Mingle with mountain men. Watch someone craft leather and
another person make a knife. Walk through a 1940s-era print shop.
Maybe even watch an old-fashioned western shootout.
Those are a few of the unusual predicaments available to the
public Saturday, when the San Benito County Historical Society
hosts an open house at the Historic Village to close out its
five-month season.
Mingle with mountain men. Watch someone craft leather and another person make a knife. Walk through a 1940s-era print shop. Maybe even watch an old-fashioned western shootout.
Those are a few of the unusual predicaments available to the public Saturday, when the San Benito County Historical Society hosts an open house at the Historic Village to close out its five-month season.
To continue promoting the history of the county, the organization will hold the event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the village located north of Bolado Park on Airline Highway.
While the last open house held May 31 drew “hundreds” of spectators, even more are expected for this weekend’s affair, according to Historical Society President Peter Sonne.
“We’ve got such a good positive response from May 31, we decided to hold one more event before the year’s end,” Sonne said. “We want to stay in the mind of the community over the winter.”
The Historic Village is a 4-acre museum of homes and other relics. The village, among other buildings, includes a one-room school house and the Sullivan House – the oldest wooden Hollister home built in 1868.
The Historic Village closes each October because that is when a temporary bridge over the Tres Pinos Creek is removed, blocking access to the site.
Plans are in the works to build a permanent bridge over the creek, work for which should begin within a year.
Saturday’s gathering will feature the 1840s-era mountain men group. Other highlights will include a patent medicine salesmen, quilting in the Sullivan House, a carpenter shop, a blacksmith shop and other attractions. Plus, there will be free hot dogs, popcorn and drinks, Sonne said, “while supplies last.”
“We’re trying to capitalize as much as we can on the large gathering of mountain men demonstrating life.”
For more information on the open house call the Historical Society at 635-0335.
