ABSTRACT
This chapter examines an approach that might be used in determining the mechanical equipment appropriate to a site and in selecting and preparing equipment for living history demonstration purposes or for other interpretive uses. Artifacts used for interpretive purposes in a living history context must often stand outdoors for substantial periods of time. Those that are kept outdoors continuously will suffer from exposure to the weather and will require special care. The mechanization of farming, beginning in the 19th century, is a crucial part of the story of living history sites and historic farms. However, the collection of machinery for either display or active use at a historic site should not be a haphazard venture. Tom Brown and George Nicholson drew upon their years of experience in the field to outline a methodology for developing a farm machinery collection that can help complete a site's story.
