Stories
Developing the narrative
The Ulster American Folk Park strives to give a diverse range of perspectives on the story of migration from Ulster to North America, from the 18th century to the early 20th century.
Learn more about our commitmentEmigrants Exhibition
Follow the emigrant journey through the following four themes in our Emigrants exhibition;
People and Places
Delve into the lives of those who emigrated with a closer look at their social class and religious denominations. Learn about the successes and failures of some of the hundreds of thousands of people who left Ulster for North America between 1700 and 1900.
Failure and Opportunity
Explore the reasons people left their friends, family and everything they'd ever known to embark on a journey into the unknown. Factors such as the Great Famine and down turns in trade saw many leave Ulster shores during the 1700s and 1800s, encouraged by letters sent from family and friends who had already made the move to America.
Transport and Migration
During the years of early migration, the first steps to leaving Ulster involved a long walk to the port or a horse and cart ride if you could afford it. From there, many embarked on the long and dangerous 3,000-mile crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. Over time, transport evolved and railways replaced the wagon and the ocean could be crossed in less than 14 days by iron steam ships. Experience what this journey would have been like.
Survival and Prosperity
Discover what happened upon arrival in America. What was the 19th and 20th century political scene like in America, and how did this impact the life of the emigrant? Early Ulster migrants made new homes in this different environment, carving out new lives for themselves and their families.
Emigrants – A Broader Perspective
We are currently working to reveal previously marginalised histories at the Ulster American Folk Park. This includes bringing to the fore the stories of Indigenous Peoples, many of whom suffered greatly as a result of colonisation, as well as enslaved people of African descent, who were exploited by some Ulster emigrants.
For many years, our permanent introductory exhibition, Emigrants, has told a one-sided story, with little consideration given to the impacts of Ulster emigration on Indigenous Peoples or enslaved people. To address this, we have been undertaking new research and working with partners to reveal marginalised histories and you can now explore some of the stories we have recovered so far in the exhibition.
The experiences of Indigenous Peoples and enslaved people are an unavoidable part of the story of emigration from Ulster to North America, and we commit to understand them better and work toward intercommunity healing.