The Bulltown Interpretive Center and Museum

The museum includes a timeline that depicts the history of Bulltown and surrounding areas during the Civil War. There is also a map of the battlefield that includes trails that are available for visitors to explore and twelve historic sites including the Cunningham House, a home that was built before the Civil War and was used to house wounded Union and Confederate troops. The museum map also points out the location of the Bulltown Covered Bridge, and the place where unknown Confederate soldiers were buried. The museum also includes a variety of artifacts on display including fossils, fur pelts, and artifacts from area Native American tribes.

The museum also includes an exhibit of items from the Cunningham House such as a family bible dating back to 1865, rosary beads, baby shoes, a cigarette roller, pocket notebook, coin purse, medicine bottle among many other interesting items. The Cunningham farm was operated family members from the antebellum period to the early 1980s. There is also a display of Civil War artifacts discovered through archaeological work including pistol balls, minie balls, and brass buttons. The majority of the artifacts are from the Civil War; however, the museum also inlcudes artifacts from American Indian tribes.

The museum is also home to a cannon that was used during the Civil War. Located on the wall near the cannon are detailed descriptions of the types of cannons used, the range and distance each type of cannon, and information about how the cannons were transported. The glass case displays also show the type of ammunition that was fired from the cannons. Directly beside the cannon sits a salt box that was made in 1807 and used to preserve meat. Prior to this time, Native Americans made salt from nearby salt springs and traded with the settlers. By the 1820s, settlers of European descent had displaced most of the Native Americans and the area became home to mills and gristmills. A model mill is on display at the museum along with information about the creation of saltworks area in the 1830s and a tannery starting in the 1850s. Several pelts of fur are on display in a glass case to reflect the history of the tannery.

The Civil War memorabilia is the leading highlight of the museum, and visitors can see Union and Confederate uniforms in addition to weapons and other items used by soldiers. Tour guides provide interpretation about the uniforms and the numerous rifles and swords that are on display along with saddles and tack. There are also displays that share the history of how people lived and the tools they used during the 19th century along with artifacts such as a spinning wheel, sewing machine, and farming implements. There are also personal items including hat boxes, purses, gloves, hair pins which help depict a picture of what life would be like during that time period.

Howe, Barbara J.. Bulltown, October 15th 2012. Accessed October 6th 2019. https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/709.

Cook, Roy Bird. Battle of Bulltown, Accessed October 6th 2019. http://www.wvculture.org/history/civilwar/bulltown02.html.

US Army Corps of Engineers Burnsville Lake, Accessed October 6th 2019. https://corpslakes.erdc.dren.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?ID=H102270.