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| Overview |
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The American West Heritage Center incorporates 137 acres in Cache Valley, Utah, located 90 miles north of Salt Lake City. It is the home of the Jensen Living Historical Farm, the Festival of the American West and the Man and His Bread Museum Collection. The Center is currently implementing expansion plans.
When fully completed the Center will include interpretive areas that represent the major historical periods important in the development of the West. Sites for a Native American Village, Mountain Man Rendezvous Fort, Military Encampment, Cattle Ranch, Pioneer Settlement and Frontier Town will be added. Each area will combine historical re-enactors, craftsmen and musicians, to help each historical period come alive.
In addition, the Center will incorporate a 2,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, a Welcome/Hospitality Center and areas for food and entertainment. Each year you will see new sites develop and evolve as they are built. Come and watch us grow. |
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| Mission Statement |
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 The American West Heritage Center is dedicated to honoring, celebrating and re-creating the heritage and culture of the American West from the period of 1820 to 1920; presenting to the world an authentic "living history" experience that incorporates the history, folk life, music, arts, values and lifestyles of the Old West. |
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| The Jensen Historical Farm |
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 Open mid-May to mid-October, the Jensen Historical Farm offers visitors a nostalgic opportunity to explore a real working farm with horse-drawn equipment, set in the year 1917. You can participate in the daily routines of life on a Western farm. Try your hand at milking the cows, churning the butter, feeding the animals, shocking barley and stacking hay in the barn or just taking an enjoyable wagon ride around the farm. You can see threshing done with the 1911 steam-driven thresher, watch large draft horses work the fields, smell food cooking on a wood stove in the farm house, or join in a game of farm ball. The Jensen Living Historical Farm site includes a historic farmhouse, summer kitchen, barn, smokehouse, root cellar, blacksmith shed and an array of farm animals. |
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| The Festival of the American West |
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 An 8-day Event celebrating the heritage of the American West. Now in its 28th year, the Festival's purpose is to accurately re-create the experiences of the past to educate the public about the Old West and to provide a more realistic understanding and appreciation for it. In an effort to promote authenticity, attention is paid to the details of clothing, furniture, farming traditions and practices, food and product demonstrations. The Festival has twice been awarded the prestigious Heritage preservation Award by the Valley Forge Freedom Foundation, and chosen as one of the top 100 attractions in North America by the American Bus Association for four years.
The Festival incorporates several venues and events, including:
The West: American's Odyssey-Outdoor Pageant
The saga unfolds as the story of the settling of the American West is told with the striking Wellsville mountains as a backdrop. This spectacular outdoor pageant, features a taped narration by the late Jimmy Stewart and is supported by a cast of 100 talented singers and dancers. With horse-drawn wagons, life size locomotives, and an exciting finale complete with fireworks, you'll want to make this incredible performance a part of your evening. This historical pageant is presented in a natural outdoor amphitheater, so bring your blankets or lawn chairs. (July 31-August 7-except Sunday-gates open at 8pm/begins at 8:30pm)
The Great West Fair
The Great West Fair, a gathering of historic re-enactors, folk life craftspeople, entertainers and food vendors who demonstrate life skills of the Old West. The Fair features a Native American Village, a mountain man rendezvous, a military encampment, a cowboy camp, a pioneer settlement, heritage craft demonstrators, cowboy shoot-out, medicine show, western entertainment and lots of great food.(July 30-August 7, except Sunday - open 11am - 9pm)
The American West Cowboy Poetry Gathering
Cowboy poetry is not a bunch of ranch hands sitting around a campfire quoting Tennyson and Shakespeare; it's cowboys reciting in often humorous ways their ranching experiences. Each year The Festival of the American West invites 20 nationally recognized cowboy poets and musicians from the Western United States to swap tales about what life is like on the open range.This is a true folk experience not to be missed. (July 30-31, from 10am - 8pm - The concert is packed with cowboy poets and musicians, featuring Baxter Black, Don Edwards, and Waddie Mitchell, on July 30 at 8pm)
World Championship Dutch Oven Cookoff
 Gather 'round for the World Championship Dutch Oven Cookoff as teams from across the nation compete to create delicious Dutch oven meals. Don't expect to see pots full of cowboy stew; these Dutch oven experts cook up such exotic dishes as triple white chocolate cake, rosemary potato rolls and stuffed veal. You'll be amazed at the variety and quality of the meals they can cook up in the frontier's favorite cooking container. After the judging is completed, visitors can sample many of the delectable dishes. (August 7, cooking kicks off at 10am)
The American Heritage Quilt Show
Women played a vital role in Western history. Their legacy of handwork, creativity, and ability continues with The American West Heritage Quilt Show where you'll see some of the most beautiful and intricate quilts and samplers ever tacked to a quilting frame. The quilt show will be exhibited in the historic Wellsville Tabernacle located at 75 South 100 East in Wellsville, Utah. (July 30 - August 7, except Sunday - 11am - 8pm)
The American West Art Show
Cowboy Hall of Fame artist Joe Beeler, plus several noted Utah artists, will exhibit their art during this 8-day Western art show. See the people and land of the West beautifully interpreted through the eyes of artists. Art works will be exhibited in the Livery Stable at The Great West Fair. (July 30-August 7, except Sunday - 10am - 9pm)
Vittles
The Festival of the American West offers visitors a fun variety of delicious foods reminiscent of the Old West. Our Navajo tacos, Southwestern fajitas, curly fries, blooming onions, turkey drumsticks, buffalo burgers, corn on the cob, fruited lemonade, and nightly Bucakaroo Barbecue add to your enjoyment. |
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