Huddleston Farmhouse

The Huddleston family lived along US 40 in Indiana, which was the National Road. John and Susannah Huddleston had eleven children, and they had to have a suitable home to house their family. The Huddleston’s would show hospitality by allowing tired travelers to stay overnight in both their home and barn. This gave the travelers a chance to rest their children, and their animals. The Huddleston’s did not charge anyone to stay at their home.

The Huddleston Farmhouse was refurbished for two years, and has been furnished with some of the items that actually belonged to the Huddleston’s. The museum is now open to the public and tours of the home are now given. These tours include a walk to the place where travelers actually cooked for themselves. Both the property and the home are still in great condition; this may be because they remained in the care of the family for around 100 years. After John Huddleston passed away, the ownership of the property went to his son, and then it went to his grandson. The Huddleston Farmhouse offers visitors a glimpse into the lives of the Huddleston’s as well as the many travelers that temporarily occupied the home. This museum is a National Road Heritage site, and offers a vivid idea of how travel across the country was during that time period, compared to how it is now.

According to Joe Frost, an employee at the Huddleston Farmhouse, the house is three stories with a main level, a kitchen, and a lower level. When tours are given, the tour guides usually lead the visitors through the main level, then through the kitchen, and then down to the lower level, which is where the main exhibit is located. There are no standard tours; you can call to schedule a visit. The Farmhouse is handicap and wheelchair accessible. There are no activities or programs for those with special needs, because this museum is just open for tours.