In honor of America’s 250th birthday, Exchange Place will be open to the public on two extra occasions in 2026 for a special event called Open Doors!. Hosted by the Eden’s Ridge Hearth Cookery Society and Exchange Place Junior Apprentices, Open Doors! will feature living history demonstrations, such as open-hearth cooking, blacksmithing, spinning and weaving, old-fashioned games, and old-time music. Guests can explore the farm and learn about life on Eden’s Ridge in the mid 19th century.
We’ll be giving a special nod to our ancestors from the Revolutionary War era too: Find out what George Washington ate for breakfast and how folks in the mid 19th century celebrated our first president with food; hear about Daniel Boone’s exploits on the Exchange Place property; see a squirrel cooker–a handy device for a frontiersman like Daniel Boone–being made on the forge; watch as wool from Exchange Place sheep is spun on a great wheel and try your hand at spinning on a drop spindle; dance the Virginia Reel, and more!
Open Doors! will be held on May 9 and November 7, 2026. All activities will take place on the farmstead side (north side) of Orebank Road. Admission is the same as for regular festivals: $5 for guests 12 years old and over. (Guests under 12 will be admitted free.) Proceeds support youth education and the upkeep of the Exchange Place site. No food or drink will be provided, so guests are encouraged to bring snacks and water bottles.
The event is subject to cancellation because of weather or unforeseen circumstances. Cancellations will be posted on the Exchange Place website and social media.
We hope you can join us on these dates as we open the doors to our buildings and open doors to the past!
A special “thank you” to Sharon Fox for sponsoring this event!
