazing story of how Iowans transformed the fertile prairies of the Midwest into the most productive farmland in the world. While at the 500-acre open-air museum, visitors travel at their own pace through historical time periods spanning 300 years. On-site interpreters provide a unique learning environment of seasonal activities and demonstrations.
Living History Farms is such a unique opportunity to experience life outside of our time period. Thank you for providing such wonderful experiences!
1700
1850
1876
1900
1700
IOWAY INDIAN FARM
The farming techniques practiced by the Ioway Indians in 1700 pre-dated written history and varied somewhat from European methods. Ioway farmers raised corn, beans and squash.
View Farm
1850
Pioneer Farm
On a mid-summer visit to the 1850 Pioneer Farm, the farm staff might be in the fields cultivating corn and potatoes, or harvesting wheat, the three main crops on the Iowa frontier.
View Farm
1876
Town of Walnut Hill
The 1876 town of Walnut Hill re-creates a bustling frontier community with craftsmen and merchants in several shops, businesses and homes along the town's main street. Near the town, visitors will find a country schoolhouse, as well as an upperclass Victorian home and adjoining barn.
View Town
1900
Horse-Powered Farm
In fields at the 1900 Horse-Powered Farm, Percheron draft horses pull a variety of machinery to plant, cultivate, and harvest the farm's three main crops of corn, oats, and hay. There are also vegetable gardens to be tended and household chores to be done.
View Farm
Sign Up For Our
NEWSLETTER
Facebook Icon:
Twitter Icon:
Instagram Icon:
Youtube Icon:
Accolades
Visitor Code of Conduct
Employment
Internships
Sitemap
Privacy Policy
11121 HICKMAN, URBANDALE • 515-278-5286
— THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 PREMIER PARTNERS —
Official Modern Agricultural Equipment Partner
Mary and Dale Andringa
Bayer Crop Science
Cole-Belin Education Foundation
Coons Foundation
Corteva Agriscience
EMC Insurance
Jim Cownie Family Foundation
Fred Maytag Family Foundation
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Iowa Machine Shed
Lienemann Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Kemin Industries
MidAmerican Energy Company
Nelson Foundation
Polk County
Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust
R.W. and Mary Nelson
Prairie Meadows
Todd and Connie Rueter
Charles and Kathy Safris
Stephen Smith
Sukup Manufacturing Co.
City of Urbandale
Vermeer Charitable Foundation
Copyright © 2026 Living History Farms. All Rights Reserved.
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by Webspec Design
Print this page
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Twitter
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CURRENT HOURS:
Programs by reservation November-April
EMPLOYMENT
MEMBERSHIP
VOLUNTEER
DONATE
Visit
Plan Your Visit
Visitor FAQ
About the Farms
Accessibility
Photo Policy
Purchase Tickets
Events & Programs
Upcoming Events
Day Camp
Historic Dinners & Teas
Historic Skills Classes
Barnyard Readers
Book Clubs
Flynn Mansion Mysteries
Schools & Groups
K-12 Schools
Homeschool Groups
Group Reservations for Youth (Scouts, 4-H, daycares)
Group Reservations for Adults
Historic Home Tours
Community Outreach
Frequently Asked Questions
Membership
Purchase or Renew
Membership
Member Benefits
Frequently Asked Questions
About Us
About Us
President’s Message
Annual Reports
Board of Directors
Rental Facilities
Saint Pope John Paul II Visit
Online Collections Database
Employment
Contact Us
Visit
Plan Your Visit
Visitor FAQ
About the Farms
Accessibility
Photo Policy
Purchase Tickets
Events & Programs
Upcoming Events
Day Camp
Historic Dinners & Teas
Historic Skills Classes
Barnyard Readers
Book Clubs
Flynn Mansion Mysteries
Schools & Groups
K-12 Schools
Homeschool Groups
Group Reservations for Youth (Scouts, 4-H, daycares)
Group Reservations for Adults
Historic Home Tours
Community Outreach
Frequently Asked Questions
Membership
Purchase or Renew
Membership
Member Benefits
Frequently Asked Questions
About Us
About Us
President’s Message
Annual Reports
Board of Directors
Rental Facilities
Saint Pope John Paul II Visit
Online Collections Database
Employment
Contact Us
volunteer
donate
FREE Folk Art Fair
DETAILS
April 30
Season opens!
DETAILS
June through August
Summer Day Camp
REGISTER
America 250
Events Celebrating the Semiquincentennial
CALENDAR
Visit
Living History Farms is an interactive outdoor history museum, which educates and connects all peoples to the many stories of Midwestern rural heritage.
Plan your visit
Educators
Living History Farms is proud to offer a dedicated education department and award-winning programs for K-12 schools and homeschooling families.
Learn More
Events & Programs
From family events, to harvest celebrations and Day Camps, your whole family will look forward to attending special events & programs at Living History Farms.
Pick an event
Membership
Come experience your favorites again and again, and get the best value for your money, with a membership to Living History Farms.
Membership levels
Volunteer
Donate
Experience
300 YEARS OF HISTORY
Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa, tells the amazing story of how Iowans transformed the fertile prairies of the Midwest into the most productive farmland in the world. While at the 500-acre open-air museum, visitors travel at their own pace through historical time periods spanning 300 years. On-site interpreters provide a unique learning environment of seasonal activities and demonstrations.
Living History Farms is such a unique opportunity to experience life outside of our time period. Thank you for providing such wonderful experiences!
1700
1850
1876
1900
1700
IOWAY INDIAN FARM
The farming techniques practiced by the Ioway Indians in 1700 pre-dated written history and varied somewhat from European methods. Ioway farmers raised corn, beans and squash.
View Farm
1850
Pioneer Farm
On a mid-summer visit to the 1850 Pioneer Farm, the farm staff might be in the fields cultivating corn and potatoes, or harvesting wheat, the three main crops on the Iowa frontier.
View Farm
1876
Town of Walnut Hill
The 1876 town of Walnut Hill re-creates a bustling frontier community with craftsmen and merchants in several shops, businesses and homes along the town's main street. Near the town, visitors will find a country schoolhouse, as well as an upperclass Victorian home and adjoining barn.
View Town
1900
Horse-Powered Farm
In fields at the 1900 Horse-Powered Farm, Percheron draft horses pull a variety of machinery to plant, cultivate, and harvest the farm's three main crops of corn, oats, and hay. There are also vegetable gardens to be tended and household chores to be done.
View Farm
Sign Up For Our
NEWSLETTER
Facebook Icon:
Twitter Icon:
Instagram Icon:
Youtube Icon:
Accolades
Visitor Code of Conduct
Employment
Internships
Sitemap
Privacy Policy
11121 HICKMAN, URBANDALE • 515-278-5286
— THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 PREMIER PARTNERS —
Official Modern Agricultural Equipment Partner
Mary and Dale Andringa
Bayer Crop Science
Cole-Belin Education Foundation
Coons Foundation
Corteva Agriscience
EMC Insurance
Jim Cownie Family Foundation
Fred Maytag Family Foundation
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Iowa Machine Shed
Lienemann Charitable Foundation, Inc.
Kemin Industries
MidAmerican Energy Company
Nelson Foundation
Polk County
Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust
R.W. and Mary Nelson
Prairie Meadows
Todd and Connie Rueter
Charles and Kathy Safris
Stephen Smith
Sukup Manufacturing Co.
City of Urbandale
Vermeer Charitable Foundation
Copyright © 2026 Living History Farms. All Rights Reserved.
Des Moines Web Design
by Webspec Design
Print this page
Yotube