Exchange Place Living History Farm Museum

Exchange Place is operated by volunteers who work together to represent life on an East TN farm of the 1850s. We come from all walks of life -- engineers, educators, homemakers, businessmen and women -- to apply our unique skill sets to keep the farm operating as an educational tool to teach the public about our history and how it applies to today's times as well. These skills include gardening, livestock husbandry, maintenance, yard work, teaching, fencing, administration, historical restoration, historical demonstrations such as blacksmithing and hearthside cooking, museum research/displays, and other similar skills. Volunteers range in age from children to those who are nearly 90 years old. A husband/wife caretaker team lives on site in a house provided for them by Exchange Place. We have a coordinator and an assistant coordinator for the educational programs. We are governed by a Steering Committee of approximately 25 members. We operate as an independent site under the umbrella of the Netherland Inn / Exchange Place Association.

Exchange Place is a volunteer-run living history farm that seeks to preserve, protect, interpret, and manage the history, heritage, and artifacts of the Gaines and Preston families. Exchange Place is an educational facility that endeavors to demonstrate the resourcefulness of mid-19th century agrarian life. It is a viable, working farm that continues to maintain the heritage breeds of animals and heirloom plantings essential to life of this antebellum period. It is a regional attraction that offers tours, traditional period demonstrations, and other public events designed to increase community awareness and showcase heritage arts, crafts, and skills of the Appalachian region.