Did Mr. Preston need all these animals
to be self-sufficient? Absolutely!! Food,
shelter, clothing - all the animals
provided their part.

1850 Period Animals at Exchange Place Historic Farm

Did Mr. Preston really have Tunis Sheep, Milking Shorthorn Cattle, Suffolk Horses, Poland China Pigs, and Dominique Chickens? Good question!

The choice of animals representing those Mr. Preston owned in 1850 was based on the breeds known to be in existence at that time. They were the most often featured in farm journals, letters, diaries, and ledgers of the period in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Western North Carolina. These were the areas from which the early settlers migrated. The only animals listed for breed in the Preston's comprehensive ledger were Durham Cattle.

Dominique and Leghorn Chickens
The Dominique (pronounced Domi-necker) Chickens were developed from fowl found in the very early settlement of New England. A very hardy breed, this black and white chicken was widely distributed in the Eastern half of the United States by the mid 19th century.
The Brown and White Leghorn (pronounced Leg-gern) were imported regularly and early in the 19th century from the city of Leghorn in Italy. They are a very stylish, active chicken and exceedingly hardy.

Suffolk Draft Horses
Suffolk horses were prized for their durability and slower speed while pulling implements the farmer walked behind. The harness design depends on the implement being pulled. The collar is a piece common to all harnesses to distribute the pressure of pulling.

Belgian Draft Horses
Belgian horses have a faster gait than Suffolk horses and were chosen to carry wagon loads of grain to town, for example. All draft horses are very strong, having wide bodies and large hooves.

Riding or Buggy Horse
All transportation to and from Exchange Place, if not on foot, was by horse travel of some sort. ALL 19th century vocabulary relating to travel referred to horses and the problems of getting stuck in the mud or crossing a flooded river.

Poland China Pigs
Poland China pigs are "fat pigs" or lard pigs. Not only do they "slop up everything," they very efficiently convert what is eaten to weight gain. They also lie around most of the time waiting to be fed - not the best foragers.

"Exchanges" still take place today at the country store. Instead of exchanging currency, crafts made by local artisans may be purchased.

Exchange Place is open for tours
May through October and by special arrangement for hosting events.


For more information to join, contact:
Exchange Place
4812 Orebank Road
Kingsport, Tennessee 37664
423-288-6071

Step Into the 1850s.