North Carolina Book Awards Reward Reality and Spirituality

Posted October 28, 2008 – 9:34 am

RALEIGH – Devilish magic, a pilgrim’s journey, and the rough-and-tumble world of North Carolina politics are among winning subjects of books honored with the 2008 North Carolina Book Awards, which will be presented on Saturday, Nov. 8, in Raleigh. The joint meeting of the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association and the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies will convene in afternoon and evening sessions at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel.

Rob Christensen exposes many surprises in “The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics,” an examination of a century of North Carolina politics. The title receives the Ragan Old North State Award for Nonfiction. It introduces remarkable characters, including a U.S. Senator who was a Nazi sympathizer, a gubernatorial candidate who was a Soviet agent, and a senator who helped bring down Joe McCarthy and Richard Nixon. Christensen answers the question of how one state could be represented by Jesse Helms and John Edwards at the same time. North Carolina was intensely divided long before talk of red states or blue states, but Christensen helps readers make sense of it all.

“Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician” by Daniel Wallace, receives the Sir Walter Award for Fiction, and is a fanciful tale of Henry Walker’s deal with the devil to win mastery of illusion and magic. Mr. Sebastian teaches the magic, and in the process Walker makes his sister disappear and cannot reclaim her, and has other real and surreal experiences. Author Daniel Wallace also wrote “Big Fish” which was made into a movie, and this tale too weaves a sleight of hand as to what is or is not real in a world of tricksters and duality.

Michael Chitwood takes readers on a spiritual journey in “Spill” his sixth book of poetry, which receives the Roanoke-Chowan Award for Poetry. Grounded in an airport terminal with a broken down church van, Chitwood starts a journey of pious certainty, continues in a search for holiness in the terrestrial, and ends with a contemplative examination of the course of life and the wisdom of the journey. Chitwood’s common tongue and thoughtful dialogue will engage many readers.

“About Habitats: Wetlands” by Cathryn Sill teaches children what wetlands are in simple, easy to understand language, and receives the American Association of University Women Award for Juvenile Literature. The plants and animals that live in wetlands are beautifully detailed by Sill’s husband, noted wildlife illustrator John Sill. In addition to explaining how wetlands help maintain the balance in the environment, the book includes a glossary and afterword with many fascinating details.

John Haley of Wilmington receives the Christopher Crittenden Memorial Award for contributions to North Carolina history. John Ehle of Winston-Salem receives the R. Hunt Parker Memorial Award for lifetime literary achievement.

The Phoenix Society for African American Research in Tarboro and the Greensboro Historical Museum are recipients of the Albert Ray Newsome Award presented by the Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies.

The 2008 Student Publication Awards in the High School Division will be presented to Stone Soup, Enloe High School, Raleigh, first place; Roars and Whispers, Providence High School, Charlotte, second place; The Pegasus, Myers Park High School, Charlotte, third place; and Blutopia, Gaston Day School, Gastonia, honorable mention.

The Middle School Division awards will be presented to Illusions, Martin Middle School, Raleigh, first place; S.M.O.R.S., Smith Middle School, Chapel Hill, and The Tiger’s Den, Randleman Middle School, Randleman, third place.

Registration fee of $45 includes the workshop, evening Awards dinner, and social hour, reservations due by Nov. 1; workshop only is $10; afternoon session is free. Call Parker Backstrom at 919-807-7280 or visit http://www.history.ncdcr.gov/affiliates/lit-hist/lit-hist.htm

On October 23, 1900, in the Olivia Raney Library near the State Capitol, a group of men and women convened the organizational meeting of State Literary and Historical Association. Just as Gov. Charles B. Aycock sought to redeem the state from a legacy of ignorance, the members of the association sought to raise the cultural sights of citizens. A listing of al prior award winners is included at the website
http://www.history.ncdcr.gov/affiliates/lit-hist/lit-hist.htm

The awards to be presented at the N.C. Literary and Historical Association joint meeting continue this tradition and are part of the observance of the 2008 Cultural Resources theme “Telling Our Stories.” The Office of Archives and History in the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources administers the awards. For additional information, call (919) 807-7290. Cultural Resources is a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. Now podcasting 24/7 with information about the Department of Cultural Resources, all available at www.ncculture.com.

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Program Examines “Raleigh’s Own President” Andrew Johnson

Posted October 27, 2008 – 10:01 am

Program will be held in the old N.C. House chamber, State CapitolRALEIGH – Andrew Johnson became America’s 17th president the day after President Lincoln was assassinated. Three tumultuous years later, he was the first president to be impeached.

“Andrew Johnson and the Challenge of Presidential Leadership after the Civil War” will be presented at the State Capitol at noon, Dec. 1, by Dr. Dan T. Carter, one of the nation’s foremost Southern historians.

The free lecture will be in the Old House Chamber and is sponsored by the Office of Archives and History, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, and is part of the “Telling Our Stories” year-long theme observance. Dr. Carter is a University of South Carolina Education Foundation Professor of History Emeritus. His doctoral degree is from UNC-Chapel Hill; he lives in western North Carolina.

Of Dr. Carter’s recent book “From George Wallace to Newt Gingrich: Race in the Conservative Counterrevolution, 1963-1994,” the Journal of Southern History said, “Carter’s essays present graphic evidence of the extent to which race continues to matter in American politics.” Carter’s publications include “Scottsboro: a Tragedy of the American South; When the War Was Over: the Failure of Self-Reconstruction in the South, 1865-1867”; and “The Politics of Rage: George Wallace, the Origins of the New Conservatism, and the Transformation of American Politics.”

The State Capitol will feature an exhibit on Johnson’s North Carolina roots and turbulent times in office in “Raleigh’s Own President: Andrew Johnson’s Life in North Carolina,” Nov. 21, 2008, to Jan. 16, 2009, commemorating his 200th birthday. Johnson was too poor to attend school so he apprenticed with a local tailor. In his Raleigh shop, Johnson learned two life-changing skills: how to perform the tailor’s craft and how to read.

A National Historic Landmark, the N.C. State Capitol is located in downtown Raleigh and bounded by Edenton, Salisbury, Morgan and Wilmington streets. At 5 East Edenton Street, the N.C. Museum of History lies between the Capitol and the Legislative Building. Its main entrance faces Bicentennial Plaza pedestrian mall linking Jones and Edenton streets. Parking is available in state lots near the Capitol. For more information call 919-733-4994.

Administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, the State Capitol is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. Now podcasting 24/7 with information about the Department of Cultural Resources, all available at www.ncculture.com.

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Historic Sites, Arts on the Move, and N.C. Photos

Posted October 24, 2008 – 10:32 am

Times noted are starting points of particular segments

 
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Today’s show highlights a busy day for State Historic Sites, talks about the arts in the lives of North Carolinians, and focuses a lens on a traveling photography exhibit.  First up, Keith Hardison, Director of State Historic Sites, details the fun that will be had on October 25 at a number of the 27 state historic sites (:30).  Up next… Rebecca Moore of the North Carolina Arts Council talks about the upcoming Public Meetings being held around the state that seek citizen input on the arts (7:05). The Cultural Resources theme for 2008 is “Telling Our Stories.”  Fay Mitchell interviews State Librarian Mary Boone and Our State Magazine editor Vicky Jarrett about the “Telling Our Stories Photography Exhibit” on tour around North Carolina (11:47).  It is State Fair time, and in honor of all the good food found at the State Fair, we’ll close with “Slow Food” written and performed here by western North Carolina’s own David Holt (17:35).

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“Scare on the Square” at State Capitol

Posted October 24, 2008 – 9:37 am

RALEIGH—Fact may chill even more than fiction Saturday, Oct. 25, during the State Capitol’s hair-raising but family friendly event, “Scare on the Square.” From 5-9:30 p.m., ‘spooky’ 30-minute guided tours of this 1840s building that has seen so much history will be offered to young and old alike. Free and open to the public, these tours will highlight various mysterious events that have happened within the Capitol’s hallowed walls over its long and storied history. Other activities during the program will include old-fashioned carriage rides around Capitol Square and live bluegrass music performed by the Southern String Band. Advance registration is strongly recommended as this program is popular.

Is that faint scent of cigar smoke some have smelled wafting through the old Senate Chamber from a long-gone senator’s stogie? What have paranormal researchers discovered at the State Capitol? Why do they think that North Carolina has the most haunted capitol in America? These are some of the questions that will be answered (or at least explored) on the “Scare on the Square” tours.

A National Historic Landmark, the N.C. State Capitol is one of the finest and best-preserved examples of the Greek Revival style of architecture in the U.S. It features a domed rotunda and state senate and house chambers, meticulously restored to their 1840 appearance. Until 1888, its granite walls housed all of state government and the legislature met here until 1961. Today, the governor and his staff still occupy offices in the Capitol.

The State Capitol’s mission is to preserve and interpret the architecture, history, and functions of the 1840 Capitol building and Union Square where it is located. In downtown Raleigh, the State Capitol is bounded by Edenton, Salisbury, Morgan and Wilmington Streets. Free parking is available in state lots near the Capitol. To register for the “Scare on the Square” program, call the Capitol at 919-733-4994. For more information on the State Capitol, go to www.nchistoricsites.org/capitol/default.htm.

Administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, the State Capitol is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. Join the Cultural Resources 2008 theme observance of “Telling Our Stories”. For more information, visit www.ncculture.com.

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November Events at the N.C. Museum of History

Posted October 21, 2008 – 2:41 pm

Toss aside all the economy woes for a while. At the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh, all November programs are absolutely, positively free. This includes the museum’s largest event of the year, the 13th Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration. Come and experience North Carolina’s Indian culture firsthand during this celebration filled with dancing, music, craft demonstrations and much more.
November also brings Cherokee storyteller Lloyd Arneach, a lecture about the architecture of the State Capitol building, a tour of the new exhibit Elected to Serve: North Carolina’s Governors, and children’s programs.

Come spend the day at the N.C. Museum of History, where admission is always free, and parking is free on weekends.

PROGRAMS

*Make It, Take It: Campaign Countdown
Sunday, Nov. 2
1-3 p.m. (drop-in program)

Get ready for Election Day by making your own political button. Then see political buttons from past gubernatorial campaigns in the exhibit Elected to Serve: North Carolina’s Governors.

The Capitol of North Carolina: Unlocking Its DNA
Sunday, Nov. 2
3 p.m.
To register, call 919-807-7992 by Oct. 26.

Calder Loth, Senior Architectural Historian, Virginia Department of Historic Resources

Learn about the Greek origins of the State Capitol building, widely regarded as architect Alexander Jackson Davis’s masterpiece. A reception at the Capitol follows the program. The program is co-sponsored by the State Capitol Foundation.

*Time for Tots: Picking Cotton
Tuesday, Nov. 4, or Tuesday, Nov. 18
10 a.m.
Ages 3-5 with adult
To register, call 919-807-7992.

Look at objects in the collection associated with picking and processing cotton. Create a cotton ball collage to take home.

*History Corner: Digging Up the Past
Wednesday, Nov. 5
10 a.m.
Ages 5-9 with adult
To register, call 919-807-7992.

Get your hands dirty and learn some history! Discover what archaeology can teach us about people who lived long ago. The program is presented with Cameron Village Regional Library.

*Make It, Take It: Patriotic Pins
Saturday, Nov. 8
1-3 p.m. (drop-in program)

Make a colorful flag pin to wear on Veterans Day. Then tour A Call to Arms in the museum’s Military History Gallery.

History à la Carte: Nathaniel Macon
Wednesday, Nov. 12
12:10 p.m.
Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
William S. Price Jr., Historian and AuthorNathaniel Macon served in both the state senate and the U.S. Congress. Find out what shaped his character, values and steadfast devotion to the legacy of the American Revolution.

 

Curator’s Tour: Elected to Serve: North Carolina’s Governors
Saturday, Nov. 15
2 p.m.

Louise Benner, Curator of Costume and Textiles

Join the exhibition curator for a special tour. Find out how governors have shaped our state and improved Tar Heel life in areas such as agriculture, industry and education. The exhibit also highlights the contributions of several first ladies to North Carolina. Additional sections focus on political campaigns, voting and inaugural traditions.

*Music of the Carolinas: Lloyd Arneach
Sunday, Nov. 16
3 p.m.

Popular Cherokee storyteller Lloyd Arneach will entertain with “old stories” of the Cherokee, along with contemporary tales. His storytelling style is humorous, informative and extremely moving. A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Arneach has presented stories at the National Folklife Festival, the National Museum of the American Indian, and hundreds of other venues. PineCone co-sponsors the Nov. 16 performance.

*Thirteenth Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration
Saturday, Nov. 22
11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Celebrate North Carolina’s American Indian heritage during this event filled with music, dancing, storytelling, hands-on activities, and food. See artists demonstrate their skills at pottery, beadwork and other crafts. Watch dancers perform traditional dances to the rhythms of northern- and southern-style drum groups. Make crafts, play games, and listen to stories and legends presented by Indian storytellers.

This popular family event attracts approximately 8,000 visitors each year, and all presenters are members of the eight state-recognized tribes: Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, and Waccamaw-Siouan.

The celebration is supported by the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs; the N.C. Museum of History Associates; and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, with funds from the United Arts campaign and the N.C. Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts.

*Artist at Work: James Malcolm
Saturday, Nov. 22
11 a.m.-4 p.m. (drop-in program)
Sunday, Nov. 23
1-3 p.m. (drop-in program)
Watch this Lumbee tribe member create wall hangings and medallions based on traditional Lumbee pinecone patchwork art. Malcolm uses actual pinecones to create the finished product. He takes a traditional Lumbee design and kicks it up a notch with a contemporary twist.

For more information, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org.

* marks program of interest to children or families

The N.C. Museum of History’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. The department’s Web site is www.ncculture.com.

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Early Registration Opens for Arts in Education Conference

Posted October 14, 2008 – 10:32 am

RALEIGH — Next March when teachers, artists, and school administrators gather in Raleigh for a statewide arts in education conference, the focus will be on the right brain—creativity and big picture thinking—and its place in preparing North Carolina public school children for a future in the global economy.  Early registration is now available for the conference with discounts for teams from the same organization registering.

 

“Research shows us that participating in the arts improves critical thinking skills and results in higher SAT scores,” says Linda Bamford, arts in education director for the N.C. Arts Council. “We also know that we need to focus on skills of the right brain so that our children can compete, perform, and live better in the 21st century.”

 

“Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation: Educating Children for Their Future” is the theme of the conference, scheduled March 5-7, 2009 at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C.  “Keynote national and state speakers from business, the arts, government and education will provide insight on creating learning environments that infuse education with creativity, innovation and imagination. Speakers include new UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Holden Thorp, 2007 National Teacher of the Year Andrea Peterson, and Jack Lew, the Global University Relations Manager for Electronic Arts.

 

The 2009 North Carolina: The State of the Arts Conference is sponsored by the North Carolina Arts Council, Meredith College, and United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County in collaboration with Arts North Carolina, A+ Schools Program/UNC-G, N.C. Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, and Wake County Public School System

 

A three-day conference in March 2007 provided an overview of current, successful North Carolina and national practices, programs, and partnerships, and culminated with tips on advocacy and a “call to action.” The 2009 conference will continue to address those topics in the context of how the arts help prepare children for their future.  A video of highlights from the 2007 conference is available here. 

 

Conference registration and additional information can be found at www.unitedarts.org. (Look for the link at the top of the United Arts of Raleigh and Wake County Web site.

 

The North Carolina Arts Council works to make North Carolina a better state through the arts by building vibrant communities, creating opportunities for citizens to be more creative and productive, and ensuring that the state’s culture remains strong and vital. The Arts Council accomplishes this in partnership with artists and arts organizations, other organizations that use the arts to make their communities stronger, and North Carolinians–young and old–who enjoy and participate in the arts. For more information, visit www.ncarts.org.

 

The Arts Council is a division of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, www.ncculture.com, and celebrates those who create and enjoy art in all 100 counties.

 

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Elected to Serve: North Carolina’s Govenors

Posted October 13, 2008 – 2:31 pm

In the exhibit Elected to Serve, see campaign buttons and other political memorabilia from past gubernatorial campaigns.As the North Carolina governor’s race reaches its peak, a timely exhibit nears completion at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. On Saturday, Oct. 25, the museum will open Elected to Serve: North Carolina’s Governors, an insightful look at nearly 300 years of gubernatorial history. One thing is for sure. . . . The state’s foremost leader has always faced challenges, from pirate encounters during colonial times to today’s budget concerns. Many twists and turns along the way have left a colorful history.

Elected to Serve explores how governors have shaped our state and improved Tar Heel life in areas such as agriculture, industry and education. The exhibit also highlights the contributions of several first ladies to North Carolina. Additional sections focus on political campaigns, voting and inaugural traditions. Elected to Serve will run until Sept. 2009, and admission is free.

Numerous artifacts, photographs and portraits reflect a lively gubernatorial past. The items range from a 1775 North Carolina $5 bill from the days of royal governor William Tryon to the first ticket sold in 2006 for the N.C. Education Lottery, supported by Gov. Mike Easley. A selection of Inaugural Ball gowns, always popular with visitors, includes the 1893 silk dress created for First Lady Eleanor Carr and the satin gown that First Lady Mary Easley danced in at the 2005 Inaugural Ball.

Sixty-six men have led the state of North Carolina, and dozens more presided over the colony before statehood. “Some have made us proud, some have made us angry, and some have made us laugh, but all have worked to make North Carolina a better place,” says RaeLana Poteat, associate curator at the N.C. Museum of History.

Their accomplishments are endless. For example, Gov. Zebulon Vance led the state during the turbulent Civil War years, and O. Max Gardner started programs to help Tar Heels survive the Depression. In the mid-1900s, Kerr Scott brought electricity and phone service to rural North Carolinians and improved roads to “get the farmer out of the mud.” Gov. Terry Sanford initiated the first state-level antipoverty program in the nation, and Gov. James Martin recruited new industries that brought approximately 500,000 jobs during his term from 1985 to 1993. The efforts of these educators, soldiers, farmers, businessmen, lawyers and others have left strong legacies that continue to affect North Carolinians.

Elected to Serve highlights the roles of several first ladies who supported causes. First Lady Fannie Yarborough Bickett, for instance, appeared with her husband before the N.C. legislature in 1920 to promote woman suffrage. During World War II, Alice Broughton supported the war effort by opening the Executive Mansion to house soldiers and by growing a Victory garden on the mansion grounds. Education was a top priority of Gov. James B. Hunt Jr., and First Lady Carolyn Hunt helped develop a statewide reading initiative and volunteered regularly in reading programs.

Whatever 2009 brings for the new governor, he or she will have a long legacy on which to build. Be sure to see Elected to Serve, and discover how the contributions of former governors have enriched the Old North State.

RELATED PROGRAMS

The N.C. Museum of History offers a variety of programs that complement the exhibit Elected to Serve: North Carolina’s Governors, opening Oct. 25, 2008, in Raleigh. All programs are free.

*Make It, Take It: Campaign Countdown
Sunday, Nov. 2
1-3 p.m. (drop-in program)
Be inspired by campaign buttons from the museum collection or use an original design to make your own button to express your views and ideas.

History à la Carte: Nathaniel Macon
Wednesday, Nov. 12
12:10 p.m.
Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
William S. Price Jr., Historian and Author
Nathaniel Macon served in both the state senate and the U.S. Congress. Find out what inspired his character, values and steadfast devotion to the legacy of the American Revolution.

Curator Tour: Elected to Serve: North Carolina’s Governors
Saturday, Nov. 15
2 p.m.
Louise Benner, Curator of Costume and Textiles, N.C. Museum of History
Political figures have shaped our state since its founding. Join the exhibition curator for a special tour of Elected to Serve, and learn how governors and first ladies have contributed to the development of North Carolina from education to agriculture and from industry to cultural expression.
For more information about the museum, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org.
* marks program of interest to children or families

For more information about the museum, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org.

The N.C. Museum of History’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is part of the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. The department’s Web site is www.ncculture.com.

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“Telling Our Stories” State Archives’ Photographs from the Past

Posted October 13, 2008 – 1:38 pm

RALEIGH – A farmer with oxen at the end of the work day, a women’s basketball team in bloomers, a baby picture of former Secretary of State Thad Eure, and a tobacco festival queen bedecked in a gown of dried tobacco leaves, are among the treasured photographs from the North Carolina State Archives traveling with the Telling Our Stories Photography Exhibit organized by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. The exhibit showcases some of the many ways the state’s stories can be told, and will travel across the state from October 2008 through December 2009.

The photography exhibit is part of the year-long observance of the Cultural Resources “Telling Our Stories” 2008 theme. It will include top winning photographs from the Our State magazine readers’ photography contest, pictures from professional photographers selected by a panel, and images from the State Archives. Public libraries across the state will show the exhibit, which will bring some of the highest quality photography to venues that might not have access to them.

This will be the first traveling exhibit to feature images from the archives. The State Archives collection dates from daguerreotypes of the 1860s to photographs from the 1970s. The oldest image in the exhibit is a picture of an ox cart at the State Capitol in Raleigh taken before 1895. It is from the millions of images that comprise the Archives’ holdings. The collection is part of the Special Collections Branch, the Non-Textual Material Unit also manages audio recordings and motion picture film.

The majority of images in the archives is in black and white, and range from Dizzie Gillespie to Mount Mitchell. Many are negatives, and include images photographed by Office of Archives and History photographers dating from the 1950s, N.C. Division of Travel and Tourism, and N.C. Wildlife photographs, and negatives by the staff of the News & Observer from 1938 to 1999, both color and black and white. Additionally, historical and family images donated by the public, and private collections complete the holdings. The N.C. State Archives collects, preserves, and makes available to the public historical and evidential materials relating to North Carolina.

For additional information about the exhibit, call (919) 807-7389. To find information on the State Library of North Carolina, visit http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NCSLHOME.HTM.  The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. Now podcasting 24/7 with information available at www.ncculture.com.

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QAR in the News

Posted October 10, 2008 – 9:10 am

     Researchers on the wreck of the presumed Queen Anne’s Revenge (QAR), Blackbeard’s flagship, are conducting the fall dive expedition through Nov. 7.  From time to time, they host visitors.  Click here to read a Carteret News-Times article about detectives from West Virginia who came to work on furthering their underwater investigative procedures.

     The QAR sank in June 1718.  This wreck was located in November 1996 by Intersal, Inc., with information provided to Operations Director Mike Daniel by company president the late Phil Masters.  Archaeologists with the Underwater Archaeology Branch in the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources have led research for more than 11 years and found substantial evidence that supports that the shipwreck is the QAR. Partners assisting with the project include N.C. Marine Fisheries, the U.S. Coast Guard-Fort Macon, Fort Macon State Park, Nautilus Productions and the N.C. Maritime Museum. 

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Town Creek Indian Mound Celebrates Fall Harvest

Posted October 8, 2008 – 2:10 pm

Open-hearth cooking demonstrated at Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic SiteMT. GILEAD - Just as American Indians did a thousand years ago, Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site in Mt. Gilead celebrates the annual harvest season Saturday, Oct.11. An annual living history program, Eastern Woodlands Day will highlight how American Indians who prospered during the Woodland Period (ca. 1000 B.C.-1200 A.D.) lived. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m., staff and volunteers will demonstrate skills and techniques used by these people including open-hearth cooking, flint-knapping and even making a fire using a bow-drill. This event is free and open to the public, though a suggested donation of $1 per person is appreciated.

In many native cultures, October is known as the harvesting month, as this is when the corn is ripe and ready to be picked. Susie Gingras (Cherokee) will show how natives used heated stones in doing open-hearth cooking. During the harvest season the men would also hunt for deer and other small game so Bill Gingras (Abnaki, an Indian group found in northern New England and Canada) will display his proficiency in flint knapping and crafting prehistoric hunting tools; fire was essential to the Woodland Indians, so he will also demonstrate how to make fire using a bow-drill, a method called “fire by friction.”

Hands-on activities will also be offered for kids or just those young at heart. Participants can weave a bracelet using the ancient technique of cordage or form their own clay pinch-pot, just as the natives did. American Indian stories and legends from will be told all throughout the day as well.

This event has become quite popular each year, especially among Scout troops.

For more than a thousand years, American Indians farmed lands later known as North Carolina. Around 1000 A.D., a new cultural tradition arrived in the Pee Dee River Valley. Throughout Georgia, South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and western and southern Piedmont North Carolina, the Mississippian tradition spawned complex societies. Inhabitants built earthen mounds for their leaders, engaged in widespread trade, supported craftspeople and celebrated a new form of religion.

In 1937, excavations began at Town Creek Indian Mound. Key features of the site were reconstructed, including the mound, two temple structures, a burial hut and the surrounding stockade. Archaeologists’ excavations revealed that the mound at Town Creek was constructed over an early rectangular structure known as an “earth lodge.”

The mission of Town Creek Indian Mound is to interpret the history of the American Indians who once lived here. The visitor center features interpretive exhibits as well as audiovisual displays. A national historic landmark, Town Creek Indian Mound is North Carolina’s only state historic site dedicated to American Indian heritage. Tour groups are welcome and encouraged. The site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. It is closed to the public Mondays and most major holidays.

The historic site is located on Town Creek Mound Road approximately five miles east of Mt. Gilead, in southern Montgomery County between NC 73 and NC 731. For more information on Town Creek, visit www.towncreek.nchistoricsites.org.

Administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, Town Creek Indian Mound is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. Join the Cultural Resources 2008 theme observance of “Telling Our Stories.” For more information, visit www.ncculture.com or call 919 807-7385.

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