ULSTER-AMERICAN FOLK PARK
Omagh, County Tyrone

This is one of the best open air museums of its kind in Ireland. This was the original home of Judge Thomas Mellon (1813-1908), founder of the Pittsburgh banking dynasty.

The Park's permanent display, called "Emigrants", examines why over two million people left Ulster for America during the 18th and 19th centuries. This exhibit goes one step further because several emigrants were researched to find out what happened to them once they arrived in America. Stories are told of both fortune and failure.

The Park has more than 30 historic buildings, some of them original. There are settlers homesteads, including that of John Joseph Hughes, the first Catholic archbishop of New York.

Also churches, a schoolhouse and forge are open to the public. Each building has costumed staff to answer your questions.

Added features of this park include an Ulster streetscape, a reconstruction emigrant ship and a Pennsylvanian farmstead, complete with log barn, corn crib and smokehouse. This six room farmhouse is based on the actual one built by Thomas Mellon and his father on arrival in America.

There is a fully stocked library in the Park and database for visitors to search through for long lost relatives who could have sailed through Ulster for America.

Some of the most popular events for American visitors are popular American celebrations that are hosted on the site, such as Independence Day and Halloween. As well, there is a festival in September that features Appalachian-Bluegrass music.

~ Pay attraction
~ Parking available
~ Moderately Accessible - buildings have stairs, many unpaved paths, site built on sloping hillside

http://www.folkpark.com