Walk in Their Boots: A Weekend of World War II Living History
Updated: 3 days ago
Walk in Their Boots: A Weekend of World War II Living History
History will come alive at the Museum of Butler on October 9–10 as we explore the sacrifices, service, and determination that shaped American life during World War II.
The weekend begins with a special Education Day for students on Friday and concludes Saturday with Life on the Home Front, the final program of our 2026 Living History Saturday season.
Education Day: Friday, October 9
Walk in Their Boots: World War II and the Town That Wouldn’t Drown invites students in grades 5–12 to experience history beyond the pages of a textbook.
Public and private school groups are invited to attend the morning session from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Homeschool students and families are invited to the afternoon session from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m.
Students will rotate through living-history stations featuring period clothing, equipment, artifacts, demonstrations, and first-person interpretation. They will learn about military service as well as the vital work performed by families and volunteers on the American home front.
Education Day also includes a guided tour of the Museum of Butler, where the national story of World War II becomes part of our own local story.
While Butler-area men and women were serving their country, construction was underway on Watauga Dam. Families were displaced, homes and businesses were moved or dismantled, and the original town of Butler gradually disappeared beneath the rising waters of Watauga Lake. Some servicemembers returned from the war to discover that their hometown was no longer where they had left it.
This powerful connection gives students an opportunity to consider how world events affected ordinary people—and how one Appalachian community faced extraordinary change with courage and resilience.
Advance registration is required for Education Day. Students may bring a bag lunch, and picnic and covered eating areas are available on the Museum grounds.
REGISTER YOUR GROUP HERE! Free admission to the Museum for this day for students, educators and chaperones.
Life on the Home Front: Saturday, October 10
On Saturday, the experience opens to the public for Life on the Home Front: A 1940s Living History Event, from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Visitors will step into the 1940s and discover how Americans contributed to the war effort from their homes, schools, farms, factories, and communities.
Displays and demonstrations will explore:
Scrap drives
Civilian defense
Victory Gardens
The Aircraft Warning Service
Victory Book Campaigns
Women factory workers
War bond drives
Military equipment and displays
Communications, photography, and everyday life during the war
Living historians in period clothing will help visitors connect with the people behind the history. Guests can examine equipment and artifacts, ask questions, tour the Museum’s exhibits, and learn how national events shaped life in Butler and the Watauga Valley.
This will be the final Living History Saturday program of our 2026 season, making it a wonderful opportunity for families, history enthusiasts, veterans, educators, and community members to spend a day discovering our shared past.
Plan Your Visit
Museum of Butler 123 Selma Curtis RoadButler, Tennessee
Friday, October 9, 2026 Education DaySchools: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Homeschool students and families: 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 10, 2026 Life on the Home Front11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Regular Museum admission is $5 per person, with children under 12 admitted free.
Parking is free.
For Education Day registration and additional event information, call 803-524-5671.
Come walk in their boots, hear their stories, and discover how the people of Butler helped meet the challenges of wartime while their own community was being forever transformed.
This project is funded under an agreement with the State of Tennessee administered by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.
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