we went to log cabin village

Log Cabin Village sits in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Fort Worth is a very quiet corner filled with quiet paths, tall trees, bright flowers and log cabins where kids can run freely and play with history. There are 11 cabins dating back as early as 1840 scattered along the paved walking trail.   Six are family homes and there is a smokehouse, school, blacksmith, gristmill and herb garden. Log Cabin Village 2100 Log Cabin Village Lane, Ft Worth, Texas 76109 which is just off University very close to the Ft Worth Zoo. The hours are Tues-Fri, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Sat & Sun, 1 p.m.- 5 p.m. and they are closed on Mondays.   Admission is less than $5 per person and kids under 4 are free. We have been to Log Cabin Village several times and it is always a treat.   Last Wednesday, Rhett(4) and I had an hour and 1/2 of free time in Ft. Worth and we decided to go have an adventure.   Admission for the two of us was $9.50 and we had the whole place to ourselves.

We started at the Tompkins Cabin and made our way over to the Shaw Gristmill where this water wheel spins.   Inside we could see how it would help grind corn.   Often there is someone inside who gives a mini-corn lesson including sending the kids home with colorful corn to plant for themselves at home.

The cabin sits at the end of the path where we found one of Log Cabin Village’s resident cats.   Rhett chased the cat around for awhile.   Both seemed to understand it was a big game.

We headed over to the herb garden which has a maze of stepping stone paths.   I sat in the shade on one of the benches while Rhett explored the entire garden and mapped the trails in his head.   After awhile, I couldn’t help joining in on the adventure and pulling out my camera to take some pictures of the flowers…

We then went over the bridge to the other side of the village.   I think I take this picture EVERY time we come with a different boy running over the bridge…

At this end there is the Marine School which was built in 1872 and originally was the only school on Ft. Worth’s North side.   We were lucky to find it empty because Log Cabin Village runs a very popular Pioneer School program where area classes spend an 1880s school day.

Inside the Marine School are rows and rows of benches, “blackboards” painted on the wall, a big stove in the middle for warmth and the incredible feeling that you have stepped back in time.   It is very Little-House-on-the-Prairie-ish.

Continuing down the path, we move into a more interactive play area.   Rhett found this triangle dinner bell and rang it.   No one seemed to mind…even the cat who had meandered over to join us again.

Inside the Pickard Cabin are several pioneer children games and toys.   There are things to dress up in and things to play with.   Rhett remembered the chicken coup and ran over to gather some eggs.

It was really cute because the pioneer man who was supervising Pickard Cabin teased Rhett saying that he needed to be careful he didn’t get pecked by the chickens.   Rhett was VERY tentative reaching his hand in under the faux chickens.   He kept jumping back and giggling.   A few minutes into being cautious he said, “Hey, how can these chickens peck me?   They aren’t REAL!”   He thought it was a really funny joke.

The other favorite spot at Log Cabin Village is the water pump.   The kids can pump and pump and pump until they are exhausted.   The water goes into the bucket, they dump the bucket and the magic starts all over again.   Rhett played until he was entirely soaked…which is half the fun.

I know it appears that Log Cabin Village is stuck in the 19th century, but they have a blog, a FB page and are one of my favorites on Twitter.   It is always fun to stop and talk social media in these surroundings.

It is a place that you will leave smiling.