Ulster American Folk Park

The Ulster American Folk Park takes you on a journey back in time, telling the story of the Ulster people who emigrated to North America during the 18th and 19th centuries. As you explore, you’ll learn about the lives they left behind, the hardships they faced on the Atlantic crossing, and the pioneering spirit that drove them to build new futures in a new land.

Visitor Centre

Upon arrival, check in with the team at the Visitor Centre to see what’s happening around the park that day. From there, begin your adventure by exploring the stories of the families and individuals who left Ulster in search of a better life.

Follow the emigration timeline, then step outside to continue the journey through the past. The Visitor Centre also includes a shop and a restaurant, perfect for picking up a souvenir or enjoying a bite to eat before or after your visit.

The Ulster American Folk Park also hosts a range of special themed weekends that bring history to life in unforgettable ways.
​Whether you’re celebrating St Patrick’s Day, visiting during Halloween, or joining one of the many seasonal events, these occasions add an extra layer of atmosphere and make the experience even more memorable.

Ulster:

Walk in the footsteps of bold migrants who set sail for America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Learn more about the life they left behind and the hardships they endured on the journey. Wander the well-trodden pathways of rural Ulster, complete with a bustling street and welcoming farmhouses. 

From the simple single room cabin to the weaver's cottage to the large Campbell's house, discover life as it was in Ulster. Talk to the people dressed in 18th and 19th century attire, taste some of the soda bread baked above one of the open fires or learn more about life in these cottages.

A visit to the Mellon Homestead is truly a step back in time. Thomas Mellon was born in this modest farmhouse in 1813, and remarkably, it still stands on its original site. Just five years later, in 1818, he emigrated with his parents to Pennsylvania, where he would eventually become a lawyer, a judge, and the founder of Mellon Bank — still one of America’s largest financial institutions.

​The homestead itself feels alive. Ducks and hens wander the yard, and the comforting smell of soda bread cooking on the griddle drifts through the air, recreating the atmosphere of rural 19th‑century Ulster with remarkable authenticity.

The Journey:

Say goodbye to the familiar sights and sounds of Ulster as you walk along the cobble-stoned streets lined with original 19th-Century shopfronts. Step into the stores and admire the shelves at Hill's chemist or the extensive range in Blair's printers. Stock up on provisions from Reilley's pub grocers.

Step onto the dockside and collect your ticket for the journey ahead. Then board the Brig Union, a full‑scale replica of the emigrant sailing ships that once carried countless passengers toward a new life in the United States. Inside, you can experience the cramped, dimly lit quarters where hundreds of people lived side by side during the gruelling twelve‑week Atlantic crossing. As you emerge from the ship, the story continues with exhibits that show how these determined emigrants built new lives in a new land through resilience, hard work, and hope.

The port of arrival gives you a taste what the first hours on the new continent were like. The street with its many American shopfronts was what greeted the emigrants on their arrival in cities such as Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York or Boston. Explore a general store with an original interior, a tinsmith’s exhibition, a wheelwright’s workshop and a replica of the first Mellon Bank.

America:

Like all of the buildings you will see from this point, most of the houses were constructed on land taken at some point from Indigenous Peoples.

An example of this is the Samuel Fulton Stone house. When Samuel arrived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from Donegal in 1724, the Conestogas, a community of Native people, were still living and trading nearby. Their lands were whittled down by colonists and in 1763 they were massacred by the Paxton Boys, a gang with mostly Ulster emigrant backgrounds, in revenge for unrelated raids on the frontier.

Walking through the America's keep an eye on the details. For example, the fields contain plants that would have been grown in America, from corn to tabacco to the many medicinal herbs.

​Another house you’ll encounter on your journey is the Tennessee Rogan Plantation House. The prosperity of Francis Rogan is evident in this impressive red‑brick home. However, Rogan’s wealth was built on the forced labour of enslaved people who worked his fields, growing wheat, tobacco, sweet potatoes, corn, and other crops.

​Historical records show that by 1860, Rogan was exploiting at least 71 enslaved people, making him one of the most prolific enslavers in the state of Tennessee at the time. The house stands today as a stark reminder of this difficult and painful chapter in American history.

A visit to the Ulster American Folk Park is a fantastic day out for all ages. By stepping back in time, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of life in Ulster and in America during the era of emigration. With plenty of picnic benches scattered throughout the grounds, it’s easy to enjoy a relaxed family picnic between exploring the exhibits. Just be sure to wear comfortable footwear — many of the paths are gravel, and you’ll be doing a fair bit of walking as you wander through history.

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