New director takes the helm at Hale Farm & Village

by Wendy Turrell

Hale Farm & Village’s new Director, Travis Henline, has a rich background in public history and museum management and a self-described passion for living history interpretation.

A native of West Virginia, Henline was most recently the museum project manager for the Wheeling Heritage Center and Museum, according to information from the Western Reserve Historical Society, Hale Farm’s parent organization. Henline is also an adjunct instructor at West Liberty University, where he teaches world civilization and Appalachian regional history. He previously taught Native American studies at West Virginia University.

Henline said the Hale Farm & Village directorship attracted him because, “HFV is a well-established living history museum with lots of support from the community. It also has great potential to grow, expanding its programming offerings, potentially relocating additional historic buildings, and expanding its impact in the region culturally and economically.”

While admiring Hale Farm’s current programs, Henline said he wants to review them and brainstorm new directions for innovative programming.

“We will be looking at ways to incorporate the Native American and African-American perspectives, along with others,” he said. “I believe in inclusive history, in the opportunity for all people and groups to have their stories told.”

In steering Hale Farm & Village in new directions, Henline also sees a potential for HFV to branch out into nature-based science programming.

Henline said he became “hooked” on public history programming during his first job in the National Park Service as an interpretive park ranger in Colonial Williamsburg. During his years there, Henline became the founding Coordinator of the American Indian Initiative and a program manager for the Capitol, Courthouse, Public Gaol [jail], and the Peyton Randolph House. He remarked of that time, “I really enjoyed creating programming for the world’s largest living history museum.”

Other places where Henline has served in living history interpretation and management include Prickett’s Fort State Park in West Virginia and the Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Pennsylvania.

Hale Farm & Village Director of Sales and Marketing, Catherine Sterle, described Henline’s unique qualifications: “Travis’ extensive experiences, along with a deep knowledge and passion for the inclusive study and interpretation of American history makes him an excellent fit for this position, and for WRHS.” ∞