Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - Heritage Days at the Museum of Appalachia

Heritage Days...

Well, a first hand look at what life was really like in rural Appalachia in the late 1800's -mid 1900's...It is a fantastic museum and gives kids a "hands-on" view to the unique world that is written about in so many stories about Appalachia..  

My kids were fascinated by the homes and the meager furnishings.. They loved the "outhouse" and I told them my grandparents had an outhouse and I had actually used it...

They played games from the time period... (sack races with feed sacks, walking blocks, paddle ball, simply made items into childhood fun)... My DS used a 2-person saw and sawed a cedar log and was so excited to get to bring home his piece of cedar... DC learned to play the "Spoons" and were able to take a "brief" guitar lesson.. They watched how "lye" soap is made and of course we bought a bar to come home and try... 

We toured every home on exhibit and watched as people made molasses... DC got to get hands on with a "pottery" class where they each made a bowl and learning how to do laundry with a washboard... We enjoyed "Blue Grass" music and watched a "Bird of Prey" show...the kids joined in with the "Hominy Mamas" for a singing in the one-room schoolhouse...

We met "Abraham Lincoln" who happily told the kids he was "homeschooled too"... We watched sheep herding (just like on "Babe" as DS said)... We tasted sassafrass tea (not too tasty) and then had a muscadine juice (YUM!!)...and finished off the day with a Funnel Cake..

All in all, a wonderful learning experience...