Special to Atmore News
The 20th annual Pioneer Day living history festival will be Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum in Grove Hill. The free living history event features costumed re-enactors demonstrating early life in southwest Alabama. The Willie Overton Memorial Tractor & Engine show will be another featured event.
More than 30 demonstrations representing different times in history are scheduled simultaneously throughout the day including cane syrup making, blacksmithing and forging, soap making, candle dipping, quill writing, straw brooms, flint knapping, basket weaving, butter churning, wool spinning, tomahawk throwing, salt making, cracklings, basketmaking, rope making, shingle splitting, and many more. This year, visitors will get to try their hand at throwing the atlatl, an early Native American hunting weapon.
A traditional, free-hand silhouettist will be on hand to render the likeness of your child using only scissors and paper and 18th century techniques. New this year will be portrayals of Josiah Francis and his daughter, Milly. Josiah Francis led the raid on Clarke County’s Fort Sinquefield in the Creek War of 1813 and his daughter is known as the Creek Pocahontas. There will also be new re-enactors who will tell about the first major road in the area, the Federal Road, and an early 1800s weapon demonstration.
Always a hit, Blue Heron will display his Creek hunting camp. Re-enactors will set up an 1860s chuck wagon camp and demonstrate Dutch oven cooking, including chicken and dumplings and turnip soup. Homemade Brunswick stew, and pies and other homemade baked goods will be available. The grist mill will run throughout the day and cornmeal will be for sale. Winky Hicks will provide live music throughout the day.
There will be lots of old-timey games, a barnyard petting zoo for children, train rides and a hay maze for toddlers.
A new exhibit curated by Auburn University, “Remembering the Great War: Alabama and World War One” will be open.
Anyone wishing to enter an antique tractor, car, truck or hit or miss engine in the show should arrive at 8.
All events will take place on the grounds of the Clarke County Museum, 116 West Cobb Street in Grove Hill. Admission is free.
For more information, contact the museum office at 251-275-8684, visit their website at www.clarkemuseum.com, or find them on Facebook as Clarke County Historical Museum.