Tours of the Museums at Penope Farms

Washington County Historical Society is pleased to be hosting our third open house at The Museums at Penope Farms located at 56 Scotch Hill Road in the Town of Jackson. This is a pop-up program that wasn’t on our original schedule. There was so much interest after last years event at the farm that we decided to do it again. The museums will be open to the public on Sunday afternoon, August 14, 2022 from 1 – 4 p.m. Owner, Dick McGuire would  like to invite the public to tour his museums on the hill. Bring a picnic lunch and a chair to sit on and enjoy the amazing view of the Route 22 valley below.

The museums have expanded over the years and there are now 12 theme museums. They include: a library and music museum, Post Office, antique tools, large and small (2 museums) , household utensils, a collection of artwork by the older sister of McGuire’s father, Jennie Mae McGuire Bennett (an early 1900s artist), a dairy museum, a chainsaw museum, and a museum of Dick’s personal mementos.

Dick enjoys having visitors at his museums and recently shared the history of how the museums came to be. In the 1970s, his father and three other retired farmers began to collect old farm equipment so that future generations would see tools from when horses were still used to plow the fields of Washington County. These men started the Washington County Farm Museum at the fairgrounds in Easton.

Dick, himself, merged four small farms to create Penope Farms. Stored in the barns were plenty of antique tools and equipment so he decided to start his own museum right on his farm.

It started with 4 rooms in two barns about 1978. Over the years, individuals have given him items, some were purchased at auctions and sales greatly expanding his collection. He added new buildings, the most recent in 2019 which houses his personal mementos.

The main farm containing 3 museums was built in 1790. Meander leisurely back into yesteryear. The museums feature hundreds of items from 1800 to the early tractors of the 1930s and 40s There is something of interest for all ages from equipment for working the land with horses to classic automobiles of the 1920s and 30s.

This event is free  and open to the public. Donations are gratefully accepted. The event will be held rain or shine. If you have never been there, come and bring the kids or grandkids. It is a great way to spend an afternoon. Please join us!