In Ewing Virginia, Historic Martin's Station and those who work there offer a unique piece of living history.
"Visitors that come to Wilderness Road State Park, this is what they get to see," said Billy Heck, chief ranger at the park. "They get to see an everyday living history museum."
Heck portrays Captain Martin, the leader of the fort. He says with each visit, tourists will see a different side of pioneer life.
"We never do the same thing twice. You may see us cooking bacon or we may be tending to the horses' hooves tomorrow. You're not going to see this anywhere else in America," he said.
The fort is made entirely by hand with replicas nearly identical to those seen at the fort in the 18th Century. Artisans across the United States sell or donate items to the fort. Heck says the season this year is nearly over, but it was extended to take advantage of the fall beauty.
"The leaves are really popping," he said. "Next weekend is the last weekend we will be open then after that, we'll have Frontier Christmas on December 9th and some Christmas activities on the first three weekends in December."
Heck says he and other employees take great pride in their work and hope it leaves visitors with a lasting experience.
"We love what we do and we want everyone to get the understanding that our forefathers lived a brutal life but it was the first time they tasted true freedom. That's what we try to express to our visitors. They suffered a lot to give us what we have today," he said.
For more information on Martin's Station Fort, click here.