L.W. Paul Living History Museum

Heirloom corn, all dried out to keep for the winter. Courtesy of the L. W. Paul Living History Museum

You can’t have a working farm without chopping some wood. Courtesy of the L. W. Paul Living History Museum

A smoke in the smokehouse makes use of that dried corn. Courtesy of the L. W. Paul Living History Museum

A recreated living space—complete with a sewing machine. Courtesy of the L. W. Paul Living History Museum

Courtesy of Visit Myrtle Beach

Tobacco leaves dry by hanging on the wall. Courtesy of the L. W. Paul Living History Museum

Courtesy of Visit Myrtle Beach

It’s all too easy, in our hyper-connected modern world, to cultivate some back-to-the-land fantasies: keeping horses, growing your own food, tucking yourself in at night inside a humble farmhouse, maybe getting really into esoteric flower varietals. If you’re the sort of person who wonders what living simply, the way people used to, would be like—or if you’re just a history buff—you’ll be wanting to visit the L.W. Paul Living History Museum in Conway, South Carolina, just a half hour’s drive outside of Myrtle Beach.

Located on the Horry County farm, as part of the Horry County Museum, this living history museum offers visitors a slice of what life was like for farmers in the region a hundred years ago. They keep farm animals like turkeys, pigs, and horses. A variety of outbuildings house traditional activities like blacksmithing; staff in traditional garb will be there to explain their work to you, whether that’s tanning leather or cooking traditional early-20th-century food in the kitchen. You can even check out the farmhouse itself, where a bedroom is made up how farmers would have done it at the time: a worn quilt on the bed, family photos on the night stand.

The farm makes a great trip for families, as kids can roam easily and enjoy visiting animals, while parents can brush up on their historical knowledge. The museum also includes a general store, where you can pick up things like jam and honey, and produce grown on the farm.

Know Before You Go

Admission is free. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and the farm is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The main entrance and parking lot are wheelchair accessible.