Historic Oak View County Park offers programs covering history, nature and recreational topics. Public programs are open for registration to the general public.
Register for a Public Program
Her Legacy Among the Oaks: The Women of Oak View's Past - Saturday, October 10 at 11 a.m.
Join us on Saturday, October 10 at 11 a.m. at Historic Oak View for a walking tour centered around six women of Oak View’s past. Throughout the tour, discover the life stories of these women – enslaved and free, landowners, and landless – who lived, labored, and built community at Oak View for 150 years. You'll also learn the many ways, both big and small, that each woman's story connects to the much larger story of North Carolina today. While free and open to all ages, we recommend this tour for upper elementary and up. Registration is required for all participants.
Walk-up registration will be available day-of, pending open spots. We will run the program rain or shine, so please come prepared with weather-appropriate clothing. This tour will take place primarily outdoors and in non-climate-controlled historic buildings, and will include standing and walking between buildings on paved brick paths.
Storytime at Oak View: A Little Chicken - Wednesday, Oct 21 and Saturday, Oct 24 at 10:30 a.m.
Join us for storytime at Historic Oak View on October 21 and October 24 at 10:30 a.m.! Listen to the story A Little Chicken by Tammi Sauer and learn about a little chicken who makes a brave choice. Afterwards, we'll visit the chicken coop and talk about brave choices made by the people who lived at Oak View. The program will conclude with a chicken-themed craft. Free and open to all ages, recommended for ages 3-9. Registration is required for all participating children and they must have a supervising adult.
The program will take place indoors in a climate-controlled historic building and includes a trip outdoors to the park's chicken coop. This will require standing and walking between buildings on paved brick paths and grass.
Become a Junior Park Explorer
Do you like to explore parks and preserves? Do you like winning prizes? Our Junior Park Explorers program is for you! Learn more about the program here.
Take a Self-Guided Mobile Tour
Check out the Oak View Mobile Tour and learn about the history of the farmland and historic structures, as well as the lives of the people who lived and worked at Oak View throughout its history.
Haga el recorrido móvil de Oak View y conozca la historia de las tierras de cultivo y las estructuras históricas, así como la vida de las personas que vivieron y trabajaron en Oak View a lo largo de su historia.
Go on a StoryWalk®
August StoryWalk®: Ellen's Broom
From Aug. 1–31, Oak View's brick walkways will feature the children's book "Ellen's Broom," written by Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrated by Daniel Minter.
A young girl learns a new meaning for freedom during the time of Reconstruction.
September StoryWalk®: Dreamers
From Sept. 1–30, Oak View's brick walkways will feature the children's book "Dreamers," written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales.
We are resilience. We are hope. We are dreamers.
Dreamers is a celebration of making your home with the things you always carry: your resilience, your dreams, your hopes and history. It's the story of finding your way in a new place, of navigating an unfamiliar world and finding the best parts of it. In dark times, it's a promise that you can make better tomorrows.
StoryWalk® Social Narrative
StoryWalk® at Oak View is free, requires no advance registration and is open during the park's normal hours of operation. Check out our StoryWalk® Social Narrative to download and print before going to the park.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
More Self-Guided Activities
Historic Oak View County Park also offers several activities for small groups or families, which can be checked out at the front desk in the Farm History Center (our visitors' center). Ask any staff member about how to check out one of these fun activities!
The Oak View Scavenger Hunt is a great self-guided activity for kids. Stop by the Farm History Center to pick up a scavenger hunt and then learn all about Oak View while searching for answers to the clues.
The Adventure Backpack Series are individual backpacks full of fun, self-guided programs on different topics related to Oak View. Check one out by stopping by the Farm History Center during regular business hours. Choose from the following offerings:
Preschool:
- Goat In My Boat – Arlo the Goat goes on adventure in a boat, but what happens when he gets some big feelings and can't stop rocking the boat? This delightful story with accompanying activities teaches children practical and age-appropriate strategies to deal with big feelings.
- Barnyard Friends – A preschool-friendly adventure that teaches children about animals and life on the farm through games, play and exploration.
Elementary:
- All About Bugs – Visit the buildings and gardens around the park and complete hands-on activities that teach you about insects and their friends, and how they help out on the farm!
- Watching the Weather – Learn about weather tools and instruments, create your own weather forecast, and even play with a "pet" tornado! This backpack is a great way introduce kids to the elements that make up the weather.
- From Field to Fiber: The Story of Cotton – Learn all about the history of cotton through hands-on activities such as feeling real cotton straight from the cotton field, turning cotton sliver into thread, and learning about different figures important to the history of cotton.
- Kid Curator – Discover what makes a museum (like Oak View) a museum, and who decides what to exhibit and how. The backpack includes lots of activities to learn how to be a curator, along with a workbook that you keep at the end of your activity!
Everyone's Welcome
Historic Oak View County Park welcomes all visitors and affirms its commitment to offering programs and services that are accessible to everyone. We will make every effort to ensure that visitors of all abilities are fully included in all our programs and facilities. Check back regularly to see what new opportunities become available!
For questions about our accessibility resources or how we may best meet your needs in any of our programs, please contact Susan Horton, assistant park manager of education, at 919-212-7695 or susan.horton@wake.gov.