What started in the 1970s — with a dedicated group of Volusia County schoolteachers and a dream — persists nearly 50 years later as a way of keeping Florida folk traditions alive.
The Barberville Pioneer Settlement, situated at the intersections of State Road 40 and U.S. 17 (40 minutes west of Daytona Beach), comprises 24 buildings, many of which have been moved from nearby communities as a way of preserving history.
“Some of them were in danger of being destroyed and bulldozed. Wherever we were able to afford it, we tried to save historically significant buildings and bring them here onto the property,” said Gudrun Benson, the organization’s associate director. “It’s from post-Civil War until the early 1920s, that 50-to-60-year time period is our focal point.”
Established in 1976, the nonprofit organization welcomes an estimated 10,000-11,000 schoolchildren a year for field trips and hopes to preserve arts and crafts that otherwise could be lost to the pages of history.
“Our most popular program for the schools is our pioneer program, where we show the kids weaving, spinning, woodworking and candle making. They visit our log cabin,” Benson said. “It’s paramount that we have a hands-on activity in each station for the children. You can talk to them all day, and they won’t remember a word, but if you give them something to do, that sticks with them.”
During the first weekend of November, Barberville Pioneer Settlement celebrated its 47th annual Fall Country Jamboree. The village came alive with blacksmiths, living history demonstrations, folk music, storytelling, cowboys, contra dancing and more. It will be similarly bustling during upcoming events, including “A Florida Christmas Remembered” on Dec. 9, monthly playing on the porches with musicians and a “Spring Frolic” in April.
But even casual visitors can stroll around the 30-acre grounds on a self-guided tour and get a sense of what Floridian life was like 100 years ago.
“When folks walk into the log cabin, people look around and say, ‘I could live here.’ Then we point out, ‘You don’t have running water, no indoor plumbing, no electricity or AC. You have to drive your horse and buggy 5-7 miles into town to get to a store, and it will take you all day,” Benson said. “Those folks were hearty people who moved into Florida and eked out a living here in the scrub forest and the swamp and whatever else they encountered.”
Some of the settlement’s focal points include the 1919 Central School of Barberville building, which sits in its original location, the Pierson Railroad Depot (circa 1885), the turpentine still (circa 1924), the Huntington Post Office (circa 1885), the relay cabin (circa 1880), the Midway United Methodist Church (circa 1890) and the Underhill House, which was built in 1879 and is the oldest surviving brick house in Volusia County.
Although preserving history proves to be an uphill battle, the dedicated staff and volunteers hope the settlement remains for decades to come.
“After almost 50 years, what we see now is young families coming in and bringing their small children. The parents came here as school children on field trips, and they wanted their children to see the place,” Benson said. “To me, that’s one of the most rewarding aspects you can have for an organization like ours. We made an impact big enough for them to remember and want to bring their children out here.”
If you go
The Barberville Pioneer Settlement is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday at 1776 Lightfoot Lane in Barberville. General admission is $10 for adults and $4 for children ages 6-12, with discounts available for families, seniors and groups. Docent-guided tours are available with a minimum of 5 people. Only service animals are allowed. To learn more, visit pioneersettlement.org.
Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.
