Blankenship, had been seriously considering moving the living history museum to Columbus, Georgia. A protest against the plan was staged on October 23, 2014. As of July 2016, the Lumpkin site was closed. New site Historic Westville reopened on June 22, 2019 in Columbus, GA. The site is open Wednesday-Sunday to the public and offers school programs and field trips. Plans to expand interpretation and move other buildings from the Lumpkin site are being set in motion as funding allows. Today, John West's contribution is appreciated in a larger context. With the exception of a few years in the 1960s, West's project has demonstrated "Georgiana" to the public continuously since 1928. Historic Westville therefore can rightly claim to be rooted in the third-oldest living-history project in America. Westville remains the lasting legacy of John West. As of October 2019, Historic Westville has live demonstrations and crafting interpreters every day. They are dressed in clothing accurate for the time of 1840-1860. Their living historians engage the public with dialogue about living in South Georgia during the 19th century. Emphasis lies on the unique and diverse stories of the people that made the area of South Georgia their home. Historic Westville currently has five interpreters that are skilled in traditional trades. Leatherworking and boot making are shown in the Singer Boot Shop, while South Georgia quilting is in the Singer House. Traditional carpentry is in West Wood Shop, while Blacksmithing is in the Woodruff Blacksmith Shop. Westville is also home to a dressmaker that hand stitches all of the clothing worn by employed interpreters at the site. Open hearth cooking will be available early winter 2019. Historic methods and techniques are used by the craftspeople. Tools from the time period are on display in the houses and occasionally, still used. See also List of museums in Georgia (U.S. state) References External links Official website of Westville 1966 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Living museums in Georgia (U.S. state) Open-air museums in Georgia (U.S. state) Museums established in 1966 Museums in Stewart County, Georgia Rural history museums in Georgia (U.S. state)