Tayamentasachta: a Center for Environmental Studies is owned and operated by the Greencastle-Antrim School District under the leadership of Director Charles White. Due to its architectural significance and cultural heritage, the house and barn are in the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Tayamentasachta is located on a 35-acre farm which includes several areas of ecological interest. A wood lot, old fields, experimental farming, wildlife areas, tree and shrub nurseries, a black walnut plantation, an apple orchard, and a colonial kitchen garden are a few examples of the diversity of the center.

 

Also located on the property is the spring for which the center was named. Tayamentasachta is a Delaware indian word which means “never ending waters”.

 

A mansion built in the 1820s captures the rich history of Greencastle and its surrounding areas. Several rooms within the house are now used as a natural and cultural history museum, Renovated 19th century rooms, an ecological laboratory, a classroom, and modern office facilities allow the center to operate in the 20th century.

 

The rich history is evident in the large brick and frame barn which houses a workshop and tool shed. The the barn contains displays of the tools and machinery of the early American era. The barn’s bay areas are used for large group activities.

 

Community volunteers have constructed and donated many items to enhance the center. A Pennsylvania Dutch oven and smoke house combination and a log cabin, both of which were built by students, are also located on the property. These structures help to demonstrate early American life. The C.E.T.A. (Comprehensive Employment Training Act ) carpentry training program participants built a solar greenhouse that is used to raise vegetables and flowers for Tayamentasachta’s gardens. A windmill and water wheel were donated to the center around 1972 to demonstrate alternative forms of energy. For a similar purpose, solar panels were installed on the roof of the longhouse (classroom) which power all the A/V equipment at Tayamentasachta.

 

Four miles of trails meander around Tayamentasachta’s grounds. This trail system includes a self-guided nature walk which allows people to learn about the environment. Many trails are used for walking and jogging. Other trails serve as a course for the high school cross-country team.