About Us


Our Mission

To interpret and keep alive the rich history of the dairy farms, families, related organizations, and businesses of Montgomery County.

Learn About Us

James & Macie King of King Farm

The Founding of the MOOseum and it's Organization

In the late 1960’s the James & Macie King Farm was sold to the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) with the understanding that it would become the centerpiece of a proposed regional park in an area of the county that was anticipating commercial and residential development.

About 40 years later, South Germantown Recreational Park became a reality, with the King Barn the only original farm building on the site preserved by the County. Through the efforts of the Farm’s family and friends of agriculture throughout the County a core group of organizers of the museum was developed.  In April, 2002, the Montgomery County Planning Board gave it’s unanimous approval for the MOOseum project. Once the site was defined and the original building restored, the Barn was made available by MNCPPC through a right of entry agreement. 

Federal 501-C(3) (non-profit) designation was received in June of 2003, and the MOOseum has been a Registered Charity in the State of Maryland since May 2004


How We Operate

The MOOseum is a volunteer-based organization, with no paid employees.


We are governed by a Board of Directors which meet monthly.
We have an Advisory Board comprised of individuals from the business, government, educational and farming communities. 

Funding for the MOOseum is provided through private donations and grants. We have established an Endowment Fund to support the future financial health of the organization.

The Montgomery County Department of Parks, the State of Maryland and the Montgomery County Council have all contributed to provide the necessary funding for making required safety and public access/assembly modifications to the building. Construction was completed and the MOOseum received it's "right of occupancy" permit on June 17, 2010.


How We Operate

Past board members of the King Barn Dairy MOOseum

What We Offer

Beautiful King Barn Dairy MOOseum

Our MOOseum is fun and educational!


The MOOseum Barn features:

  • Visitor's center with maps and brochures of the MOOseum and it's grounds
  • Display of collections of dairy-related artifacts & equipment directly related to production, processing and sale of milk and milk products 
  • Displays and demonstrations relating to dairy herds, milk, and milk products.
  • Research Room and Library with related videos, and home for related publications, the gathering of oral histories from area residents involved in dairying and related businesses
  • Educational programs for all ages, with emphasis on telling the story of milk production to the County’s children.
  • Special Events with live animals, story telling and demonstrations, such as milking, cream separation, butter, ice cream and cheese-making

Our History

In 1913 James and Macie King purchased a 350 acre farm in between Germantown and Boyds, Maryland from the Lyddane family, and moved in shortly after their marriage. Over time, as their family grew, the farm flourished as part of the dairy boom that brought wealth to Montgomery County in the Twentieth Century.

The majority of buildings that were part of the original farm were lost in a disastrous fire in 1926. It consumed the farm-site, including an 18th century wood-frame pegged bank barn, a 19th century farmhouse, and three tenant houses.  In all, thirteen buildings were destroyed.  Rebuilding began almost immediately, with James and Macie building a modern four-square home, followed by a bank barn and added other outbuildings. Finally, in 1930, a cement block, 72 stanchion dairy barn, considered "state of the art" in its day, was constructed.  Following the death of James King in 1958, Mrs. King and her son briefly managed the farm before finally selling it in 1962.

 

The farm was eventually purchased by Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The land and farmstead were by that time part of a larger parcel being set aside as green space on the edge of the County’s new Agricultural Reserve. In 1999, with the encouragement and financial assistance of corporate and individual supporters of youth soccer programs, the land was finally developed by the Montgomery County Department of Parks into the South Germantown Recreational Park and Maryland Soccerplex.

The farm buildings had deteriorated over the years. The house and other buildings were in disrepair and slated for demolition. The large dairy barn, although damaged, was solidly built and through citizen efforts it was preserved as a meaningful landmark reminding visitors to the park of the area’s dairy heritage. The exterior restoration, which included the construction of new replicas of the original silos, was completed and the official "Topping Off" ceremony was held in January 2001 as the new concrete silo covers were lifted into place by a huge crane.
 

In late June of 2010 the first visitors were invited into the Barn.  On October 23, 2010 the MOOseum celebrated it's opening season with an Official Ribbon Cutting Celebration.


Our Collection

The MOOseum Collection consists of dairy farm related items - those used in the fields, barns, dairy and home, as well as items used by related businesses: milk delivery drivers, creameries, feed merchants, and veterinarians, including a large group of "cow" collectibles that delight visitors of all ages.


We are seeking additions to our main collection - milk bottles, cans and related equipment from local farms and creameries, ribbons & related awards won by local dairy herds and herdsmen, and other similar materials.


Please contact the MOOseum if you have an item you would like to donate to our collection.

Farm Families

Dairy Map, Oral Stories & Photographs

MOOMap - In the mid-20th Century peak years for dairying in Montgomery, there were over 500 commercial dairy farms in operation. The MOOseum has created a map locating and naming these farms, thereby creating a timeline for all our dairy farms - including specific years in operation and owner/operator names. 


Oral Stories
 continue to be compiled of dairy farm families, including related organizations and businesses.  If you have a story to share, send us your story!  Although we primarily are collecting the stories of Montgomery County farms, we would be delighted to receive and archive any farm stories that relate to dairy farms in the Maryland-Virginia Milk Producing region.


Photographs are a gr
eat way to bring life to a story, and our collection is growing and enlivening both the map project and the dairy family histories of the County.

The Library

The MOOseum Research Library, located in the dairy building adjacent to the MOOseum Barn,  consists of a collection of books and other print and videographic media related specifically to the dairy industry.


Printed matter related to the project includes a collection of dairy textbooks, related specialty magazines, farm records, business records, equipment manuals and etc.


Both fiction and non-fiction titles are aimed at both the adult and youth market.  We have a wonderful collection of children’s picture books that we enjoy sharing with our visitors.


It is our goal to make the library available to students, teachers and researchers in the near future.

The MOOSeum Shop

Macie's Attic

Our gift shop, Macie's Attic,  is open to the public at the Barn on regular open-days.  We carry a range of  MOO-related gift items, books and related materials, some unique to the MOOseum.

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