Village At Barren Creek Springs

The Westside Historical Society preserves the history of the Mardela Springs area through its Village at Barren Creek Springs.

This village includes the Historic Barren Creek Springs Presbyterian Church, the Barren Creek Springhouse, and the Barren Creek Heritage Center and Museum. The restored church maintains original features from its 1842 construction, such as windows, pews, wood flooring, oil-lamp chandeliers, and tall pulpit lamps. It also contains an organ, antique chairs, and liturgical accessories.  In the Barren Creek Heritage Museum, more than thirty permanent exhibits tell the story of the Barren Creek area & the town of Mardela Springs from 1660s to ca. 1950, and highlight specific aspects of life in the local area.  The large gallery displays photographs, maps, and artifacts which tell a general history of the Puckamee Indians and colonial settlers who came to inhabit the region.  In addition, the museum displays textile artifacts such as costumes, quilts, and needlework, kitchen artifacts such as an iron cook stove and hand pump, and furnishings from the home of Thomas Evans, which include an old phonograph, a stereoscope, and kerosene lights. Other exhibits display artifacts relating to baseball, religions of early settlers, the banking business, and local military war heroes.