JANET MORGAN | JANET . MORGAN @ MYHORRYNEWS . COM
A mosquito flutters past Monroe Githens ’ s face as he crops tobacco at the L . W . Paul Living History Farm in Conway on Tobacco Heritage Day .
The past comes alive at the L . W . Paul Living History Farm
When local businessman Larry Paul offered to finance an educational farm in Horry County , his goal was simple : teach the public about a forgotten way of life .
Paul ’ s vision , which is now the L . W . Paul Living History Farm , does just that , offering guided tours a variety of programming and a glimpse at how Horry farm families lived from 1900-1955 .
“ Horry County has a very unique and special demographic ,” said Walter Hill , director of the Horry County Museum . “ We have this really interesting community makeup of families that have been here prior to the Civil War and here prior to the [ American ] Revolution . We also have a makeup of families that have also been here for a few years because we are a retirement community , we are a growing community . It ’ s extremely important to us as a museum and cultural institution to help the people who are here preserve
JANET MORGAN | JANET . MORGAN @ MYHORRYNEWS . COM Pet pulls the drag as Tyler McCracken leads her to the barn to unload tobacco at the L . W . Paul Living History Farm near Conway .
what their past is about and share our past with the newcomers here .”
The farm hosts seasonally based special events throughout the year .
One day is dedicated to making cane syrup . Another focuses on tobacco farming .
Each January , the farm hosts
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Smokehouse Day , which includes demonstrations of carving and preparing pork , curing meat in the smokehouse , making lye soap and cooking on a wood-burning stove . During a cane syrup event , Hill was pleased to see families with their children and grandchildren at the farm .
“ We love that ,” Hill said . “ That is our success story when we see multiple generations come out . We see parents come out , or grandparents come out , and say ‘ I wanted my grandchildren to come and see that this is something we did when we were children . We quit doing it in the 60s or in the 40s but now you ’ re doing something that I ’ ve told them about and now they can experience it , too .’”
The farm is located at 2279 Harris Short Cut Road in Conway . For more details , call 843-915-5321 .
The farm ’ s website is www . horrycountymuseum . org .